NEWS
This week marked a significant milestone in our work to protect children from online sexual violence. Over two impactful days in Brussels, we hosted the Project 2KNOW Final Conference and our Concluding Consortium Meeting, bringing together experts, policymakers, and researchers to turn knowledge into action.
(Featured from left to right: Hanna Lahtinen, Tegan Insoll, Noora Nieminen, Valeriia Soloveva, Anna Ovaska, Nina Vaaranen-Valkonen, Eva Díaz Bethencourt, Laura Daoud, Katariina Leivo)
Project 2KNOW is an EU-funded project aiming to improve data collection on violence against children and to offer a scalable parental peer support model for carers of child victims of sexual abuse.
Day 1: Project 2KNOW Final Conference
On 4 February, we welcomed participants to the European Parliament for powerful discussions and groundbreaking insights at the Project 2KNOW Final Conference, themed "From Knowledge to Action: Advancing Strategies to End Online Sexual Violence Against Children."
We were thrilled to welcome over 350 participants from at least 36 countries. The conference featured:
Opening remarks from Emilio Puccio, Secretary General of the Intergroup on Children’s Rights, Nina Vaaranen-Valkonen, Executive Director of Protect Children, and Anna Ovaska, Deputy Director of Protect Children and Project 2KNOW Coordinator.
Keynote speech by Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy.
Presentations from Members of the European Parliament, Veronika Cifrová Ostrihoňová and Evin Incir highlighting the vital legislative efforts to combat child sexual abuse.
Expert contributions from Laura Daoud (Council of the Baltic Sea States), Antonio Labrador Jimenez (European Commission), Dr Hanna Lahtinen (University of Eastern Finland), and Emily Slifer (Thorn).
Updates from the Protect Children team, including Tegan Insoll, Head of Research, and Katariina Leivo, Senior Specialist, who unveiled practical findings and outputs from Project 2KNOW
(Pictured from left to right: Hanna Lahtinen, Anna Ovaska, Emilio Puccio, Nina Vaaranen-Valkonen, Tegan Insoll)
(Pictured from left to right: Emilio Puccio, Evin Incir, Katariina Leivo, Nina Vaaranen-Valkonen, Antonio Labrador Jimenez, Emily Slifer)
(Pictured from left to right: Henna Virkkunen, Nina Vaaranen-Valkonen, Veronika Cifrová Ostrihoňová)
The day’s discussions emphasised the urgency of implementing evidence-based strategies to tackle online child sexual abuse and foster a safer digital environment for children.
We extend our immense gratitude to Emilio Puccio, MEP Merja Kyllönen, and MEP Veronika Cifrová Ostrihoňová for co-hosting us at the European Parliament.
Day 2: Concluding Consortium Meeting
The next day, on 5 February, Project 2KNOW consortium members reconvened to reflect on the achievements of the EU-funded project. This internal meeting, held in Brussels, was an opportunity to review the project’s progress, share lessons learned, and plan the next steps for turning research into impactful action.
Collaboration has been the cornerstone of Project 2KNOW, and the meeting served as a reminder of the dedication and shared commitment across the consortium. Representatives from the Council of the Baltic Sea States, the University of Eastern Finland, and Protect Children celebrated the partnerships that made this work possible.
Next steps
Did you miss the 2KNOW Final Conference or would you like to have a deeper dive into 2KNOW Project research? Register for the upcoming webinar What Drives Online Child Sexual Abuse Offending? Understanding Motivations, Facilitators, Situational Factors, and Barriers.
📅 20 February 2025, 15:00-17:00 CET 📍 Zoom
The 2KNOW project has been produced with the financial support of the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme (CERV) Programme (2022) of the European Union. The contents herein are the sole responsibility of project partnership and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Commission.
