Access , equity and power
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Addressing the prevalence of parental offenders in child sexual abuse material to improve prevention , intervention and survivor support
The problem
Child sexual abuse material ( CSAM ) is readily available online and represents a growing global problem . In 2021 , Australian authorities received more than 33,000 reports of online CSAM . Existing research indicates parents and / or parental figures are highly represented in offender populations . Yet government policy and prevention tends to prioritise online threats outside the family .
Our solution
Recognising the prevalence of parental offenders is vital for informing primary prevention , early intervention , and law enforcement , says Associate Professor Michael Salter , UNSW Scientia Research Fellow from UNSW ’ s School of Social Sciences . Additionally , we need to better understand the significant impact of parental CSAM to better support survivors .
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Michael Salter is an expert in child sexual exploitation and gendered violence . He collaborates with international peak bodies on survivor-focused research and contributes to global strategies and taskforces on child sexual exploitation through his relationships with the Australian Office of eSafety Commissioner , the Canadian Centre for Child Protection and the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation .
He collaborated on a world-first study of cases from 2009- 2019 where Australian parents and / or parental figures made CSAM of their children . The interdisciplinary team identified distinct patterns and scenarios of parental CSAM offending to inform prevention , intervention , law enforcement and survivor support .
Michael also surveyed international frontline and specialist law enforcement professionals , mapping major increases in CSAM and its livestreaming , in online grooming , online abuse community activity and online risk-taking by minors during the pandemic .