Written by Ioannis Stefanou and Maria Margarita Mentzelopoulou.
Child sexual exploitation and sexual abuse are among the worst forms of violence against children and know no borders. The rise in these crimes is exacerbated by the use of digital technology. Harmonised national laws and international cooperation are essential to improve prevention and protect victims.
Background
The European Day for the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse, an initiative of the Council of Europe, is observed every 18 November to highlight the importance of preventing child sexual exploitation and abuse. The 2025 edition focuses on strengthening the protection of children against sexual exploitation and sexual abuse through evidence-based policymaking. At the EU level, in 2020 the European Commission launched a strategy for a more effective fight against child sexual abuse. Similarly, child sexual exploitation is a priority in the fight against serious and organised crime within the context of the 2020‑2025 EU security union strategy and the European Multidisciplinary Platform Against Criminal Threats (EMPACT).
According to a 2024 UNICEF report, one in five girls and women and one in seven boys and men alive today globally have experienced sexual violence as children, while in Europe one in five children is estimated to be a victim of sexual violence, with 70-85 % knowing their abuser. Child sexual abuse and exploitation are increasingly occurring online. In 2024, the United States’ National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received 20.5 million reports of suspected child sexual exploitation.
International and EU efforts to combat child sexual abuse
International legal framework
The 1989 UN Convention on the Rights of the Child laid the foundation for an international framework to combat child sexual abuse and exploitation. In 2007, the Council of Europe adopted the Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse (CETS No 201), or ‘Lanzarote Convention‘. This was the first international instrument to categorise different forms of child sexual abuse as criminal offences. It entered into force on 1 July 2010 and has since been ratified by all EU Member States.
EU legal framework
The main EU legal instrument to combat sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children, as well as child pornography, is Directive 2011/93/EU (the Combating Child Sexual Abuse Directive), which criminalises various forms of child sexual abuse and exploitation, harmonises laws across the EU, and sets minimum sanctions. Article 25 requires the removal of websites containing or disseminating child sexual abuse material and allows blocking access where needed, helping combat online child sexual exploitation and abuse. Directive 2012/29/EU (the 2012 Victims’ Rights Directive) complements this framework with a child-sensitive approach prioritising the best interests of the child. The 2021 EU strategy on the rights of the child offers a policy framework to combat violence against children and protect them from all forms of abuse.
Recent developments
On 6 February 2024, as part of the EU strategy to more effectively combat child sexual abuse, the Commission proposed a revision of the 2011 Combating Child Sexual Abuse Directive. The updated rules would broaden the definitions of offences to include new forms of online child sexual abuse, introduce higher penalties, and establish more specific requirements for the prevention of offences and the provision of assistance to victims. Additionally, minimum statutes of limitation would be set to enable victims to seek justice more effectively. The Commission has also launched the revision of the Victims’ Rights Directive. On 23 April 2024, it adopted a recommendation on integrated child protection systems – a key deliverable under the children’s rights strategy to better protect children from violence.
Work has also continued on the 2022 legislative proposal that would require providers of online communication services to detect, report and remove child sexual abuse material. The proposal includes the establishment of an EU centre to prevent and combat child sexual abuse. Pending agreement in the Council of the EU (the Council), the European Parliament and the Council have agreed to extend the 2021 interim regulation, which temporarily exempts providers from electronic data protection rules, to allow for voluntary detection, reporting and removal. Furthermore, the Commission has launched a public consultation on an action plan to address cyberbullying, with a focus on minors.
International cooperation through EU agencies, initiatives and networks
Various EU agencies, such as Europol, support law enforcement cooperation among Member States to combat online sexual exploitation and abuse of children within the EU and globally. One example is the Stop Child Abuse – Trace an Object initiative, designed to help trace the origin of objects linked to criminal investigations. In addition, the European Commission has adopted the Decision to formally launch the Network for the Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse at the end of 2025.
Eurojust supports judicial cooperation among Member States for the cross-border prosecution of perpetrators. The Commission funds several initiatives and networks, including the Better Internet for Kids (BIK) portal, which raises awareness of risks, and INHOPE, a network of hotlines combating online child sexual abuse material. The WePROTECT Global Alliance develops political and practical solutions to protect children online and prevent online sexual abuse and long-term harm. The Internet Watch Foundation provides a hotline for reporting online sexual abuse content globally. ChildSafetyON brings together children’s rights organisations to end child sexual abuse and exploitation in the EU, as does the European Child Sexual Abuse Legislation Advocacy Group (ECLAG).
| European Parliament position In June 2025, Parliament adopted its position on the revision of the Combating Sexual Abuse Directive, proposing to increase maximum penalties for several offences and remove limitation periods. Since its first assessment in 2017 on implementation, Parliament and its Children’s Rights Coordinator have repeatedly called for full transposition of the directive and action in key areas. In November 2023, Parliament adopted its position on the proposed regulation to prevent and combat child sexual abuse; negotiations with the Council are ongoing. Moreover, a report from the Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) on the protection of minors online is planned to be voted in the plenary of 25 November 2025. In addition, a draft report from the Committee on Culture and Education (CULT) is expected to be voted in committee in April 2026. Parliament has also demanded better child protection and victim support and a greater focus on prevention and awareness raising; stressed that information and communications technology companies and online platforms should take some responsibility in the fight against child sexual abuse material; and called for more national investment in digital education. Parliament has welcomed Europol’s prevention and awareness-raising work, and supported the establishment of an EU centre to prevent and counter child sexual abuse. |
Read this ‘at a glance note’ on ‘European Day for the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse‘ in the Think Tank pages of the European Parliament.
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