Reports of child exploitation to AFP-led ACCCE rise 45% in last budget year

Reports of online child exploitation to the AFP-led Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) have increased by 45 percent in the past financial year, according to new data released by the AFP as part of National Child Protection Week.

In the 2023-24 financial year, the ACCCE recorded 58,503 reports of online child abuse, an average of 160 reports per day – a 45 per cent increase on the previous financial year’s total of 40,232 reports. In the ACCCE’s first year in 2018, it received 14,285 reports of online child abuse.

The ACCCE celebrates its anniversary around the time of National Child Protection Week, which this year started on Sunday, September 1, 2024. The aim is to draw attention to all issues related to child protection.

The increase in reports, which has increased every year in the six years that the ACCCE has been operating, reflects the growing levels of online child sexual abuse and increased awareness of this issue in the Australian community.

On average, the ACCCE received 4,875 reports per month. The highest number of reports was received in November 2023, with 5,947 reports sent by the Office of the eSafety Commissioner and members of the public.

Helen Schneider, commander of ACCCE and Human Exploitation at AFP, said the increase in reports was worrying but a valuable resource in the fight against child exploitation.

“As more children and young people have access to the internet, we are seeing an increasing trend in cases of online child sexual exploitation,” said Commander Schneider.

“While the increase is disturbing, authorities can only help those we know, which is why we continue to encourage parents and carers to talk to their children about how to stay safe online and how to report it.

“Each of these reports contains images and videos of real children being sexually abused or exploited for the sexual gratification of the perpetrators.”

Over the past year, ACCCE has launched public initiatives and industry partnerships to raise awareness and stimulate discussion about online child sexual abuse, and to assist with child protection investigations.

Some of these initiatives include partnering with ANZ to use financial data to combat child sexual abuse, updating the AFP’s award-winning ThinkUKnow program and engaging the eSafety Commissioner to provide resources for linguistically diverse Australian families.

Commander Schneider said the AFP-led ACCCE has worked throughout the year with partners in law enforcement, industry and government to educate the public and investigate those who seek to harm children.

“We must act as a community to be aware of the risks our children may face, and prevent child sexual exploitation online – during National Child Protection Week and every week,” said Commander Schneider.

The AFP and its partners are committed to ending online child sexual exploitation. The ACCCE is the driving force behind a joint national approach to combating child abuse.

The ACCCE brings together specialist expertise and skills in a central hub, supports investigations into online child sexual exploitation and develops prevention strategies aimed at creating a safer online environment.

Members of the public who have information about people involved in online child sexual exploitation are urged to contact the ACCCE. If you know of any abuse currently taking place or a child at risk, call the police immediately on 000.

If you or someone you know is experiencing child sexual abuse and online exploitation, there is support available.

For more information about the role of the ACCCE, what online child sexual exploitation is and how to report it, please visit the ACCCE website.

Note to the media

Use of the term ‘CHILD ABUSE’ MATERIAL and not ‘CHILD PORNOGRAPHY’

The correct legal term is ‘child abuse material’. The move to this wording was one of a series of changes to Commonwealth law in 2019 to more accurately reflect the seriousness of the crimes and the harm caused to victims.

The use of the term “child pornography” is incorrect and benefits child abusers because it:

• indicates legitimacy and cooperation on the part of the victim and therefore legality on the part of the abuser; and
• conjures up images of children posing in ‘provocative’ poses, rather than being horribly abused.

Each photo or video captures an actual situation in which a child has been abused.