Offenders' approaches to overcoming victim resistance in technology-assisted child sexual abuse.

BACKGROUND: Perpetrators of technology-assisted abuse use an abundance of strategies to manipulate and sexually abuse children online, however victim resistance during and post abuse has yet to be explored in detail. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the strategies perpetrators use to overcome direct victim resistance and the strategies victims use to resist perpetrators' demands. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: The sample was recruited through Childline, National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) and the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP). This consisted of 10 semi-structured interview transcripts of 1 male and 9 female victims of technology-assisted sexual abuse, who were aged between 9 and 15 years old at the time of the abuse (M = 13.09, SD = 2.0). METHOD: This study qualitatively analysed secondary data collected by Hamilton-Giachritsis et al. (2020). The interview transcripts were analysed using a thematic analysis. RESULTS: The thematic map consisted of two key themes and six sub-themes. Results identified how all perpetrators appeared to adapt their strategies of overcoming victim resistance using a variety of approaches. These ranged from isolating victims and depriving them of sleep, to more extreme approaches such as threats to share sexual images of the victims. Victims also used a range of strategies to resist and de-escalate the abuse, such as feigning ignorance and complying with some but not all requests. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified the key strategies used by offenders to overcome victim resistance, and the strategies young people used to resist, de-escalate and end the abuse.

Technology assisted child sexual abuse: Professionals' perceptions of risk and impact on children and young people.

BACKGROUND: Despite the rise in 'online'/technology-assisted child sexual abuse (TA-CSA), little research has been conducted on professionals' perceptions beyond reporting on young people's experiences. OBJECTIVES: This novel study aimed to understand how professionals who work with victims perceive online CSA (i.e., dynamics and impact), and organizational responses to it. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTINGS: Seven child protection professionals completed a paper-based pilot questionnaire; another 45 professionals (from child protection, policing, education and therapy) completed a shorter, online survey. METHODS: Recruitment occurred via a child protection conference, relevant law enforcement/child protection organizations, and advertised via BASPCAN (a national organization for child protection professionals). RESULTS: Professionals often demonstrated a limited understanding of the wide range of 'online' CSA. Online CSA was often seen by organizations and some professionals as less serious than offline CSA, with offline victims' prioritized as higher risk, even though respondents noted the impact may be the same. Organizations rarely had clearly outlined assessment/intervention pathways, and some professionals noted that organizations are more likely to perceive victims as 'active' participants or to blame for their abuse. CONCLUSIONS: There is often a limited understanding of the risks and severity of TA-CSA, and this can lead to victims remaining at risk, a systemic failure to protect, and a decreased chance of accessing appropriate interventions. Drawing on our findings, we make a number of recommendations, including adoption of the term 'technology-assisted abuse', adapted assessment tools and interventions, and widespread training. Policies should be reviewed to ensure they are not implicitly minimizing this serious form of abuse.