Reports of online child exploitation to the AFP-led Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) have increased by 45 per cent in the past financial year, new data released by the AFP as part of National Child Protection Week has revealed.
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 of operation in 2018, it received 14,285 reports of online child abuse.
The ACCCE marks its anniversary about the time of National Child Protection Week, which this year started on Sunday (1 September, 2024), and aims to raise the profile of all issues related to child protection.
The increase in the number of reports, which have grown in each of the ACCCE's six years of operation, reflects increasing levels of online child sexual abuse identified, alongside greater awareness in the Australian community of the issue.
On average, the ACCCE received 4875 reports a month. The largest number of reports were received in November 2023, with 5947 reports sent from, the Office of the eSafety Commissioner and members of the public.
AFP Commander ACCCE and Human Exploitation Helen Schneider said the spike in reports was concerning but a valuable resource in the fight against child exploitation.
"As more children and young people access the internet, we have seen an upwards trend in cases of online child sexual exploitation," Commander Schneider said.
"While the increase is confronting, authorities can only help those we know about so we continue to encourage parents and caregivers to engage with their children to talk about how they can remain safe online and learn how to report.
"Every one of these reports contains images and videos of real children being sexually abused or exploited for the sexual gratification of offenders."
In the past year the ACCCE has launched public initiatives and industry partnerships to raise awareness and encourage discussion on online child sexual abuse and assist 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 working the eSafety Commissioner to roll out resources for linguistically diverse Australian families.
Commander Schneider said the AFP-led ACCCE worked throughout the year with partners in law enforcement, industry and government to educate the public and investigate those sought to harm children.
"We need to be acting as a community to be alive to the risks that may be facing our children, and prevent online child sexual exploitation - during National Child Protection Week and every week," Commander Schneider said.
The AFP and its partners are committed to stopping online child sexual exploitation, and the ACCCE is driving a collaborative national approach to combatting child abuse.
The ACCCE brings together specialist expertise and skills in a central hub, supporting investigations into online child sexual exploitation and developing prevention strategies focused on 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 abuse is happening right now or a child is at risk, call police immediately on 000.
If you or someone you know is impacted by child sexual abuse and online exploitation, support services are available.
