NEW! Production & Active Trading of Child Sexual Exploitation Images Depicting Identified Victims

Thorn partnered with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and an expert research team led by Dr. Michael Seto, to develop knowledge that can be used to assist law enforcement in identifying child pornography victims and intervening in ongoing sexual exploitation and abuse cases. Analyzing over a decade of victim and offender data, we aimed to gain insight into trends within offending and to better understand the characteristics of children who are victimized along with their relationships with those who have sexually abused them. Central research questions focus on exploring differences in familial and non-familial cases, connections between child pornography content and contact sexual offending, and geographic and temporal patterns.

Sextortion: Findings from a Survey of 1,631 Victims

Sextortion is a growing problem, with multiple online platforms being used to help facilitate this crime. With so little data known about the dynamics of this crime, we set out to learn more from those directly impacted. In an effort to better understand the threat of sextortion and its impact on children, teens, and young adults, Thorn partnered with the Crimes Against Children Research Center (CCRC) at the University of New Hampshire to conduct a first of its kind online survey of 1,631 persons ages 18 to 25 that have been targets of sextortion. Our goal was to provide useful, accessible information about the dynamics of online episodes involving extortion of sexual images and related crimes against children and adolescents. We hope our findings will be able to inform further research and the development of interventions to disrupt, discourage and prevent online extortion of sexual images and related crimes against minors.

Invisible Offenders: A Study Estimating Online Sex Customers

In an effort to better understand the extent of demand from online sex advertisements, Thorn partnered with the Arizona Statue University (ASU) Office of Sex Trafficking Intervention Research, along with law enforcement, to increase operational knowledge. Invisible Offenders: A Study Estimating Online Sex Customers seeks to develop a comprehensive research agenda related to exploring the demand for commercial sex in the United States.

The Use of Technology to Recruit, Groom and Sell Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking Victims

With our report on the Use of Technology to Recruit, Groom and Sell Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking Victims, we set out to learn directly from victims how technology was used throughout their trafficking situation. This insight allows us, and others in the field, to create more well-informed programs that speak directly to victims needs.

From Abused and Neglected to Abused and Exploited

This report takes a deeper dive into the link between the child welfare system and the commercial sexual exploitation of children. The paper highlights many of the issues faced by the child welfare system in addressing the problem, possible risk factors and vulnerabilities, and recommendations and opportunities for the technology sector. This is a valuable resource for those working in each of these fields, as well as a road map for ways the technology sector can get involved in tackling the issue.

The Employee Resilience Guidebook for Handling Child Sexual Abuse Images

This guidebook from the The Technology Coalition gives technology companies a high-level summary of obligations to report apparent child abuse imagery on their platforms. This resource also includes key practices and guidelines for safe handling and reporting as well as employee support in this arena.