In December 2024, experts, advocates, and policymakers gathered in Abu Dhabi for the WeProtect Global Alliance’s 2024 Global Summit, co-hosted by the Ministry of Interior of the United Arab Emirates. The event focused on the alarming rise of online child sexual abuse and exploitation, a crisis that affects over 300 million children every year. As the digital world continues to evolve, so too do the risks and challenges surrounding child protection. The summit provided a critical platform to discuss these issues, explore innovative solutions, and commit to collective action.
The summit brought together global leaders, experts, and survivors to tackle the challenges of child sexual exploitation and abuse in the digital age. Day 1 focused on emerging risks and technological trends, with keynote speaker Nina Jane Patel (https://www.ninajanepatel.com/) discussing the rapid pace of technological change and its impact on child safety. Panel discussions explored the role of AI, the importance of prevention, and survivor perspectives, while breakout sessions addressed issues like AI-generated abuse material and the well-being of frontline responders. Day 2 shifted to actionable strategies, featuring keynote reflections on the future of child protection and youth participation. Discussions delved into the use of AI in combatting abuse, innovations in law enforcement, and the need for international collaboration. The summit concluded with a focus on regulatory frameworks, legal changes, and lessons from India’s landmark ruling on child pornography, emphasizing the need for global action and innovation to safeguard children online.
This article reflects my personal learnings from the summit, focusing on the sessions I attended and does not cover the entire event.
A Global Crisis: The Growing Threat to Children Online
The summit opened with a stark reminder of the gravity of the situation: over 300 million children are estimated to be victims of online sexual abuse annually. Iain Drennan, Executive Director of the WeProtect Global Alliance, captured the urgency of the moment in his opening speech. He highlighted the paradox of the digital age—while technology offers tremendous opportunities for creativity, connection, and learning, it also exposes children to unprecedented risks.
The digital world has expanded faster than we ever imagined, and with it, the scope of online child sexual abuse has also evolved. Technology offers an increasingly complex landscape, where solutions to protect children must be as advanced as the threats they face. Despite these challenges, Drennan emphasized the growing strength of the global community working to address this issue. Together, he said, “We are united in ensuring that no child is left behind, no matter where they live.”
The Dark Side of Technology: AI and the Exploitation of Children
One of the most pressing discussions at the summit focused on the role of technology in enabling online child sexual abuse. The development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has added a new layer of complexity to this problem. Lt. Col. Dana Humaid AlMarzooqi, Director General of the UAE Ministry of Interior, shared a chilling case from her work as an investigator. In this case, a six-month-old child was sexually exploited online by their caregiver. The child’s images and videos left an irreversible digital footprint, highlighting the growing risk of such abuse in the age of AI.
AlMarzooqi also recounted a remarkable success story. WeProtect Global Alliance was able to remove images of another child from the internet within just three minutes of being uploaded. While the speed of this intervention is encouraging, the financial and logistical challenges of using AI tools for online abuse prevention remain significant. As technology advances, these tools must become more accessible and effective to protect vulnerable children in real-time.
At the WeProtect Global Alliance’s 2024 Summit, Mama Fatima Singhateh, UN Special Rapporteur on the Sale, Sexual Exploitation, and Sexual Abuse of Children, emphasized several key points during the session on “New Horizons: Emerging Trends Shaping the Future.” She stressed the importance of adapting our approach to child protection by engaging young people through the technologies and platforms they use, ensuring they are equipped with the tools to stay safe online. Singhateh also highlighted the need to include children and survivors in the decision-making process, ensuring that their voices are central in shaping relevant and impactful interventions. Furthermore, she called on technology companies to adopt a more child-centered, protective approach when designing and implementing their technologies. Finally, she underscored the need for proactive collaboration among all stakeholders to prevent online child sexual abuse and exploitation, with clear definitions of responsibility to ensure accountability and effective action.
The Long-Term Impact: Mental Health and Trauma
The summit featured a series of films on online child sexual exploitation, some produced by WeProtect and its partners. These films largely depicted how offenders target children for sextortion and grooming. One of the most poignant aspects of the films was the emphasis on the long-term psychological impact of online abuse. The emotional and mental health of child victims often stays with them far beyond the immediate incident. The films depicted the deep, lasting trauma that online sexual abuse inflicts on children, often leading to feelings of shame, isolation, and helplessness.
A key takeaway was that digital mental health should be treated as a fundamental human right for children. The psychological toll of online abuse often goes unnoticed or untreated, but it is just as devastating as physical abuse itself. Protecting children online isn’t just about preventing exploitation—it’s about safeguarding their emotional well-being. As Nina Jane Patel, futurist and speaker at the summit, put it, “Children’s identities are intertwined with technology. We must ensure that their digital lives are safe and supportive, just as much as their real-world lives.”
Proactively Addressing Risks: Building Safer Digital Spaces
As technological innovation accelerates, so too must our efforts to protect children from its potential harms. Julie Cordua, CEO of Thorn, compared the rapid rise of new technologies to the history of the automobile. From the time the automobile was invented, it took 16 years for 100 million cars to hit the streets. By contrast, it took just three years for 100 million electronic devices to be in use, and TikTok achieved 100 million users in just one year. Tools like ChatGPT reached 100 million users in just two months. This shows how fast technology can grow. The rapid rise of social media platforms, apps, and AI tools calls for proactive solutions to address the risks before they escalate.
Cordua’s point was clear: we cannot wait until technology has caused harm to children before we act. We must develop systems that anticipate and prevent abuse, rather than reacting after the fact. This proactive mindset should guide the development of new technologies, policies, and protective measures for children in the digital space.
Building the Case for Prevention
The session “Building the Case for Prevention” focused on addressing the increasing rates of child sexual abuse and the critical gaps in current prevention and intervention strategies. It explored perspectives on strengthening collective understanding and developing a global framework for child protection, emphasizing the need for continued investment and innovation to create safer futures for children. Panelists, including Deborah Denis (Lucy Faithfull Foundation), Aengus Ó Dochartaigh (Moore Center for the Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse), Nicolas Makharashvili (Safe Futures Hub), and Sean Litton (Tech Coalition), highlighted the importance of collaborating with the tech industry, engaging them collectively, and demanding accountability to enhance prevention efforts and ensure a safer online environment for children.
Supporting Frontline Responders: Addressing Mental Health at Work
Another important session at the summit focused on the mental health and well-being of frontline responders—those who work to identify, investigate, and prevent online child sexual abuse. Roberta Sinclair, Manager of Strategic Policy and Research at the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, presented research showing that responding to online child abuse cases takes a heavy emotional toll on law enforcement officers and child protection professionals. These responders often face traumatic images and difficult cases, which can lead to burnout, PTSD, and other mental health challenges.
Creating a supportive environment for these professionals is critical. Their ability to effectively help victims depends on their own mental and emotional well-being. This session emphasized that, just as we protect children from online harm, we must also ensure that those who fight on their behalf are given the resources and support they need to stay mentally healthy.
Accountability and Local Context: The Path Forward
The summit concluded with a fireside chat between Dr. Najat Maalla M’jid, UN Special Representative on Violence against Children, and Iain Drennan. They discussed the critical need to hold perpetrators accountable and ensure that justice is served swiftly. Dr. Maalla M’jid stressed that while legal and technological solutions are vital, it is also essential to recognize the emotional and mental toll on children who are victims of online abuse. These children should not be made to feel guilty or ashamed of their experiences. Instead, we must create an environment of support and healing.
Dr. Maalla M’jid also highlighted the importance of context when developing global policies and guidelines. While there is an abundance of tools and strategies for combating online child abuse, these must be adapted to local cultures and situations. Local knowledge and insights are essential for creating solutions that are both effective and sustainable. Ensuring that children from all walks of life—especially those from vulnerable communities—are included in discussions and solutions is key.
Conclusion: A Call to Action
The WeProtect Global Alliance’s 2024 Global Summit was a powerful reminder of the urgent need for action in the fight against online child sexual abuse. As the digital world continues to evolve, so too must our efforts to protect the most vulnerable among us. This means developing cutting-edge technology, creating supportive environments for frontline responders, and ensuring that the mental health of both children and professionals is prioritized.
Above all, the summit reinforced the importance of collaboration. It is only through a united, global effort that we can hope to end the scourge of online child sexual abuse. As technology continues to shape the world, we must ensure that it is a force for good, not a tool for exploitation. Together, we can build a safer digital future for all children.
Meetings and Key Insights
The summit also provided valuable opportunities for networking and sharing experiences with global actors. One of my meetings with Pratishtha Arora, CEO of Social & Media Matters (an India-based organization), was a learning opportunity about their report on sextortion prevalence. Arora shared that, not only in India but globally, young people are increasingly groomed and exploited sexually and financially.
During another meeting with Roberta Sinclair, Manager of Strategic Policy and Research at the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, I learned about the importance of supporting police departments, especially those handling online child sexual abuse cases. These professionals require mental health support and resources to effectively address these challenging cases. Sinclair highlighted Canada’s dedicated mental health program for police officers, a model that could be beneficial for Sri Lankan law enforcement.
I also had the privilege of meeting Brenno Andrade, a cybercrime police commander from Brazil. Both his presentation and personal reflections underscored the importance of engaging law enforcement as a key sector in addressing online child sexual abuse. Andrade stressed that the protection of children in the online sphere should remain a top priority for governments, and he expressed a willingness to share insights on how Brazilian law enforcement addresses these issues.
Final Reflection
The WeProtect Global Alliance’s work is crucial, and it deserves widespread support, especially from governments, to expand its efforts. At one point, Lt. Col. Dana Humaid AlMarzooqi, Director General of the UAE Ministry of Interior and a board member of the WeProtect Global Alliance, mentioned the challenges some countries face in affording the AI tools necessary for investigation. Iain Drennan, Executive Director of WeProtect Global Alliance, made it clear that collective engagement, open partnerships, and a commitment to proactive solutions are essential.From my perspective, I believe the WeProtect Global Alliance could benefit from incorporating digital mental health psychology into its work, particularly in the research component. As Dr. Najat Maalla M’jid and Iain Drennan emphasized, understanding the mental health of children is critical. Without addressing this aspect, we cannot fully tackle the issue of online abuse. Perhaps a small subcommittee could be formed to focus on this vital area.
No conflict of interest: This article is a personal reflection based on my learning at the summit. My travel to the conference was self-financed.
Author
Dr. M. C. Rasmin, Program Director at the International Foundation for Digital Child.
