
A Call to Action: Understanding and Addressing Child Sexual Offending in Australian Society
A groundbreaking study confronting more uncomfortable truths surrounding child sexual abuse has just been released, titled Identifying and Understanding Child Sexual Offending Behaviour and Attitudes Among Australian Men. The study […]

Navigating the intersection of cryptocurrency and technology-facilitated CSE
The online world is evolving at a rapid pace, and this transformation extends to payment behaviours. Banking is no longer restricted solely to traditional financial institutions. The entire consumer experience […]

Following the financial footprint of technology-facilitated CSE
Tackling society’s most wicked problems is something that concerns many business leaders. And there are few more wicked than the online sexual exploitation of children. Offenders hide in the depths […]

What drives us to work for change
Earlier this month, Australia recognised National Child Protection Week. It was a key reminder for us all that every child, in every community, deserves a fair go. For ICMEC Australia […]

Advocating for the voices of victim-survivors of child sexual abuse
A child can never give consent. The sexual abuse of a child is just that – abuse. This abhorrent crime must be called what it is and we need to […]

Why a focus on lived experience creates better ESG outcomes
Ahead of presenting at the COBA Financial Crimes Symposium on 12th July, ICMEC Australia Chair, Kara Nicholls, shares her thoughts about how ESG practices achieve better outcomes when approached from […]

What does Generative AI mean for CSE?
It seems that we can’t turn on any device, go to any platform or view any news feed without seeing a mention of AI, specifically generative AI. Whether it’s professionals […]

Why collaborative focus on opportunities for change is key in disrupting OSEC
As a relatively new organisation in Australia, with a passionate team bringing expertise from a variety of backgrounds, finding ways that our people can connect fully to our cause and […]

The role of regulation in the collaborative fight against child sexual abuse
Throughout childhood in Australia, more than 1 in 3 girls and almost 1 in 4 boys experience sexual abuse. The sexual abuse of children is one of the most wicked […]

How we can collectively change the discourse around CSE
As a community we can all play a critical role in protecting children from harm. Whether you’re a frontline law enforcement officer, a parent, teacher or just someone who is […]

Four women who are on a mission to end the sexual exploitation of girls
It’s time we started having uncomfortable conversations about one of the fastest growing crimes that disproportionately affects girls, leaving a lasting impact on their lives. Child sexual exploitation is a […]

World Day of the Fight Against Sexual Exploitation
On Saturday, 4th March it will be the World Day of the Fight Against Sexual Exploitation. First observed in 2009, the day was designed to raise awareness about the extent […]

Examining Australia’s current legislation protecting children from harm
Responding to the sexual abuse and exploitation of children requires active collaboration and stringent reporting and regulatory mechanisms. Australia’s current legislative landscape in relation to the financial aspect of child […]

Online Industry Codes – Combatting Online Child Sexual Exploitation
As online child sexual exploitation (OCSE) statistics have dramatically continued to rise over recent years, the regulator response has been an important step in the protection of vulnerable children. A […]

UNiTE! Ending violence against Women and Girls
In a world that has seen incredible leaps forward in Womens’ Rights throughout the 20th and 21st Centuries, it is disturbing to see evidence of erosion of those rights, and […]

The numbers tell the story – eSafety Commission 21/22 Report
The eSafety Commission released their 21/22 Annual Report on 27th October 2022, and the statistics, including around the growth in sextortion are alarming. As eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant noted, […]

4 Ways Taxonomy Helps us to Work Against Child Sexual Exploitation
Organisations across various industries and jurisdictions are working to put an end to child sexual exploitation (CSE). At the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children (ICMEC), we bring […]

The 5 big challenges financial institutions face in reporting child sexual exploitation
A complex international industry and a lack of access to easy to apply, external information can make it hard for financial institutions to help combat child sexual exploitation (CSE). […]

“MIND THE GAPS”: There’s quite a bit we don’t know about CSE in Australia
Paul McCarney | ICMEC Australia CEO Welcome to the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (‘ICMEC’) Australia! The Centre has been working to make the world a safer place […]

The new “Stranger Danger”: Tactics used in the online grooming of children
Eva Veldhuizen-Ochodničanová, MSc | ICMEC Partner Most of us have been made aware of the dangers posed to children by strangers in low-brimmed hats and trench coats offering free lollipops. Many of […]

Words Matter: The Importance of Using Proper Child Protection Terminology
Many of us have been told at some point “it’s not what you say, it’s how you say it.” The way we frame something affects how people understand a concept […]

The Growing Global Threat of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM)
Our reliance on the internet to facilitate our personal and professional lives has increased substantially during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the same technology that provides us with opportunities for growth […]

Understanding the True Scope of Missing Children Globally
At some point in our lives as parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents, or babysitters, we have, or will, experience that heart-stopping moment of panic when the child who was with us […]