Survivors Call For Reform In Handling Child Sexual Abuse Material

A new Monash University study is urging institutions to overhaul how they handle child sexual abuse material (CSAM), placing the voices and rights of survivors at the centre of decision-making.

Survivor Perspectives At The Core

The research, led by Monash University’s Artificial Intelligence for Law Enforcement and Community Safety (AiLECS) Lab with support from the Bravehearts Foundation, found many survivors see the sanctioned use of CSAM by institutions as a continuation of the original abuse.

Based on interviews, surveys and consultations, the study revealed widespread mistrust of existing practices and the lasting trauma caused when CSAM is retained or used without survivor involvement.

A collective statement from participants called for systemic change. “For many of us, the ongoing use of child sexual abuse material, even for lawful or institutional purposes can feel like a continuation of the original harm,” the statement read.

“This work matters because it recognises our right to safety, dignity, and choice. It gives voice to experiences that were once silenced, and calls on systems to see us not just as evidence, but as human beings.”

Calls To Action

The report was released in two volumes and sets out six calls to action alongside 24 recommendations aimed at reshaping institutional responses. Key proposals include:

• Survivor opt-in notification schemes and enduring victim impact statements
  
  
• Embedding trauma-informed duty of care in every sanctioned use of CSAM
  
  
• Reforming consent mechanisms and improving transparency
  
  
• Tailored justice pathways and long-term case liaison officers
  
  
• Greater use of global databases such as Interpol’s International Child Sexual Exploitation (ICSE) system to identify victims and disrupt offending

Survivor-Led Insights

Kelly Humphries, AiLECS Research Fellow and co-author, has lived experience of child sexual abuse and 16 years in law enforcement. She said the findings highlight the need for flexibility and choice.

“We found that some survivors want to be informed and engaged with processes, others don’t. Either way, institutions must offer safe, flexible pathways to enable agency and choice, rather than silence or overwhelm victims and survivors during procedures,” Ms Humphries said.

“When survivors are heard and supported, trust can begin to be rebuilt.”

Institutional Responsibility

Associate Professor Campbell Wilson, AiLECS Co-Director and Chief Investigator of the study, said the increasing volume of CSAM underscores the need to safeguard survivors.

“While undertaking this research we took a considered approach towards listening to and recording the perspectives of our survivor participants while protecting their privacy, so that all outcomes of the study are firmly rooted in respectfully learning from their lived experiences,” Associate Professor Wilson said.

Partnership With Bravehearts

The project was supported by the National Centre for Action on Child Sexual Abuse and carried out with the Bravehearts Foundation, a child protection organisation focused on prevention and treatment.

Bravehearts Director of Research, Carol Ronken, said the findings reflect what survivors have consistently raised.

“We’ve heard repeatedly from survivors that they feel invisible in systems designed to protect them,” Ms Ronken said.

“Our work confirms that centering survivor perspectives isn’t optional – it’s essential to achieving justice, accountability, and healing.”

Next Steps

Researchers are continuing the work with Bond University and Safe Online to create trauma-informed frameworks addressing “capping” – a form of technology-facilitated abuse where individuals are secretly recorded and the material is shared without consent.

Humphries said the goal is to build safer systems that uphold survivor dignity while equipping institutions to respond more effectively.

Last Updated on September 2, 2025 by Nick Ross