Sensitive content
This site contains sensitive content that includes references to sexual violence.
Albania
Algeria
Angola
Argentina
Australia
Bangladesh
Brazil
Burkina Faso
Cambodia
Cameroon
Canada
China
Colombia
Cote d'Ivoire
Dem. Rep. of Congo
Egypt
El Salvador
Ethiopia
France
Germany
Ghana
Guatemala
India
Indonesia
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Madagascar
Malaysia
Mexico
Mongolia
Morocco
Mozambique
Nepal
Niger
Nigeria
Pakistan
Peru
Philippines
Romania
Russia
Rwanda
Saudi Arabia
Serbia
South Africa
South Korea
Sri Lanka
Sweden
Tanzania
Thailand
Türkiye
UAE
Uganda
United Kingdom
United States
Uzbekistan
Venezuela
Vietnam
Indicator
4.4 Laws against online child sexual violence
Laws against online childhood sexual violence
Child sexual abuse material (CSAM)
Internet service provider (ISP) duty to report
Beyond The Screen: Hidden Voices of Online Abuse is a survivor-centered short film highlighting the prevalence of online sexual violence around the world. Four individuals share their experiences and demands for what urgently needs to be done to protect children online.
The film showcases the powerful truth that violence, which might start in an online sphere, negatively impacts children in the physical world, such as bullying in school or acts of sexual violence perpetrated at home.
How to interpret your country's score for each sub-indicator
This indicator is composed of three sub-indicators (4.4.1–4.4.3). Use your country’s score on these to pinpoint the exact legal gaps to close.
| Indicator | What it measures | Why it matters | Score range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.4.1 Online grooming | Whether legislation criminalizes online grooming of children and adolescents for sexual purposes | Grooming is often the precursor to contact sexual violence — it must be clearly defined and considered a crime even if there is no intention to meet | 0–3 |
| 4.4.2 Child sexual abuse material (CSAM) | Whether legislation defines and criminalizes technology-facilitated child sexual abuse material (CSAM) offenses, including possession | Every image is a real child who has been harmed — comprehensive CSAM legislation is foundational to online safety | 0–4 |
| 4.4.3 Internet service provider (ISP) duty to report | Whether internet service providers are required to report suspected child sexual abuse material to authorities | Reporting duties make detection possible and enable rapid action to protect children and adolescents | 0–1 |
Advocacy in action
The coalition Safe Digital Futures – Invest in Children, comprised of the Safe Online, Brave Movement, Childlight, Childfund, ECPAT International, Mtoto News, Plan International and World Vision, unites partners to channel strategic, coordinated investments into proven, scalable solutions to end technology-facilitated child sexual abuse and exploitation.
4.4.1. Online grooming
Grooming is a manipulative process through which an adult seeks to develop an inappropriate relationship with or gain the trust of a child for sexual purposes.
This may involve desensitization, non-contact sexual violence, or exploitation with or without the intent to meet in person.
More than a third of countries do not criminalize online grooming of children for sexual purposes. Half of countries have laws that partially ban online grooming of children, but just six receive a full score for clearly defining and banning online grooming of children with or without the intention to meet.
4.4.2. Child sexual abuse material
Criminalizing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) ensures those who facilitate its creation or circulation are held accountable and that society recognizes that the images depict harm inflicted on real children and that accessing or distributing them perpetuates abuse.
More than two-thirds of countries have legislation that clearly defines and bans CSAM, including technology-facilitated CSAM and CSAM possession with or without a plan to share it.
Fifteen countries have CSAM legislation, but need to add specificity to ensure all children are protected and perpetrators can be held accountable.
4.4.3. Internet service providers' duty to report
Ensuring Internet Service Providers (ISPs) are required to report suspected CSAM enables large-scale data collection to understand the scale of the problem, increases protections for children, allows countries to hold perpetrators accountable, and ensures tech companies do not profit from sexual violence against children.
The majority of countries (nearly two-thirds) are not yet holding ISPs accountable. These include some of the highest-income countries in Asia and Europe, as well as some of the top countries involved in CSAM distribution and hosting.
Data explorer
From indicators to budget lines
Use this as a guide to strengthen your advocacy requests and create targeted ‘asks’ to decision-makers within the right Ministry (for example: Foreign Affairs, Social Welfare, or Finance)
| Indicator | What it measures | Budget-line-to target | Template language |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.4 Laws against online sexual violence (4.4.1–4.4.3) | Whether legislation addresses online grooming, child sexual abuse material (CSAM), and Internet Service Provider (ISP) reporting obligations | Ministry of Justice / Digital Affairs / Interior: online safety legislation, law enforcement cyber capacity, ISP compliance frameworks, technology tools | “Allocate [amount] for enacting and enforcing comprehensive online child safety legislation, including criminalization of online grooming, CSAM offenses, and mandatory ISP reporting, supported by [number] trained cyber investigators.” |
How to put a number on your ask
Break your ask into building blocks a Finance Ministry would recognize. Even a rough component-based estimate signals seriousness:
| Indicator | Examples of components to estimate |
|---|---|
| 4.4 Laws against online sexual violence | Online safety legislation drafting; cyber investigation unit staffing and equipment; Internet Service Provider (ISP) compliance frameworks; digital forensic tools |
Advocacy tools
Advocacy tool
Advocacy tool
Advocacy tool
Advocacy tool
Advocacy tool
Advocacy tool
Share your story
Do you have experience advocating for legislation to criminalize technology-facilitated child sexual abuse material?
Share your storyData driving change
Third Richest Nation
www.bravemovement.org/campaigns/third-richest-nation
A world without childhood violence would be $7 trillion richer. This nation isn’t real. Its wealth could be. Brave Movement's survivor-led advocacy campaign at the G20 in 2025 pressured decision makers to invest in prevention, healing and justice to create stronger, happier nations.
#BeBrave G7 Scorecard 2025
www.bravemovement.org/g7
By evaluating each G7 nation’s progress on vital policy measures we're drawing global attention to the global, silent pandemic of sexual violence against children. This is a crisis that undermines the G7's commitment to building secure, prosperous, and equitable societies. Kids need bold leadership and decisive action now to be safe and thrive.
Break the record
www.togetherforgirls.org/en/press/a-record-breaking-event-now-governments-must-deliver
We broke the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ for the most countries represented at a childhood violence summit! With 120 governments attending, this first ever Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children was the largest organized event to address this issue on a global scale. Most importantly, as a result, we also broke the world’s record of inaction against childhood sexual violence.