Detecting, Disrupting and Investigating Online Child Sexual Exploitation

Online child sexual exploitation (OCSE) - the use of the internet to carry out or facilitate the sexual exploitation of children - is rapidly becoming a dominant, complex, cyber-enabled, victim-based crime trend. These offences have a devastating, severe and long-lasting consequence on victims and their families.

This landmark report draws on case studies and expertise from across the FATF’s Global Network. It aims to provide an updated and more precise understanding of the financial flows behind these heinous crimes and enhance both the private and public sectors’ ability to detect, disrupt and investigate online child sexual exploitation.

Our report examines two distinct types of online child sexual exploitation:

• Live-streamed Sexual Abuse of Children (LSAC) – the broadcasting of real-time, sexual abuse of children, for financial gain. Specifically, the real time transmission or sharing of any material depicting a child in sexual activity, either alone or with other persons, that consumers pay to watch remotely.
• Financial Sexual Extortion of Children (FSEC) –  the threat of exposing sexually explicit images or videos of a child unless they meet financial demands.

Improved understanding will offer opportunities to connect financial transactions to offenders and earlier detect and intercede in online child sexual exploitation situations. 

The report outlines the importance of investigatory techniques that cater to the needs of children at risk. 

With financial Intelligence playing a critical role in combating this heinous crime, the report provides recommendations to stakeholders, including FATF Global Network members, on how they can improve their understanding and ability to combat these crimes in the future.