Child sexual exploitation and abuse is a multibillion-dollar industry – new report shows who benefits

The sexual exploitation and abuse of children has become a multibillion-dollar global trade. The chilling reality of this profit-driven, highly lucrative industry is laid bare by new research findings.

Offenders aren’t the only ones who profit. Financial institutions, tech companies and online payment platforms — sometimes unknowingly, sometimes by omission — facilitate the flow of profits made from the abuse of children. Some of the money moves through legitimate payment systems and advertising revenue streams. Other financial flows are deliberately obscured through cryptocurrencies and the dark web.

A new report shows child abuse isn’t just a crime restricted to a hidden corner of the dark web. Based on a review of 20 publications across multiple disciplines (including big data reports, systematic reviews, discussion papers and qualitative studies), the report paints a picture of the financial mechanisms enabling abuse on a global scale.

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