Preventing and Reducing child sexual abuse material use through On-device Technology

2026-07-22

The volume of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) available online and the global demand for it has reached unprecedented levels. The PROTECH project will leverage multi-disciplinary expertise across four EU therapeutic providers, two academic institutions, one NGO, and one technology company to develop, implement and evaluate the effectiveness of a user-centred, on-devise, safety tech prevention tool to prevent the viewing and distribution of CSAM for both pre- and post-offending individuals. The PROTECH Project will adopt an interconnected, four-staged approach. The first stage will centre on the co-design and development of the Salus prototype ensuring that it meets the real-life needs of the end users, through a participatory process. The second stage will implement the prototype in real-life settings. The piloting will be conducted with a longitudinal cohort study of individuals at risk of committing CSAM offences in five countries (Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, ROI, UK) in a pre- vs. post- and control vs. treatment intervention to assess the extent to which Salus can improve outcomes for individuals at risk of committing CSAM offences. The third stage will evaluate the public health impact and optimal processes for implementing the Salus concept in community settings for the first time in Europe. The last stage will integrate project findings, draw out new knowledge on pathways to CSAM offending and develop a blueprint for maximising the reach and impact of safety tech for perpetrator prevention within the EU. The expected long-term impact of the project will be to increase the availability and quality of prevention programmes through early intervention with those at-risk of committing an initial CSAM offence and preventing further victimisation by those who have already offended, thereby contributing to a reduction in the global demand for CSAM, further protecting victims and alleviating the workload of law enforcement across Europe.

Germany

2025-10-15