This study examines the factors that motivate and discourage child sexual offending among individuals who self-identify as paedophiles on a darknet forum. It finds that access to technology that enabled and concealed offending was a key driver of this behaviour, and calls for law enforcement to disrupt and deter technology-mediated discussion among offenders. 

The research examined 715 posts made over a 10-year period from February 2012 to June 2022 on forum threads focused on help-seeking and support for child sexual offenders (CSOs). The findings, focusing on offenders who had not yet been detected, highlight the role of technology in avoiding detection. 

Key findings

• Cognitive drivers, such as the normalisation of child sexual abuse and the shifting of responsibility, played a significant role in perpetuating offending.
• The fear of detection by law enforcement or loved ones and the acknowledgement of harm caused to children mitigate offending behaviour.
• Online communities and networks for CSOs help alleviate responsibility for offending. 
• Psychosocial intervention approaches may help limit the development and normalisation of beliefs that support offending.
• Law enforcement should collaborate with tech companies and internet service providers to increase the visibility of offenders and limit their ability to interact on the darknet.