The sexual exploitation and abuse of children is a global health crisis. This report into the nature of the crisis underscores the need for urgent action, provides solutions and shines a light on the financial networks that fuel it. Who benefits is as disturbing as it is clear: organised crime groups and mainstream technology companies.

Sexual extortion is a form of blackmail in which a perpetrator threatens to release intimate material of a victim unless they comply with certain demands. This paper examines the prevalence and nature of sexual extortion among adolescents and finds more than one in 10 had experienced sexual extortion in their lifetime.

Online hate is one of the most prevalent forms of digital violence. This report explores encounters with online hate among adults in Australia including the prevalence, nature and impact of online hate among adults who belong to one or more of the targeted groups.

This independent review examined the operation and effectiveness of the Online Safety Act 2021 and considered whether additional protections are needed to combat online harms. The report makes 67 recommendations to strengthen Australia’s online safety laws.

Given increasing use of the internet by minors and their vulnerability to technology-facilitated offending, understanding the impacts of sexual extortion is crucial in guiding interventions that protect children. This systematic review finds that sexual extortion is a significant online threat to children and that victims suffer diverse short and long-term harms. The findings support targeted...