The Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) recorded a 41% rise in reports of online child sexual exploitation in the 2024–25 financial year, reporting 82,764 referrals as law enforcement and child protection experts warned the surge reflects an escalating global threat.
The AFP-led centre said reports came from members of the public, government agencies and international partners including the United States National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). The number marks a significant increase from 58,503 reports in 2023–24, and continues an upward trend from 40,232 in 2022–23 and 36,600 in 2021–22.
Australian Federal Police Commander Human Exploitation Helen Schneider, who leads the ACCCE, said the figures were "hugely confronting" and underscored the seriousness of crimes that range from grooming and sextortion to the creation, distribution and livestreaming of child sexual abuse material.
"It represents acts of unspeakable horror and trauma that involve Australians as both victims and offenders," Commander Schneider said. She described the ACCCE's response as relentless, noting specialist investigators who analyse imagery and footage to identify and rescue victims and operational teams who work with law enforcement partners to identify offenders and pursue prosecutions.
Commander Schneider said that policing alone cannot stem the problem and urged parents, carers and the wider community to take an active role in protecting children. She recommended that adults be mindful of what material they share online, check privacy settings, and maintain open dialogue so children feel comfortable reporting concerns.
Authorities emphasised that online child sexual exploitation encompasses a wide range of behaviours, including the production and online sharing of child abuse material, grooming that leads to in-person abuse, extortion of sexual material, and livestreaming of abuse that can occur overseas. The ACCCE handles referrals from multiple sources and works with domestic and international partners to triage reports and identify victims and offenders.
The ACCCE's newest figures were released on Sunday and reflect reports received during the federal government's 2024–25 financial year. AFP officials said the rise in reports has increased operational demands on investigators and highlighted the psychological toll on personnel who examine harmful material as part of victim identification and evidence-gathering.
Police advice to parents includes taking a moment to consider the potential downstream uses of images before posting them online, limiting who can access posts and videos, keeping an open line of communication with children about their online interactions, and checking device and platform privacy settings. The AFP also urged that if a child is harmed or exposed to sexual exploitation online, parents should support the child, avoid blaming them and report the matter to police or an appropriate helpline.
Experts and law enforcement say public reporting plays a key role in disrupting offending networks and identifying victims. As the ACCCE continues to process a growing volume of reports, investigators and child protection agencies are calling for sustained community awareness, stronger prevention measures and international cooperation to address a crime that increasingly exploits digital platforms.
The ACCCE did not provide immediate details on prosecutions or victim outcomes linked to the 82,764 reports. AFP officials said further operational details, including how many referrals led to investigations or victim interventions, would be released in line with ongoing cases and privacy protections.