Technology-facilitated child sexual abuse: progress in investigations and training

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The Council of Europe's Lanzarote Convention is the most comprehensive international treaty on child sexual exploitation and sexual abuse globally

European countries have shown progress over the past years in the protection of children against technology-facilitated sexual exploitation and abuse: they've enhanced investigative powers, increased support for victims, funding for specialised law enforcement units and civil society, and training for persons in contact with children.

However, significant gaps remain: many states still allow children to be prosecuted for self-generated sexual images, do not consistently prioritise educational over criminal-justice responses, and lack comprehensive support services. These are the key findings of a new report published today by the Council of Europe's Committee tasked with monitoring the implementation of the Convention on the protection of children against sexual exploitation and sexual abuse (Lanzarote Convention), which evaluates states'^[1]action on the 28 recommendations adopted in 2022.

Self-generated sexual images and videos: children still risk criminal prosecution

A key concern voiced by the Lanzarote Committee in 2022 was the risk of holding children criminally liable for possessing or sharing their own or other children's self-generated sexual images and videos. Despite the committee's recommendations, almost two thirds of the states examined still allow for the prosecution of children for possessing their own or their underage intimate partner's sexual images and videos. Almost half of the states can also prosecute children for sharing their own sexual images and videos. In the case of children non-consensually sharing other children's sexual images and videos, two thirds of states still do not require that all other options, for example educational, be considered first before resorting to criminal prosecution.

Investigations and international prosecutions

The number of countries where it is now legally possible for law-enforcement units specialising in ICT-facilitated sexual offences against children to conduct covert operations has increased almost two-fold. Six states have reported an increase in the funding and/or personnel of the relevant law enforcement units since 2022.

More states can also now prosecute their nationals or residents for sexual offences against children committed abroad without requiring that the act be also criminalised in the other state. Significantly more states no longer require a victim's complaint or information from foreign authorities to do that. However, the number of states which can prosecute sexual offences committed abroad against children who are their own nationals or residents remains much lower.

Helplines for child victims expanded, training for professionals developed

The number of countries with child-friendly telephone or internet helplines advising child victims of sexual offences, including those facilitated by ICTs, has increased significantly. While some states offer both short- and long-term specialised support to child victims, many only provide assistance during legal proceedings or do not guarantee continued care. Considerably more states now provide funding to civil-society projects aiming to prevent and protect against child sexual exploitation and sexual abuse.

Considerably more states now provide specialised training on ICT-facilitated sexual offences against children to prosecution services, and the number of states offering such training to judges has almost doubled since 2022. There has also been a marked increase in the number of states training professionals in other sectors on how to identify signs of sexual exploitation or abuse in children and how to report their suspicions. Yet only a few have implemented the recommendations fully and in all the relevant sectors: education, health, social protection, areas related to sport, culture and leisure activities.

Prosecutions for AI-generated material don't require new national legislation

Over the past several years, artificial intelligence (AI) has posed a growing threat, increasing both the volume and realism of computer-generated or altered child sexual exploitation or sexual abuse material. Offenders no longer need to obtain initial self-generated materials but use fake images or videos to threaten, coerce and extort child victims These materials are also being used by offenders to solicit, groom and "normalise" sexual abuse of child victims.

On 2 June 2026, the cybercrime and Lanzarote committees of the Council of Europe adopted a joint statement confirming that simulated, realistic, AI-generated, or AI-altered depictions of children, including fully synthetic images that do not portray a real child, are criminalised under both the Lanzarote and Budapest (cybercrime) conventions. The joint statement confirms that no additional national legislation is needed for states parties to the Budapest or Lanzarote Conventions to investigate and prosecute AI-generated child sexual abuse material. The committees also emphasise the need for education, therapeutic support and restorative justice approaches as a response to children who use such tools, recalling that criminal justice measures may be appropriate as a last resort.

[1] The implementation report assessed the situation in 43 States which had joined the Lanzarote Convention prior to the launch of this monitoring round in 2017.

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The Lanzarote Convention, the most comprehensive international treaty on child sexual exploitation and sexual abuse