It’s time to talk about it. Child sexual abuse can be preventable.

2PS: Taking proactive steps to prevent child sexual abuse

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2PS – Helping to prevent child sexual abuse and exploitation.

Prevent and Protect through Support (2PS) is an EU funded project (2022-2025) that brings prevention to the forefront aiming to prevent harm to children before it occurs. 2PS is offering a paradigm shift in the approach to tackling child sexual abuse and exploitation (CSAE) across Europe.

This project will lead to better understanding what leads to harmful behaviour, informing and educating people who fear they might offend against children about the support services and rehabilitation options they have and sharing the best practices for guidance, therapy and treatment methods with important stakeholders.

more about 2PS

2PS goals

Enhancing prevention

Ensuring resources are available to various target groups of people who fear that they might offend against children helping to prevent them from acting on their thoughts and avoid children from harm.

Increasing efficacy of prevention

Establishing good practices and helping to review and evaluate the actions that can help deter people from offending. Moreover, amplifying the services and support actions available to target groups by establishing a central repository of prevention actions. Increasing capabilities and competency across Europe by providing the latest training for frontline staff and LEAs in national languages.

Raise awareness

Prevention is better than the cure. We must reduce barriers to treatment and minimise stigmatisation to encourage people to seek support, and for the public to acknowledge the significance of prevention. Raising awareness is a critical step for fighting child sexual abuse but also for illustrating the value of prevention as a tool for reducing harm to children.

Project overview

Stay informed

about 2PS and Preventing Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation
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People’s frequently asked questions

If you have any further questions, please address to communication@2ps-project.eu

go to FAQs
  • What is prevention of CSA?

    To understand more about the prevention of CSA and develop effective interventions, we first need to address the three stages of prevention: primary, secondary and tertiary prevention. Primary prevention targets entire populations. The aim is to prevent CSA before it occurs. An example is raising awareness on CSA in society. Secondary prevention aims to reduce the risk of sexual abuse among specific groups of individuals. For example, individuals who struggle to control their sexual behaviour towards children. Tertiary prevention targets individuals who have already committed CSA and prevents them from re-offending. Examples are treatment and reintegration in society.

    CSA is a societal problem and needs an approach that works for the entire system. Prevention not only targets individuals who commit (or are at risk of committing) CSA offences, it can also focus on victims, communities or situations. Prevention focusing on (potential) victims includes education of children or support for individuals who have experienced CSA. Other prevention efforts focus on the community, such as support for family members of sexual offenders and by-stander interventions. Prevention can also target situations, for example using deterrence messages on social media platforms when individuals are searching for illegal material.

    Prevention of CSA needs to act on all stages of prevention, and interventions for individuals who fear they might offend are essential in combatting CSA.

    2PS is a prevention project that develops effective interventions and provides support for individuals who seek help for their behaviour and thereby reduces (repeated) abuse of children.

    Download the card for your social media channels. Help us raise awareness!

  • Why is prevention of CSA important?

    CSA and the use of CSEM online is a growing problem and the consequences for victims can be enormous. Every victim of CSA is one too many. It is a problem that cannot be solved by the efforts of the police alone. Therefore, an approach is needed that aims to prevent CSA before it occurs in the first place. Preventive approaches can reduce CSA and the use of CSEM online, thereby preventing harm to children.

    Download the card for your social media channels. Help us raise awareness!

  • How can prevention help individuals who fear they might offend?

    Prevention can target individuals who fear they might offend against children. One way prevention can help is by providing them with options for support services that can help them control their sexual behaviour towards children.

    There are many different approaches and interventions to help individuals who fear they might offend. Often there is an individualized treatment plan for each person according to their needs. When it comes to treatment of individuals who are worried about their sexual behaviours towards children, an agreement would be made on the common goal to not offend and therefore the management of risk for problematic sexual behaviour. It can usually be understood as a training of awareness of thoughts, actively coping with emotions and changing behavioural patterns to reduce distress, achieve health and building a better life. Treatment can thereby reduce risk and prevent offending against children.

    Download the card for your social media channels. Help us raise awareness!