Finkelhor Online Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) Prevalence

“The prevalence of child sexual abuse with online sexual abuse added”

“the US nationally representative KnowledgePanel”

“Child Abuse & Neglect 149 (2024) 106634”

Published 2024 in Child Abuse & Neglect, vol. 149.

“This survey study was conducted from November 19 to December 29, 2021, using a nationally representative online panel (KnowledgePanel, Ipsos).”

The companion 2022 paper reports fieldwork dates for the same KnowledgePanel sample of 2,639 respondents.

“A sample of 2639 respondents aged 18-to-28 was recruited from a nationally”

Abstract: 'A sample of 2639 respondents aged 18-to-28 was recruited from a nationally representative online panel.' Of these, 1,215 endorsed one or more screening items and were asked detailed follow-ups (page 2).

“The KP panelists in the age range 18-to-28 years old (n = 13,884) were invited to participate in the current survey. This age range was chosen to capture the cohort with childhood in the digital era.”

Adults aged 18–28 reported retrospectively about experiences before age 18.

“KP is a large, multi-use sample that the survey firm Ipsos has recruited via address-based systematic sampling”

Address-based probability recruitment through Ipsos KnowledgePanel. Weights adjust for nonresponse and prioritization of less frequent episodes in the follow-up questions.

“Online child sexual abuse was defined by a positive response to any of nine screening items.…” “Has someone ever shared with other people a sexual picture or video of you without your permission?”

Screening items 1–4 cover non-consensual image sharing, image taking, coercion to provide images, and threats to share images. Items 2–4 continue on PDF p.3. Qualifying episodes occurred before age 18.

“Online child sexual abuse was defined by a positive response to any of nine screening items.…” “Before the age of 18, did anyone ever use the Internet or a cell phone to try to get you to talk about sex when you did not want to?”“Before the age of 18, did anyone ever use the Internet or a cell phone to ask you for information about yourself when you did not want to answer those questions?”“Before the age of 18, did anyone ever use the Internet or a cell phone to ask you to do something sexual that you did not want to?”“Before the age of 18, did you have intimate sexual conversations or share sexual pictures or videos (online or through a cell phone), even if you wanted to, with a person who was five or more years older than you?”“Have you done any of the following things over the Internet or a cell phone (including texting) in exchange for money, drugs, or other valuable items?”

Items 5–7 concern unwanted sexual solicitation and are counted as online child sexual abuse only when the perpetrator was a known or suspected adult. Items 8–9 cover sexual interaction with a person at least five years older and commercial sexual activity. All qualifying episodes occurred before age 18.

“Generic child sexual victimization was measured using two items available in the survey adapted from the Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire (Finkelhor et al., 2005)…” “At any time in your life before age 18, did a grown-up you knew touch your private parts when they shouldn't have or make you touch their private parts? Or did a grown-up you knew force you to have sex?”“At any time in your life before age 18, did another child or teen make you do sexual things?”

Two broader child-sexual-abuse questions from the Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire. The authors call these generic rather than offline because some episodes may involve online components.