Grooming, Child Abuse, & Child Sexual Exploitation
The Lived Experiences of Men Who Engage in Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis.
Open Access: Yes.
Abstract
Online child sexual exploitation and abuse (OCSEA) is a complex and multifaceted form of offending that continues to increase in prevalence. Our understanding of OCSEA is challenged by evolving technologies, low rates of detection, and limited understanding of the aetiological pathways to engaging in this behaviour. The current study aimed to deepen our understanding of the aetiology of OCSEA through qualitatively exploring the lived experiences of nine men referred to New Zealand community treatment providers for OCSEA behaviours. Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, men’s life stories were examined across the lifespan, including childhood, pre-offending, offending, and post-offending timeframes. Five superordinate themes were developed. These described the impact of the men’s developmental environment on their understanding of healthy relationships; the desire for connection and feelings of not belonging; difficulties in coping with negative emotions; escalation of both legal and illegal sexual behaviours; and factors associated with ceasing offending. The application of findings to the prevention of OCSEA are considered and directions for future research are discussed.
Relevance
“A pattern of escalation in both the frequency and content of online pornography and a corresponding desensitisation to material was commonly reported by participants. Exposure to adult pornography at a very young age was a shared experience and participants rapidly developed a level of dependency or a sense of addiction to legal pornography. The routine of seeking and consuming pornography often became habitual for participants and was reported to shape attitudes surrounding women and the nature of sexual relationships.”
“As participants consumed increasing amounts of legal pornography, they began to become desensitised to the content, not experiencing the same level of excitement or arousal from it. There was often then an escalation in frequency and content sought by men, as participants then began to seek out new content or sexual interactions (e.g., paying adults for content) which tended to be more extreme in nature….The process of seeking out new or more extreme content, appeared to provide a gateway to accessing and using CSEM material for many participants.” That escalation also included for most participants pornography containing not just children but also bestiality.
Some “participants reported seeking out opportunities to be alone so they could access pornography and CSEM. The desire for new content was so great that individuals would lie and borrow money from family to access material.”
“Participants expressed a range of offence supportive attitudes and permission-giving thoughts which facilitated and/or justified their engagement in OCSEA. While some of these attitudes emerged from early childhood experiences (e.g., abuse and normalisation of behaviour through caregivers’ reactions), other attitudes developed through pornography use. Many participants had developed the belief that children were able to consent and enjoy sexual activity.”
Citation
Stewart Née Nock, G., Dixon, L., & Tyler, N. (2026). The Lived Experiences of Men Who Engage in Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Sexual Abuse. https://doi.org/10.1177/10790632261446953
