Australian Federal Police (AFP) victim identification specialists have uncovered 229 Australian victims of online child sexual abuse in the 2023-24 financial year. These victims were found in every state and territory, except the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), highlighting the pervasive nature of online child abuse across the nation.
Commander Helen Schneider of the AFP highlighted the complexity of their work, noting that each case is unique. “There is no set formula for identifying victims or their abusers, and each investigation is different,” she said.
“The smallest clue in a single image or frame of a video can lead to a breakthrough and help find a victim.”
In recognition of National Child Protection Week, the AFP is highlighting the crucial work of its Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) victim identification specialists. These teams tirelessly analyse millions of files containing child abuse material, searching for clues to identify both victims and offenders.
The AFP’s victim identification unit plays a critical role in numerous child protection operations, assisting not only the AFP but also state and territory police, as well as international law enforcement. Their efforts help identify, assess, and analyse evidence that leads to the rescue of hundreds of child abuse victims each year.
With specialists based in Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney, the AFP has developed the largest victim identification capability in the southern hemisphere and one of the largest worldwide. These experts provide investigators with vital information that leads to the rescue of victims from harm and the identification and prosecution of offenders.
Since the ACCCE’s inception, the AFP has coordinated six international victim identification taskforces, uniting global specialists to combat the growing threat of online child abuse. Their expertise has been instrumental in major operations such as Operation Molto, which resulted in 100 Australians being charged with child abuse offences, and Operation Bakis, where international partners dismantled a sophisticated child abuse network.
These investigators examine seized images, videos, and audio files, analysing details such as clothing, furniture, and other geographical clues to help pinpoint the location of victims and offenders. Sworn and unsworn officers work together, combining a range of law enforcement methods and techniques to track down perpetrators.
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