Ember - Findings from the Youth Survey

This report presents findings from the survey strand of the Ember project, which explores how children and young people (CYP) aged 13-24 understand online child sexual exploitation and abuse (OCSEA), what types of online harm they believe should be reported, and how they prefer to report such experiences.

The survey was conducted using a purpose built, age appropriate online questionnaire and was designed to be exploratory in nature. It sits alongside other strands of the Ember research programme, including survivor / victim conversations, landscape analysis, stakeholder engagement and an evidence scoping exercise. Findings reflect the views of survey participants rather than the UK population as a whole and should be interpreted in light of the survey’s skewed sample profile.

Overall, the findings point to a gap between recognition, confidence and action. While many CYP in the survey can identify core forms of OCSEA and express their views on what should be reported, awareness of OCSEA as a concept is uneven, confidence in recognising exploitation is often cautious rather than high, and emotional and practical barriers can limit reporting. These gaps have important implications for the design of education, reporting routes and support mechanisms if they are to be genuinely youth-centred.