AREA OF WORK
Participatory
Action
Research
Research with young people, not just about them.
Children and youth are often the first to see how sexual exploitation is changing and evolving — online, at school, among their peers and in their communities.
We partner with universities and children and youth as co-researchers, bringing together academic expertise with young people’s perspectives and real-life experiences to better understand sexual exploitation, uncover what’s being missed, and identify what needs to change to keep them safe.
HELP YOUNG PEOPLE SHAPE RESEARCH
Too often, children are treated only as the subjects of research.
We do things differently.
We create meaningful and safe ways for children and youth — including those who have experienced sexual exploitation — to help shape the questions we ask, tell us what we’re missing, make sense of what we learn, and influence the recommendations that come from it.
The research we collaborate on is grounded not only in what the evidence tells us, but in what young people themselves are seeing, experiencing and saying they need.
What’s Putting Children at Risk?
We explore how technology, relationships, social pressures and other factors can increase children’s vulnerability to sexual exploitation.
Where Are We Falling Short?
We identify gaps in prevention, protection, services, policies and systems by asking young people what is — and isn’t — working.
What Needs to Change?
We turn what we learn into practical recommendations that can help governments, schools, technology companies and others better protect children.
FROM EVIDENCE TO ACTION
We turn what we learn into action.
The research we collaborate on isn’t simply published and forgotten. We use it to:
Strengthen our prevention education programs and resources for children, parents, school staff and more.
Bring young people’s recommendations to decision-makers in government and organizations.
Advocate for stronger laws and protections for children.
Help other organizations better understand what children need.
Give children and youth evidence they can use to push for change themselves.
Bringing children, researchers and decision-makers together.
To better understand sexual exploitation and build responses that reflect the realities children face today.
Research Highlights
We’re proud and grateful to work alongside university partners who bring their research expertise and share our commitment to meaningfully involving children and youth.
