Ulster University has released a major safeguarding report detailing why children and young people frequently do not disclose technology-assisted sexual abuse.

Commissioned by the Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland (SBNI) as part of the Executive's Online Safety Strategy, the findings were launched to coincide with Safer Internet Day.

The research suggests that while online safety education is useful, it is not enough to reduce vulnerability. According to the report, risks are often driven by deeper issues such as loneliness, low self-esteem, and difficult family circumstances. It also highlights that many children targeted are already known to child protection services, yet they remain reluctant to report incidents due to fear, shame, or a lack of understanding that they are being abused.

A key finding of the study is the role played by digital environments. Researchers noted that offenders often use fictitious profiles on social media and gaming platforms where age verification is weak. The report argues that end-to-end encryption and a lack of platform accountability allow grooming to occur with little risk of detection. Dr Tony McGinn, Senior Lecturer in Social Work at Ulster University and lead author, said: "This research shows clearly that we cannot place responsibility for online safety solely on children. Many of the factors that increase vulnerability lie far beyond the reach of awareness sessions or school-based interventions. If we are serious about protecting children, online platforms must be held to account for environments that currently allow abuse to occur too easily and too often."

The report's primary recommendation is for the full implementation and enforcement of the Online Safety Act 2023. Bernie McNally, Independent Chair of the SBNI, emphasized that adults must respond to disclosures without judgement, but noted that the priority must be prevention: "The priority is prevention. No child should ever have to manage risks created by unsafe systems. Online platforms must be held to account and required to close the loopholes abusers exploit. Children deserve online environments designed for their safety, not ones that expose them to danger."

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt welcomed the report, stating it strengthens the evidence base for Northern Ireland's Online Safety Strategy and reinforces the need for stronger regulatory mechanisms at a UK level.

The report also outlines practical implications for policy, practice and future research - onlinesafetyhub.safeguardingni.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Ulster_University_-_TACSA_Report_-_February_2026.pdf