ROME – An important issue addressed by the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors during its September Plenary Assembly in Rome is the need to ensure that digital spaces are part of its efforts to prevent and address the exploitation and sexual abuse of minors, with particular attention to the risks posed by artificial intelligence and the need to strengthen safeguarding measures in Church environments. 

As made clear by the Holy Father’s encyclical, the Church is increasingly active in digital environments as the power and prevalence of emerging technologies are interwoven into the fabric of daily life. 

A presentation by the Commission’s Online Abuse Study Group highlighted the scale of technology-facilitated abuse, its long-term consequences for children and adolescents, and the increasingly complex methods used by perpetrators to exploit young people online. 

Drawing on recent international research, the presentation described child sexual exploitation and abuse as a major global public health concern, with consequences extending well beyond childhood. Some of these can include anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, self-mutilation, suicidal risks, academic and social difficulties, and a lasting loss of personal security and trust. 

According to figures presented to the Assembly, approximately two children in a classroom of 30 may experience online sexual exploitation or abuse during a single school year. By the time they reach adulthood, that number could rise to eight. 

The presentation also pointed to a sharp increase in the production and circulation of child sexual abuse material. Data from the Internet Watch Foundation indicated a 29% increase in the most severe category of abuse material in 2025, alongside a dramatic rise in AI-generated content. 

Artificial intelligence and emerging risks 

Artificial intelligence has introduced new challenges for child protection, enabling the creation of increasingly realistic synthetic abuse material and new forms of sexual extortion. 

The presentation also examined the growing role of AI in young people’s personal lives. Adolescents are increasingly turning to AI systems for advice, emotional support and even disclosures of harmful experiences, sometimes instead of approaching trusted adults or authorities. 

This presents a particular challenge for safeguarding professionals, who must consider how children seek help in digital environments, and how appropriate support can be made available when such forms of abuse occur. 

There are no boundaries between online and offline abuse 

The Study Group emphasized that online sexual abuse frequently develops through a gradual process of grooming and manipulation, beginning with contact and the establishment of trust before gradually escalating to isolation, coercion and exploitation. 

Identifying and understanding these patterns is critical to strengthening early prevention and awareness efforts among children, parents, and guardians, while also informing effective intervention approaches for Church personnel, who are frequently sought out by minors as trusted adults to whom they can turn for guidance and support. 

Within Church settings, the presentation identified several areas requiring particular attention, including private messaging between adults and minors, online mentoring, digital communication in parish and youth activities, and the supervision of online groups. 

It also stressed the importance of ensuring that children can report harmful experiences without fear of shame or blame to a trusted adult who may be a church pastoral worker, and that those responsible for their protection understand how to preserve digital evidence and activate appropriate referral procedures to civil authorities. 

The Study Group also underlined that perpetrators may include adults or other minors in peer-to-peer violence, making it necessary to identify harmful behaviours rather than rely on assumptions about who might pose a risk. 

Strengthening digital safeguarding in Church environments  

The Online Abuse Study Group’s work will focus on identifying digital safeguarding risks and gaps in protection systems across local Church contexts, translating emerging evidence into practical guidance for those responsible for the protection of children and vulnerable persons. 

The discussion formed part of the Commission’s continuing efforts to respond to evolving threats to minors and support the development of effective safeguarding practices throughout the Church and to uphold the dignity of every person.