Study on sexual violence and harmful sexual behaviour displayed by children: Nature, causes, consequences and responses / Simon Hackett

[Strasbourg, France]: Council of Europe, 2025

English

This review looks to summarise key findings relating specifically to children with problematic and abusive sexual behaviours. It seeks to: provide an overview of the types of sexual violence or harmful sexual behaviours carried out by children; explore the source, motivations or reasons for these behaviours and possible contributing factors; analyse existing preventive, educational, therapeutic, legal and other responses to these behaviours and tools to support member states in preventing and dealing with these behaviours and supporting children who display them. This review places the human rights of the child at its centre. The focus is on the provision of support to children displaying these behaviours and on broader preventative measures which maximise the rights of all children affected. Although neither a systematic review of all of the evidence on harmful sexual behaviour in childhood, nor a comprehensive mapping exercise of legal and policy responses to the topic within Europe is possible within the scope of this paper, where appropriate, comparative European literature approaches are drawn upon.

eng