Ending Online Sexual Exploitation and Abuse of Women and Girls: A Call for International Standards

This report examines laws relating to online sexual exploitation and abuse (OSEA) in international law and standards, in regional law and standards with a focus on Europe, and in five focus countries: Kenya, Nigeria, India, the United States and the United Kingdom. We also highlight gaps and loopholes.

As conducted, the research examined the following issues: Definitions of the term OSEA; Laws addressing jurisdiction around OSEA crimes and cooperation among states; Laws concerning the right to freedom of expression or speech online and its relationship with OSEA; Laws concerning the right to privacy online and its relationship with OSEA; and laws concerning the regulation of digital service providers and platforms.

The report also features expert testimony and utilizes a survivor centric approach to illustrate the impact of OSEA and highlight the challenges faced in keeping people safe in a rapidly changing digital landscape.

The full report is a publication by Equality Now, with design and publication support from the Thomson Reuters Foundation and Practical Law (Thomson Reuters).