Advancements in social media and communications technology has made underaged individuals increasingly vulnerable to online sexual exploitation. The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) initiates a research project that seeks to incorporate the perspectives of children and adolescents in understanding the issue of online sexual exploitation of children (OSEC). This project has received funding support from the Research Grants Council (RGC) Humanities and Social Sciences Prestigious Fellowship Scheme (HSSPFS) 2025/26, with total grant of HK$503,000.
Prof. Jessica Chi Mei, LI , Associate Professor in the Department of Applied Social Sciences at PolyU, has been awarded the research project titled “Co-Creation with School Students to Prevent Online Sexual Exploitation: A Qualitative Study Using Video Vignettes.” Children participating in the project will be invited to contribute suggestions for preventing and addressing OSEC.
OSEC is an umbrella term that encompasses various forms of sexual abuse against children, including online sexual grooming, sexting such as distribution of sexual messages, sexual extortion and life-streamed sexual abuse, and the sharing of pornographic images. Advancing technologies have made it easier for perpetrators to quickly initiate contact with potential victims, including minors. In addition, the Covid-19 pandemic and related stay-at-home measures have increased the time children socialising online, heightening their exposure to potential exploitation.
The project builds on Prof. LI’s earlier research, funded by the RGC General Research Fund in 2023, which examined school personnel’s response to OSEC. This pioneering work, funded by HSSPFS, employs a novel qualitative vignette approach, guided by the concept of guardianship in Felson and Cohen’s routine activity theory, to construct and validate case scenarios. In collaboration with expert groups and school personnel, this innovative approach facilitates a deeper exploration of real-life contexts and challenges in preventing OSEC.
With this solid research foundation, the project seeks to engage students by collecting their responses through 10 focus groups conducted over the span of a year. By integrating diverse perspectives, the research aims to develop practical insights and strategies to strengthen protective measures against OSEC in school environments. Key outcomes of the project include academic publications, a practical manual for using vignettes to raise students’ awareness of online risks and a train-the-trainer workshop protocol.
Prof. LI said, “This project will engage children and adolescents in researching OSEC and will deliver timely, cost-effective, and practically informed findings. It aims to support the long-term prevention of OSEC by providing a comprehensive strategic framework that can be implemented across Hong Kong, Chinese communities, and the wider Asian region.”
Introduced in 2012/13, HSSPFS aims at granting extend time-off and supporting funds to the outstanding investigators under the social sciences and humanities disciplines. Each awardee receives funding support for a period of up to 12 months.
For more: https://polyu.hk/KKyrz
