Conclusions Children around the world are navigating harm shaped by the interaction between digital technologies and the wider social norms and power dynamics of offline life. Some learn to block perpetrators, manage privacy settings, avoid certain platforms, document evidence and carefully calculate who might be safe to talk to. But real protection begins earlier, and must be embedded in the values and systems that surround children, long before harm occurs. It begins with schools, families, communities and public institutions creating environments where children know that abuse is never their fault, no matter the circumstances. It requires challenging the social and gender norms that normalize exploitation, contribute to stigma and victim-blaming, and discourage children from seeking help or reporting abuse. It means building homes and classrooms where children can speak openly about relationships, boundaries and uncomfortable experiences without fear of punishment, shame, or losing access to technology. When children do seek help, they should be met by people and systems that are prepared to respond with care. Responsibility should be placed with the perpetrator, and society needs to act accordingly. A disclosure should not lead to retraumatizing interviews, disbelief, judgment, or endless referrals between disconnected services. Police officers, teachers, social workers and judges need the training, resources and coordination necessary to respond in ways that are child-centred, trauma-informed and effective. Support should be accessible, compassionate and designed around the needs of children. To support this transition, legal systems must evolve to reflect how abuse happens today. Grooming, sexual extortion and image-based abuse are not isolated online phenomena; they are part of broader patterns Through Children’s Eyes Conclusions 37