Sexually Harmful Behaviours Research Lab
Online sexual offending
Research on technology-facilitated sexual offending, child sexual exploitation material, risk, prevention, and emerging digital environments.
Why this research matters
Understanding risk in rapidly changing digital environments
People convicted of child sexual exploitation material (CSEM) offences represent a substantial proportion of new sexual-offence cases in correctional systems. Our research examines their characteristics, offending trajectories, assessment needs, and the factors associated with future online or contact offending.
Research program
What we study
Offending trajectories
We study how online sexual offending develops over time, including the sequence and diversification of offending behaviours.
Risk assessment
We test whether established and specialized tools鈥攊ncluding the CPORT, Static-99R, STABLE-2007, and ACUTE-2007鈥攑rovide useful information for this population.
Emerging digital formats
We examine written and AI-generated CSEM, how new technologies may affect offending behaviour, and what these changes mean for prevention and assessment.
Current focus
Long-term follow-up data now allow us to examine factors associated with the minority of people convicted of CSEM offences who later commit contact sexual offences. We are also studying the risk relevance of AI-generated and written CSEM.
Recent and foundational work
Selected publications
Comparing the Static-99R and CPORT
Eke, A. W., Babchishin, K. M., Paquette, S., Scott, S. B., Batinic, M., Fortin, F., & Seto, M. C. (2024). Journal of Criminal Justice, 95, 102303.
ACUTE-2007 and STABLE-2007 predict recidivism
Babchishin, K. M., Dibayula, S., McCulloch, C., Hanson, R. K., & Helmus, L. M. (2023). Law and Human Behavior, 47(5), 606鈥�618.
Temporal order of sexual offending is risk-relevant
Babchishin, K. M., Lee, S. C., Eke, A. W., & Seto, M. C. (2022). Sexual Offending: Theory, Research, and Prevention, 17, 1鈥�22.
Applying offending-trajectory analyses
Babchishin, K. M., Eke, A. W., Lee, S. C., Lewis, N., & Seto, M. C. (2022). Criminal Justice and Behavior, 49(8), 1095鈥�1114.
Child sexual exploitation materials: A review
Babchishin, K. M., Merdian, H. L., Bartels, R. M., & Perkins, D. (2018). European Psychologist, 23, 130鈥�143.
Best practice in the management of online sex offending
Brennan, M., Perkins, D. E., Merdian, H. L., Tyrrell, E., Babchishin, K. M., McCartan, K. F., & Kelly, R. (2019). International Working Group for the Prevention of Online Sex Offending.
Support for this research
Funding partners
Safe Online
Interested in research collaboration?
We welcome conversations about data partnerships, applied research, knowledge exchange, and new research questions.