Taskforce Identifies Exploited Children

Europol’s recent Victim Identification Taskforce (VIDTF) has successfully identified 12 children who were victims of sexual exploitation. This initiative, held at Europol’s headquarters in The Hague from April 13 to 24, 2026, brought together 34 specialists from Europol, INTERPOL, and 31 countries.

The taskforce analyzed over 317 datasets, covering a diverse range of victims by gender, age, and nationality, from toddlers to teenagers. The operation processed an astonishing 118 million unique files and generated 204 actionable leads that have been forwarded to national authorities for further investigation.

Since the inception of these bi-annual taskforces in 2014, and with the aid of Europol’s Image-Video Analysis System (IVAS) initiated in 2016, there has been substantial progress in victim identification. To date, approximately 8,585 datasets have been reviewed, leading to over 3,484 intelligence packages. These efforts have culminated in the identification and safeguarding of 1,190 victims and the arrest of 330 offenders across various nations.

Europol has continuously evolved its strategies to combat child sexual exploitation effectively. The agency also engages the public through its “Stop Child Abuse – Trace an Object” initiative, which has helped identify 31 victims through anonymous tips. The collaborative nature of the VIDTF and the use of advanced technological tools underscore a global commitment to ending child exploitation and bringing perpetrators to justice.