Terminology Guidelines for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse: Second Edition

Developed by a global Interagency Working Group, the Terminology Guidelines provide survivor-centred and precise language to describe sexual exploitation and abuse of children — helping professionals, policymakers, and the media use words that protect rather than harm.

First adopted in 2016 and translated into eight languages, the Terminology Guidelines were revised to reflect developments in international law, research, practice, and technology-facilitated forms of abuse, with this second edition launched in April 2025.