Peer-reviewed article
A systematic review of fantasy driven vs. contact driven internet-initiated sexual offences: Discrete or overlapping typologies?
Laura Jayne Broome, Cristina Izura, Nuria Lorenzo-Dus ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This systematic review examines how researchers classify individuals who use the internet to sexually abuse children, comparing two traditional categories: those seeking sexual gratification online only (fantasy-driven) versus those seeking to meet children in person (contact-driven). The review of 22 studies found that this distinction is unclear because both groups engage in similar online behaviors and both can lead to offline abuse. The authors propose a different classification system based on relationship intensity rather than intended location of abuse.
Key points
- Traditional classification of online child sexual offenders into fantasy-driven and contact-driven types lacks clear empirical support
- Both fantasy-driven and contact-driven offenders engage in online sexual gratification behaviors
- No clear pattern of behavior uniquely defines either offender type
- The European Online Grooming Project proposes an alternative typology based on relationship intensity: intimacy seeking, adaptable, and hypersexualized groups
- Larger and more methodologically robust studies are needed to understand online child sexual offender behavior
Limitations
This is a review of existing literature rather than primary research, so it cannot directly measure offender behavior or effectiveness of prevention strategies. The review does not assess outcomes of interventions or prevention programs aimed at reducing child sexual abuse.
Abstract
Within the literature individuals who use the internet to facilitate the sexual abuse of a minor are generally classified as being fantasy or contact driven. Classification is based upon the intended location for sexual climax: fantasy driven individuals aim to reach sexual climax online, whereas contact driven individuals target minors to achieve physical sex offline. This review systematically investigates whether there is an empirical basis for the distinction between these two proposed discrete types. Comparison of tactics and behaviour are considered to examine whether the contact vs. fantasy distinction is useful. A two-stage literature selection process, considered against pre-determined inclusion criteria, identified a total of twenty-two studies. As methodological heterogeneity limited the ability to conduct pooled analysis, a narrative synthesis of data employing an interpretive approach was conducted. This showed that the contact and fantasy distinction is ambiguous, given that both groups engage in online behaviours that provide them with online sexual gratification that can also lead to offline contact. Furthermore, no clear pattern of behaviour was found to define contact and fantasy individuals idiosyncratically. The European Online Grooming Project typology is thus proposed as a better representation of this behaviour; intimacy seeking, adaptable and hypersexualized groups. The distinction between these groups focuses primarily on the intensity of the relationship, acknowledging that sexual abuse can occur with or without offline contact. This review also highlights the need for larger, methodologically robust studies that examine the behaviour of online child sexual offenders.