The Challenges Faced when Conducting Research on Child Sexual Abuse During Covid-19

Covid-19 has seen additional pressures placed on already underfunded charities, which are forced to compete with one another for resources just as reports of Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) during lockdowns are increasing. When researching CSA or other similarly sensitive subjects, researchers may decide to use charities as gatekeepers in recruiting participants, thus helping to mitigate the ethical challenges involved in research with vulnerable people. However, with charities facing higher demands for their services, it is often no longer possible for them to support research by acting as such gatekeepers. It is necessary, therefore, for researchers to be flexible and to adapt to these changes, whilst still prioritising the wellbeing of their participants. This paper, written and outlining experiences during the Covid-19 pandemic, explores the challenges of recruiting participants through gatekeepers, using the author’s personal experience of researching CSA as a case study, as well as the alternative steps taken to ensure that research aims are met.