Thorn’s 2020 impact
March 24, 2021
3 Minute Read
Thorn’s impact in 2020 was only possible because of you — our partners, our supporters, and everyone working on the front lines to ensure children can be safe, curious, and happy online.
And while our latest impact report tells an inspiring story, one where together we tackled the challenges of 2020 head-on and accelerated efforts to eliminate child sexual abuse from the internet, it’s not the whole story.
Behind every child identified is an ecosystem of child advocates. Behind every file of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) identified for removal is a platform committed to building a better, safer, internet. Behind every reshare or like or conversation that sheds light on this difficult topic, are young people willing to use their voices so that others can learn and be comforted in the knowledge that they aren’t alone.
Behind every single win at Thorn is a wide and diverse family of those who see what a brighter future looks like for child victims of sexual abuse.
We don’t get to tell the story of every donor who chooses to support us, or each parent who shares our content and spreads awareness in their social networks. We can’t always talk about the kids that are reached or removed from abuse thanks to your support — but know that we think about these moments constantly, and you inspire us every single day.
With your support, in 2020:
- Thorn’s child sex trafficking investigation tool, Spotlight, helped to identify over 2,000 child victims in 2020, and products built by Thorn have identified nearly 20,000 child victims of sexual exploitation since we were founded.
- Safer, our technology industry tool, identified over 79,000 files of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) for removal and reporting, disrupting the cycle of trauma, providing platforms with powerful new technology in the fight against the spread of CSAM, and enabling the safe recovery of child victims.
- Our Youth & Communities team launched resources for youth to get help in the face of COVID school shutdowns, and launched a brand designed specifically for youth navigating these challenges in a digital world, reaching over 56 million young people.
- Our community, in the face of a global pandemic, broke records with over 5,000 unique Thorn donors committing to building a world where every child can simply be a kid.
As Julie Coruda, Thorn CEO, told the Thorn team at the end of 2020:
“At the core of us showing up each day is our belief that tomorrow can be better.”
For me personally, I knew I would be inspired when I came to work among such an incredibly committed community of child advocates, but even in the hardest moments of 2020 the team at Thorn and our community of supporters surpassed my every expectation.
And tomorrow, we will continue to work towards making the world better for the children we serve — together.
It’s what children, and survivors, deserve.
