antiepistemology of organized abuse: Ignorance, exploitation, inaction.

This article focuses on the role of organized abuse—defined as sexual abuse involving multiple adults abusing multiple children—in the production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and the pervasive ignorance surrounding it. Based on an international survey of 74 adult survivors of organized abuse, the study highlights how familial and extra-familial networks facilitate abuse and CSAM production, while victims face significant barriers to disclosure due to threats, shame, and institutional disbelief. The authors argue that ignorance of organized abuse is maintained through social, institutional, and epistemological mechanisms that hinder recognition, investigation, and support for survivors. They advocate for acknowledging organized abuse as a legitimate subject of criminological inquiry and for developing trauma-informed policies and practices that incorporate survivor knowledge to better address the complexities of CSAM and child sexual exploitation.