‘You become more protective’: the toll of investigating child abuse

Police officers investigating child sexual abuse cases are taking the trauma of their work home with them, a study has found, with some reporting anxiety, hypervigilance and burnout.

The research, carried out among officers working in the Malta Police Force’s Vice Squad, found that those handling child sexual abuse investigations need more structured support to cope with the emotional strain of their work.

Officers interviewed for the study described the cases they handle as sensitive, distressing and psychologically demanding. Some said they struggled with anxiety and became more alert to possible threats in their personal lives.

The study, titled Analysing the Impacts of Work-Related Stress among Police Officers within the Malta Police Force who are tasked with investigating Child Sexual Abuse Cases, was conducted by George-Michael Briffa as part of his Bachelor of Occupational Health and Safety (Hons) at the Centre for Labour Studies, University of Malta.

It was based on interviews with eight officers stationed within the Vice Squad, which investigates sexual offences including rape, human trafficking and child sexual abuse.

The findings showed that such investigations had a deep emotional and psychological impact on officers. Participants spoke of distress, frustration, anxiety, sadness and moral conflict.

One officer said sexual abuse cases were especially difficult because of “the nature of the abuse itself” and the experience of children having to recall what happened during investigations.

Another said officers had to guard against anger affecting their work.

“When you see child sexual abuse, society at large creates some form of anger towards the perpetrator,” the officer said. “If you’re not professional enough, that anger would create bias towards the perpetrator.”

When you know that the child has been saved. That’s the whole point of this unit... you feel that you saved someone,

Despite the strain, officers also spoke of a strong sense of purpose.

One said few people wanted to work on such cases, but those who joined the unit felt driven by the need to protect children.

“These are children, children online, children in real life, and they have no voice. If we don’t help them, who will?”

Another said the reward came from knowing a child had been protected.

“When you know that the child has been saved. That’s the whole point of this unit... you feel that you saved someone,” the officer said.

Yet another recalled an incident that happened to a superior.

“Last time, it happened to my boss, someone he helped as a child met him in the street years later and said: ‘I remember you and you helped me.’”

Participants said more training and resources were needed to help them handle complex investigations and the psychological demands that came with them.

They also pointed to organisational problems that increased work-related stress, including understaffing, procedural delays, unclear guidelines and limited psychological support.

One sergeant said staff shortages affected the whole force, adding that officers in the unit also had to investigate other crimes.

Officers said some psychological support was available, but argued it was not enough. Some said it should be compulsory rather than voluntary.

Asked how they cope, investigators said they relied heavily on colleagues, humour, music and hobbies.

One officer described the team as a “big family”, and another said loud music in the car helped them switch off after work.

Several said the job had changed how they viewed everyday situations involving children.

One sergeant said they had become more cautious about children in their family sharing pictures on Facebook.

Another investigator said that, after dealing with a case involving an abuser who watched playgrounds, he found himself analysing men standing near children.

“You become more protective,” he said.

The research, carried out in 2025, noted that the police force has taken steps to improve officer well-being, and ongoing efforts indicate a growing awareness of the need to support officers in high-stress roles.