The Impact of Exposure to Child Sexual Violence on Police Officers and Forensic Scientists: A Systematic Review.

This systematic review aims to explore the mental health of police officers and digital forensic analysts exposed to cases involving minors who are victims of sexual violence. This review places a particular emphasis on secondary traumatic stress experienced by these professionals. For this study, seven databases were consulted: PubMed, PsycINFO/PsycARTICLE, Web of Science, Cairn, Cochrane, Embase, and Biomed, up until February 2025. After preselecting the studies, one reviewer extracted the data and assessed the quality of the studies, followed by a double-check performed by a second reviewer. Twenty-six articles were included in the systematic review. To be included in this review, the articles had to focus on the mental health of police officers working with children who are victims of sexual violence. The analysis revealed that there is a negative impact on police officers, who may develop a form of secondary traumatic stress. This stress affects both their professional and personal lives. Additionally, the lack of support from their superiors, high workload, and insufficient resources in the care systems available contribute to the negative impact on law enforcement. This review sheds light on these factors and underscores the need to focus more on the needs of these professionals by implementing appropriate care measures to preserve psychological well-being and effectiveness.