Dark Justice
Inside the World of Paedophile Hunters

Reports the findings of the author's unprecedented access to one of the UK's most prolific paedophile hunting groups.

Mark de Rond (Author)

9781009457040, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 6 March 2025

208 pages
22.3 x 14.8 x 1.7 cm, 0.39 kg

'Dark Justice is a wild ride – but I promise you won't want to get off it until the end.' Lucy Denyer, Daily Telegraph

It is difficult to imagine a more heinous crime than the sexual abuse of children. Yet, terrifyingly, a new case of child sexual abuse is reported every seven minutes. In response to this crisis, self-appointed groups of citizens are fashioning themselves as 'paedophile hunters.' Operating outside the law, these groups use social media to bait and expose those seeking to engage children sexually, both on- and offline. Their work has been remarkably effective, but at what cost? Following four years of unprecedented access to the UK's most prolific team of paedophile hunters, Mark de Rond offers balanced and insightful answers to the perplexing question of why these groups persist in using extreme methods to hold predators to account in view of less harmful alternatives. In doing so, he invites us to consider the societal impacts of paedophile hunters on our laws and institutions, as well as societal cohesion and safety.

Note on the title
Chapters 1 – 20
Epilogue
Appendix: Notes on Methodology
Acknowledgements
When they read what we write
Endnotes.

Subject Areas: Organizational theory & behaviour [KJU]