25 April 2006 - CRINMAIL 774
Special Edition on Safety Online
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CHILD PROTECTION: Safety Online [list of online resources]
UNITED KINGDOM: Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre Launched by Home Office [news]
LEGISLATION: What Are Interpol Member States Doing to Combat Online Child Abuse? [resource]
COUNCIL OF EUROPE: Sexual Exploitation in Cyberspace [conference report]
PRIVATE SECTOR: Virtual Global Taskforce Industry Partnerships [news]
PUBLICATIONS: Recent Reports on Protecting Children in Cyberspace [resources]
CANADA: Workshops for Protecting Children in Cyberspace [event]
EMPLOYMENT: ECPAT UK AND AFRUCA
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Your submissions are welcome if you are working in the area of child rights. To contribute, email us at [email protected]. Adobe Acrobat is required for viewing some of the documents, and if required can be downloaded from http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep.html If you do not receive this email in html format, you will not be able to see some hyperlinks in the text. At the end of each item we have therefore provided a full URL linking to a web page where further information is available.
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- CHILD PROTECTION: Safety Online [list of online resources]
The Child Rights Information Network (CRIN) has compiled a set of resources designed to protect children from online abuse. The resources are meant for children, parents and guardians, teachers, law-enforcement agencies, Internet Service Providers and all those who work with children.
The list includes:
Information on the International Conventions on Cyber Crime
Child-friendly resources for online safety
Resources for parents on online safety for children
Resources for teachers on online safety for children
Resources for law enforcement agencies on online safety for children
Resources for Internet Service Providers on online safety for children
Helplines: who to contact if you see a website promoting child abuse online
Background information
Visit: http://www.crin.org/resources/infoDetail.asp?ID=7978
For more information, contact:
Child Rights Information Network
1 St John's Lane, London EC1M 4AR, UK
Tel: +44 20 7012 6866; Fax: +44 020 7012 6899
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.crin.org
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- UNITED KINGDOM: Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre Launched by Home Office [news]
A new agency to tackle child abuse and indecent images on the internet is being launched by the Home Office.
Suspicious activity can be reported to the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre 24 hours a day.
The unit, staffed by about 100 police, computer technicians and child welfare specialists, will also offer advice to parents and potential victims.
One of its tactics will see officers pose as children in online chatrooms to entrap paedophiles.
The director of the new centre, Jim Gamble, told BBC's Five Live Breakfast programme: "We're going to empower children in the UK like nowhere else in the world."
He said the centre will deliver web-based information sites which will provide children with information and enable them "to report to us any time of the day or night".
"That means if you're a paedophile grooming an actual child, and that child has visited our website they could be cutting and pasting your conversation and sending it to us," he said.
Fake websites purporting to offer images will also be set up to lure paedophiles into disclosing credit card details, so they can be traced.
Gaming concern
CEOP is affiliated to the Serious Organised Crime Agency, the UK's new FBI-style organisation.
The London-based agency will work with international police forces to protect children.
It is estimated that more than 20,000 people are regularly accessing illegal images via the internet in the UK.
In 2005, more than 6,000 paedophile websites were reported to police - almost twice as many as the year before.
Most of the content originates abroad but young people in the UK are vulnerable to determined paedophiles who try to "groom" them online.
Experts are said to be particularly concerned about the thriving online gaming industry as it provides another area where abusers can interact anonymously with children.
Children's charities have welcomed the centre, said to be the world's first example of police, the industry, child welfare bodies and the government working together under one roof to tackle online abuse, as "a big step forward".
Mary Marsh, NSPCC director and chief executive, said: "This is a major step forward in tackling online child abuse and child exploitation.
"The NSPCC is pleased to be playing a significant role as a partner in delivering this new service from the centre."
Source: BBC
Visit: http://www.crin.org/resources/infodetail.asp?id=8050
More information
Visit the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre website to report abuse
Visit the section for young people
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- LEGISLATION: What Are Interpol Member States Doing to Combat Online Child Abuse? [resource]
In order to set up a base document regarding legislation of the member countries of the International Criminal Police Organisation-Interpol on child sex abuse, including online abuse, Interpol asked member countries to provide a summary of the applicable legal texts regarding these offences.
Attached are the replies received by Interpol, country by country, and in one of the official Interpol languages chosen by the country (Arabic, English, French or Spanish). The legislation contained herein is not always an official translation of the law. Whilst every care has been taken to ensure accuracy, no guarantee is given that the material is free from error or omission. Judicial decisions and amendments may have affected the validity of the laws included.
The answers have been classified under the following headings:
- Ages for legal purposes
- Rape
- Child prostitution
- Child pornography
- Internet
- Extra-territorial legislation
Some legislation makes specific reference to child prostitution and child pornography. If this is not the case, extracts are given concerning prostitution or pornography in general, if available.
Visit: http://www.crin.org/violence/search/closeup.asp?infoID=8070
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- COUNCIL OF EUROPE: Sexual Exploitation in Cyberspace [conference report]
'Building a Europe for and with Children’, a European programme to end violence against children, was launched this month at a conference organised by the Council of Europe and the Principality of Monaco. One of the aims of the conference was to look at violence against children, with the outcome of the Europe and Central Asia Regional Consultation for the UN Study on Violence Against Children as a basis for action. The Child Rights Information Network (CRIN) reported on the event and provided coverage of the roundtable discussion on sexual exploitation in cyberspace.
Ms Carmen Madriñan, Executive Director of ECPAT said that the ability to harm in the virtual world is very different from the real world, therefore appropriate responses are needed. Furthermore, the internet had indeed facilitated the distribution of images, but this also means that there is a demand. It is therefore necessary to educate so that it is publicly unacceptable to harm children. “ We cannot wait for international legislation and larger processes to happen, we must focus attention to support work at community levels and involve different sectors, parents, teachers, police, social workers, etc".
See ECPAT’s submission to the UN Study “Violence Against Children in Cyberspace”.
Mr. Tim Wright, United Kingdom Home Office, explained how tackling this issue required new ways of working. To deal with this, three steps were needed:
1. A clearer understanding of risks, what are the advantages and disadvantages of the internet and how it is used;
2. We must find the balance between the internet as a force for good and evil, internet allows law enforcement to make real progress, we have come a long way, with models such as ‘grooming legislation’ in Scotland;
3. International partnerships are essential – and not domestic national plans, as one might get sidetracked in producing plans rather than ‘doing’. Good practice must be quickly harnessed and shared.
Mr Hamish McCulloch, Assistant Director, Trafficking in Human Beings, ICPO-Interpol provided a law enforcement perspective and highlighted the very important role played by police officers, for instance, in identifying abusers who make themselves known only through the internet. However in order to do this, information exchange is essential to get the full picture. Secondly, the internet has no boundaries, therefore measures must be international.
Thirdly, it is important to remember that the majority of children whose images are on the internet, are being abused in their homes and/or by people they know. Child protection training must therefore be extended not only to schools, but also to health workers, police, and parents and children.
Recommendations from young people:
- Adults must be aware and raise awareness, by involving and consulting with children, this is particularly important for those who work with children, there should be criminal records checks for instance.
- Schools should organise meetings for parents, explain what children and young people are doing and how, and young people should be trained on how to stay safe, for instance not revealing where they live if they chat online.
- Children must do peer to peer training and campaigns
Rachel O’Connel; psychologist, Cyberspace Research Unit, University of Central Lancashire, recommended that well-being online should be mandatory in the school curriculum, but there should also be education and training for parents and young people so that they know what they need to do to be safe. Complaints that are brought to the attention of law enforcement agencies must be taken seriously and followed up, and industries involved in the Internet business should abide by some minimum standards and be ready to report on illicit activities.
For more information, visit: http://www.uclan.ac.uk/host/cru/ See also: The Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime, which has been signed by 50 states, but only ratified by eight.
More information
Coverage of the launch of ‘Building a Europe for and with Children
Visit CRIN’s page on Child Pornography on the Children and Violence website
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- PRIVATE SECTOR: Virtual Global Taskforce Industry Partnerships [news]
The private sector has a key role to play in tackling on-line child abuse, and key industry players are working with the VGT to help make the on-line environment safer by design.
By joining the Virtual Global Taskforce as an industry partner, organisations can help reduce the threat to children on-line and demonstrate their commitment to community safety and crime reduction.
In order to become an industry partner, organisations must evidence five key principles:
- a proven track record of co-operation with, and a public commitment to, law enforcement;
- a pro-active commitment to combating child abuse on-line and making the internet safer by design;
- active support to law enforcement on individual crime prevention and reduction strategies, including those developed by the Virtual Global Taskforce:
- commitment to the development of effective educational programmes that promote safety on the internet; and
- active support and promotion of the work of the Virtual Global Taskforce.
Details of those companies that are VGT industry partners can be found on VGT's Partners pages.
Visit: http://www.virtualglobaltaskforce.com
Related information
MySpace Tackles Teen Safety Fears, BBC
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- PUBLICATIONS: Recent Reports on Protecting Children in Cyberspace [resources]
Violence Against Children in Cyberspace , ECPAT [report]
Model Legislation and Global Review, International Center for Missing and Exploited Children [report]
Commission on Human Rights 2006: Report of Special Rapporteur on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography [report]
Latin America: New Website to Combat Trafficking in People, Inter American Centre against Disappearances, Exploitation and Trafficking of Persons (CIDETT), Save the Children Sweden and the Organisation of American States [website]
For more information, visit CRIN’s page on sexual exploitation on the Children and Violence website
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- CANADA: Workshops for Protecting Children in Cyberspace [event]
Safe Online Outreach Society (SOLOS) currently delivers four different kinds of presentations, workshops and campaigns to help protect children in cyberspace.
Professional Workshops/Presentation: Cyberspace; Youth Work Frontier
These workshops are targeted at youth serving professionals and highlight emerging online youth trends and the therapeutic implications of youth online culture.
Parent/ PAC/ Public Presentation: Parenting in a Cyber-Age
Youth use of online communication is presenting many new parenting challenges. These workshops focus on equipping those who care for youth with the tools to deal with these challenges. These presentations are for parent, parent advisory, and foster parent groups and the public and focus on Internet literacy and safety information.
Youth Presentation: Cyberspace; A New Level of Community
These short one hour youth presentations promote positive internet use, protective attitudes toward technology and critical thinking around sexual choices.
Community Public Awareness Campaigns: The SOLOS Road Show
For more information, contact:
Safe Online Outreach Society
Mission, B.C., V2V 4Z5, Canada
Tel: +1 604 615 7899
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.safeonlineoutreach.com
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- EMPLOYMENT: ECPAT UK AND AFRUCA
Part-Time Project Co-ordinator (Trainer: Child Trafficking)
ECPAT UK and AFRUCA are in partnership recruiting a dynamic community trainer to design and deliver multi-stakeholder training workshops across the UK on child trafficking and develop safeguarding strategies for trafficked children. The successful applicant will develop a database of contacts and set up a national consultation process to encourage information sharing and networking. Essential to this position is the confidence and ability to work with different target groups, including young people. ECPAT UK and AFRUCA welcome applications from all sectors of the community and aim to promote diversity.
Application deadline: 12 May
For more information, contact:
ECPAT UK
The Stableyard, Broomgrove Road, London, SW9 9TL, United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0) 207 501 8927; Fax: +44 (0) 207 738 4110
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.ecpat.org.uk
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