Child Sex Abuse and the Coronavirus > 2m Kids at Risk in UK, Kiddie Porn Doubles

Coronavirus: '2m English children face

heightened lockdown risk of abuse'

Around two million children in England face a range of vulnerabilities likely to worsen during the Covid-19 crisis, says the Children's Commissioner.

A report for her office has mapped out, by local area, the vast challenges faced by the schools and councils supporting them in lockdown.

The risks range from mentally ill parents and substance abuse, to cramped housing and domestic abuse.

The government said vulnerable children were its first priority.

The Children's Commissioner for England, Anne Longfield, said the lockdown had removed many of the usual ways of identifying children at risk, and the scale of the challenge in keeping them safe was enormous.

'Huge efforts'

"We estimate that 2m children in England are in homes where there is either a problem with drug or alcohol abuse, domestic violence or serious mental health problems," she said.

"There are also 128,000 children living in temporary accommodation, nearly 200,000 children referred to social services but not getting help, and 100,000 children caring for other family members."

She praised the huge efforts many teachers and council social care staff are making to stay in touch with struggling children.

But she highlighted how only a small proportion of those at-risk children were attending the schools being kept open to support them: "Reaching out to these children and helping them during the lockdown - and beyond - must be a priority for national and local government."

Earlier this week, Department for Education figures showed only a maximum of 5% of vulnerable children - which includes those with severe special educational needs - were attending school over the past few weeks.

Regular checks

Ms Longfield added that the figures lay bare the extent of vulnerability in each area, and the extraordinary pressures on some councils to try to protect these children.

Children's Society head of policy and research, Sam Royston, said existing risks in these children's lives may be worsened and they may be exposed to new dangers, including everything from being groomed online for sexual abuse to county lines exploitation.

Mr Royston argued that all vulnerable children should have a named professional to whom they could turn: "This should be someone who can check regularly that they are safe, whom they can ask for help and who can ensure they have opportunities to learn from home."

'First priority'

The Department for Education announced it was investing £12m on 14 projects around England to tackle the increased risk that children and young people may be facing from staying at home.

Children's minister Vicky Ford said the care and safety of vulnerable children was her priority. "We are working hand-in-hand with all the professionals supporting these children, to prioritise their wellbeing during this unprecedented time," she said.

The DfE has also already announced an extra £3.2bn for increased demand on local authorities during the crisis, but this comes after a systematic policy to reduce their funding by 40% over the past few years.

The Children's Commissioner called for more effort to get children into school and an expansion of the numbers of those working with children, as well as a temporary increase in child benefit and better accommodation for homeless families.

UK police lockdown warning after arresting suspects over alleged child abuse

By Simon Walton
Head of News and Digital Content
North Yorkshire Police
 
POLICE have issued a lockdown warning after arresting a string of suspects in connection with alleged child abuse. 

North Yorkshire Police said that during the past few weeks officers from the Online Abuse & Exploitation Team - supported by the Digital Forensics Unit – have conducted a series of operations resulting in six arrests for various alleged crimes.

These range from sexual activity with a child and sexual communications with a child, to offences related to the possession, distribution and creation of indecent images of children.

One arrest followed intelligence that a man from York had allegedly been engaging in sexual communications with a 12-year-old girl on messaging and video chat sites.

An operation was carried out on April 16 to arrest a suspect and seize digital devices for examination.

A 65-year-old man has been released on conditional bail and safeguarding measures have been put in place while the investigation continues.

Other police operations included:

On Tuesday, April 7, two men aged 21 and 20 were arrested in Norton, near Malton, on suspicion of sexual activity with an underage girl and taking, making and distributing indecent images of children.

Houses were searched and mobile phones and other devices were seized for examination. Following questioning the men were released on conditional bail while inquiries continue.

The alleged victim is receiving specialist support and safeguarding measures have been put in place.

On April 9, a 29-year-old man from Harrogate was arrested by the Online Abuse & Exploitation Team on suspicion of possessing indecent images of children and causing or inciting sexual activity with a child.

This action was taken on the back of information received from the National Crime Agency’s Child Exploitation Online Protection (CEOP) command regarding alleged criminal activity on a messaging site.

The man has been released on conditional bail while police inquiries continue.

Members of the team have also been involved in urgent safeguarding visits regarding two children, both aged under 12, who had made indecent images of themselves which they had posted online. They are receiving ongoing support to ensure they remain safe.

Detective Sergeant Steve Alderson, of the Online Abuse & Exploitation Team, said: “Child abusers might think they can get away with their sickening offending due to coronavirus social distancing rules, especially those targeting vulnerable young people who are currently spending even more time online.

“They would be greatly mistaken to believe this as our action across North Yorkshire and York in recent weeks has shown.

“If someone is involved in child abuse or child sexual exploitation offences, be it online or directly, they can expect a knock on the door from the police and they will be brought to justice.”

DS Alderson added: “We urge parents and carers to get up to speed about online safety and talk to young people about the dangers. There is a great deal of help and advice available to make this important task easier.

“We also urge victims not to suffer in silence. Please seek professional support from the police and our partner agencies. We are here to help you.”

To report suspected crimes involving indecent images of children and sexual exploitation contact North Yorkshire Police on 101. If you are in immediate danger, always dial 999 for an emergency response.

95 per cent jump in online child porn traffic;

NCPCR says apps to view child porn at Google Play store

By IANS

NEW DELHI: The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has taken cognizance of a research highlighting 95 per cent increase in online child porn traffic during the nationwide lockdown and sent notices to Google, WhatsApp and Twitter citing gaps on these platforms which make children vulnerable.

The NCPCR said in a statement that while conducting an independent inquiry on the availability of online Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), it noticed that the pornographic materials are accessible through the apps available on Google Play Store.

"By mere downloading these apps from the platform, the user can access such materials. This is enabling the reach/accessibility to such materials, and hence it is a serious matter," said the commission.

The NCPCR took cognizance of the research study of ICPF on CSAM in India, wherein it highlighted that the online child porn traffic from India has increased "by 95 per cent between March 24 and March 26, as compared to the average traffic before the lockdown."

The study also said that millions of pedophiles have migrated online, making the internet extremely unsafe for children.

In the notice to WhatsApp, the commission said while conducting the independent inquiry on the availability of online CSAM, it noticed that there are certain links available to join "encrypted WhatsApp groups" and "CSAM and pornographic materials are rampantly present" in these groups.

"The links to these encrypted WhatsApp groups were found to be propagated and available on the internet. Any user by merely following these links can join these 'encrypted WhatsApp groups' and can obtain the CSAM and pornographic materials through these group chats on their phones," the commission noted.

Further, there is also the possibility that the perpetrators are also present and active on these "encrypted WhatsApp groups", which makes children even more vulnerable.

In the notice to Twitter, the commission said that while conducting an independent inquiry, it noticed that there are encrypted WhatsApp groups and the CSAM is rampantly present in these groups.

The links to these groups were found to be propagated by various handles on Twitter. The commission is of the view that propagating links of these WhatsApp groups on Twitter handles is a serious matter.

"Further, it is seen that as per your standard terms and conditions, a person of 13 years and above is eligible to open an account on Twitter. If you are allowing children at the age of 13 to open an account, the commission is of the view that you can't allow the other users to publish or propagate pornographic material, links etc. on Twitter," read the notice to Twitter.

Excellent point!

The commission has sought more information from these tech giants latest by April 30, 2020.

Expect a commitment of cooperation and then a run-around for the next 30 years.

Korean arrested for pimping during coronavirus lockdown in Pampanga, PH

An hour-long chase ensues after a Korean national attempts to evade undercover cops who caught him pimping a woman in Angeles City

Jun A. Malig
Rappler.com

PAMPANGA, Philippines – What could have been a peaceful arrest turned into action movie-like scenes after a suspected Korean sex trafficker led police operatives to an hour-long chase.

According to a police report obtained by Rappler on Friday, April 25, the incident happened in the tourism districts of Barangay Anunas and Barangay Malabanias in Angeles City in the afternoon of April 21.

In a report submitted to Central Luzon police director Brigadier General Rhodel Sermonia, Regional Anti-Trafficking Task Group 3 (RATTG3) chief Lieutenant Colonel Ricardo Pangan said his unit received information that a Korean man identified as Younsu Na was engaged in pimping Filipino women.

RATTG3 got information that Na, a 44-year-old Angeles City resident, had been hiring young Filipino women for prostitution. He would transact with customers, mostly foreigners, and then deliver the victims to pre-agreed hotels or other locations.

The suspect was placed under surveillance. On April 21, with the help of a person who can speak Korean, an undercover operative was able to negotiate with the suspect to bring a woman in front of Golden Hotel located in Korean Town in Barangay Anunas.

Around 2 pm, the suspect arrived in his vehicle to “deliver” a 21-year-old Filipino woman to the undercover cop. The operative approached the suspect’s vehicle. After handing over the marked peso bills as payment, he signaled to his back-up colleagues.

The other RATTG3 operatives then surrounded the Korean suspect’s vehicle. But instead of giving himself up in peaceful manner, the suspect revved up the engine and fled.

“The back-up police officers tried to block the fleeing suspect but they failed to do so. Instead, they were [almost] hit and bumped by the fleeing suspect,” the police report stated.

The suspect sped off towards Barangay Malabanias and was pursued by police operatives. He was eventually cornered but he tried to back up and drive off, prompting operatives to shoot at his vehicle’s tires.

The Korean suspect then left his vehicle and fled on foot.

He was finally arrested after RATTG3 sought the help of the local police and barangay officials of Malabanias village.

The suspect and the trafficked woman were initially brought to the Regional Crime Laboratory in Camp Olivas in San Fernando, Pampanga for physical examination and later to the RATTG3 office for interrogation and documentation.

The suspect faced charges for violation of Republic Act No. 9208 or the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003 as amended by RA 10364 or the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2012.

Na is also charged with resistance and disobedience to persons in authority and damage to property.

For being caught outside his place of residence, the Korean also violated enhanced community quarantine rules.

Positive Stories in the War on Child Sexual Abuse - Episode XXVII

The first three stories on this post were gathered in March. April is child abuse month and I could not find a significant story for number four until April 22. With physical, emotional and sexual abuse likely to increase considerably under CV19 lockdowns, there has been extremely little done by any government to alleviate or mitigate the abuse.

Senate moves to protect Nigerian children

against rape, abuse

By Senate President Media Office

The Senate on Tuesday considered two critical bills aimed at strengthening Child Rights laws and the protection of older persons in Nigeria.

Both bills were sponsored by Senators Ibikunle Amosun (APC- Ogun Central); and Ezenwa Francis Onyewuchi (PDP – Imo East).

Leading debate on the Child Rights Act 2003 (Amendment) bill, 2020, Senator Amosun, said the piece of legislation seeks “to protect the Nigerian child by excluding certain categories of persons from being employed either as care givers, teachers or in any other circumstances that may expose or make such a child vulnerable or susceptible to sexual assault or sexual exploitation.”

According to the lawmaker, the Bill, which is an amendment to the Child Right Act 2003, seeks to declare and prohibit persons convicted of attempted Rape among others, unsuitable to work with children.

The first amendment to the Child Right Act in 17 years??? Nigeria has some serious catching-up to do.

Amosun added that, “recent developments in our society underscores the need to take a second look at the Principal Act with a view to providing stringent provisions that would guarantee the safety of the Nigerian children from defilement or other forms of sexual exploitation, in view of the rising cases of sexual violence suffered by Nigerian Children in the hands of caregivers and others, whom for lack of appropriate legal restrictions, have found themselves in positions that give them undue advantage and access to the children.”

The lawmaker stressed that, “apart from the existing punitive measures in relation to sexual offences against children, the thrust of the Bill is preventive in nature.”

“Mr. President, Distinguished colleagues, sexual assault is fast becoming a cankerworm in Nigeria, as a day will hardly pass without reading or viewing in the media, cases of sexual assault suffered by Nigerian children in the hands of people, who ordinarily should not be allowed to have custody or access to them for whatever reason,” the lawmaker said.

“Accordingly, if this Bill is passed, the Senate would have given a nod to the declaration that the following categories of persons are unsuitable to work with children: Persons convicted of murder, attempted murder, rape, indecent assault or assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm with regards to a child.“

Others on the prohibition list are: Persons declared mentally unstable and thus unable to enter defence in court against violent offences such as murder, attempted rape, indecent assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm with regard to a child; and Any person who has been convicted of murder, attempted rape, indecent assault with intent to do bodily harm with regards to a child, in the last five years preceding the commencement of the Bill.”

Similarly, the Upper Chamber also on Tuesday considered a bill for older persons in Nigeria to have right to social protection, including income security without discrimination on the basis of age or age.

Sponsor of the bill, Senator Onyewuchi said the legislation under consideration will address rights issues, systemic and interpersonal prejudice, and all forms of stereotype and discrimination.

The lawmaker added that the bill if passed, will prescribe punitive measures where rights are deprived, and make provisions for the integration of older persons in development and ensure an age friendly environment in the Nigerian society.

Both bills after scaling second reading on the floor were referred by the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, to the Committee on Women Affairs and Youth Development.

The Committee which is Chaired by Senator Betty Apiafi (PDP – Rivers West), is expected to turn in its report in four weeks.

Power of play - How can the healing process begin for children who have been abused?

Photos: brac

Luba Khalili
The Daily Star, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Play is an integral companion of childhood. Little brains grow with the help of their play time, learning colours and creativity, allowing children to better understand themselves and their world. Because playing comes naturally to children, even in the worst of circumstances, we will see them huddled together and break into play.

The resilience and agility of children's minds are remarkable. Given the right support and environment, children can bounce back from adversity. When thinking about helping children who have been abused, play's incredible ability in healing from trauma cannot be overlooked.

A child's brain will be approximately 80 percent the size of an adult brain by age three. By six years of age, the most significant part of one's cognitive development will have happened. While play can work wonders in helping children learn, it also plays a remarkable role in helping them heal.

The healing process for a child who has experienced abuse begins from reasserting the sense of security that was lost. How caregivers respond to a child's abuse has a tremendous impact on the potential for healing. A child's sense of safety and trust can be strengthened if their disclosure of abuse is accepted in a compassionate and supportive way. Play has shown to strengthen the parent-child bond, and when there is active participation from the child's caregivers during their play time, it can help bring back the feeling of being safe.

There is also play therapy, which utilises play time to gain insight into a child's mental state. Therapists can help the child explore their feelings and unresolved trauma. Healthy coping mechanisms are learned through the help of the therapist, as well as maneuvering around inappropriate behaviours.

In play, there is freedom. With so much of a child's day controlled by routine, how do they learn to exercise their own agency and creativity? The freedom in play time has immense positive effects in building - and rebuilding - young brains. This makes it a perfect ingredient to the healing process. Children not only experience an increased capacity to regulate their emotions and curb their undesirable behaviour, play time helps neutralise excess energy, enhance imagination and creativity, acquire trouble-shooting skills, and regain confidence. Best of all, play time lets children be children.

BRAC Institute of Educational Development (BRAC IED), in partnership with Lego Foundation, currently operates 304 Humanitarian Play Labs in the camps of Cox's Bazar, where children from the Rohingya refugee community learn and heal through play. These children had witnessed horror of unimaginable proportions. With careful planning and designing of the curricula, the Humanitarian Play Lab model was developed—giving the children plenty of time to play, sing, and learn in their native language. Evidence that the model was working was clear in the children's self-esteem, and how they engaged with others. And their drawings - some of which were once of the violence they had seen—were full of flowers, family, sunshine, and beautiful colours.

Abuse can leave scars to last an entire lifetime. When we're young, however, our ability to bounce back is much better than when we're older—but we need to receive an environment that nurtures that recovery. To be able to play and relax is not only crucial for our development, but is also the right of every child. When helping children heal from abuse, let them know that they are not at fault, that they are now safe, consider bringing them to see a specialist to help express themselves. And give them lots and lots of free, unstructured play time.

Barred: New laws in Idaho BAN transgender athletes from competing in female sports

And from changing their birth certificates

© Getty Images / Photofusion/Universal Images Group

Idaho has become the first state in the US to ban transgender athletes from taking part in female sports leagues, after a two new laws were passed to prevent it.

Idaho's newly-enacted "Fairness in Women's Sports Act" bans trans girls and women from competing in girls' or women's sports leagues affiliated with the state's educational establishments. In addition, law was passed stopping transgender citizens from changing their birth certificates.

Idaho governor Brad Little passed the two bills into law on Monday, sparking criticism from the LGBT+ community.

The topic of transgender athletes in sporting competition has been a hot-button topic across the sporting world, particularly in the United States, with the safety and integrity of sports competition perceived to be under threat from the inclusion of transgender athletes in female sports.

"It is a sad day in the United States when lawmakers are more determined to stop trans young people from playing games than to provide them with the care, support, and opportunities they need to survive and thrive," said Sam Brinto, the head of The Trevor Project, which advocates for LGBT+ youth.

State lawmaker Barbara Ehardt, who introduced the bill, explained the new legislation thus: "Under this bill, boys and men will not be able to take the place of girls and women in sports because it is not fair."

The law preventing transgender people from changing their gender on their birth certificate, could face a legal challenge from LGBT+ groups, who have strongly opposed the move.

"Transgender people need accurate identity documents to navigate everyday life, and this gratuitous attack puts them back in harm's way for harassment and even violence," said Kara Ingelhart, a lawyer at Lambda Legal, in a statement.

The company, which has worked with LGBT+ groups on a variety of cases, has highlighted the fact that a federal court had ruled in 2018 that Idaho was violating the US constitution by not allowing trans people to change the gender on their birth certificates.

Two other US states, Ohio and Tennessee, already have the law on their statute books.

UPS Trains 97,000 Delivery Drivers To Spot Signs Of Human Trafficking

UPS-trains-drivers-spot-sex-trafficking.jpg

In the last month, we’ve seen society collectively respond to the threat of coronavirus. Seeing how important community-wide action is in responding to this challenge can shed some light on how a similar response is needed for other large-scale problems that are less visible, yet equally, impact everyone.

What are we talking about here? Ask Danelle McCusker Rees, Human Resources President for UPS’s domestic operations. Her statement on recent action UPS has taken on one issue—sex trafficking—shows how some issues go beyond employees. “It’s truly about our community,” she said. And when an issue is about a community, it’s going to take the entire community to tackle it.

UPS makes a dent in the fight against sex trafficking

At the end of January, UPS announced that it would begin training its delivery drivers to detect signs of sex trafficking. This policy would extend to both neighborhood and freight drivers, reaching a total of 97,000 drivers and supervisors nationwide. Cool, right?

This started back in 2016, when UPS teamed up with Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT), an organization that assists law enforcement by training transportation professionals to recognize and report signs of sex trafficking.

To date, TAT has trained almost half a million professionals, and UPS is just one company that is benefitting from the training programs available.

How can drivers be part of the change?

These efforts show how community-wide action really can have an impact. It has transformed a transportation company’s daily business into a targeted tool for change.

According to anti-human trafficking organization Polaris, truck and rest stops, and highway motels can often be hubs for human trafficking; for traffickers, they mean convenient access to many transient buyers, and, as they are typically in secluded locations, imply little risk in losing track of their victims. Trucking companies and drivers are on the “frontlines of this global epidemic,” according to American Trucker, and can do a lot to help if they are trained.

The training drivers like those from UPS receive help them detect red flags when identifying victims of this $150 billion business. Markings like tattoos (which can indicate trafficker branding), or hints of abuse or drug addiction can be signs of human trafficking. Trained drivers know to take notes on specifics: vehicle color, time, exact location—and notify the National Human Trafficking Hotline.

Over the last decade, almost 2000 calls to the Hotline have been from callers specifically identifying as drivers. However, that’s only about 1% of calls the Hotline has received in a similar time period, which means there’s a lot of work yet to be done.

Implementation across borders and industries

Legislators are working to have programs like those TAT offers be required as part of all entry-level or commercial driving certifications. TAT programs are currently implemented in twelve states’ certification processes, and being considered in others’, as the value of the trucking industry in combating human trafficking is increasingly recognized.

But thankfully, the trucking industry isn’t the only one making changes in a community effort.

Hotel and motel chains, also hubs for human trafficking crimes, are making changes to make their contribution. Last year, Marriott International hit a milestone: it successfully trained 500,000 hotel workers across almost 7,000 hotels to recognize the signs of sex trafficking in just two years. They have been taught to detect warning signs of trafficking which can look different from what appears in the trucking industry—guests with, ***Removed***.

Polaris states that it is a, “popular misconception,” to believe trafficking can only occur in sketchy motels. It’s as likely to occur in mainstream hotel chains. Other hotels like Wyndham group and Hilton have also made efforts to combat human trafficking,

What’s all this got to do with porn?

National Human Trafficking Awareness Month may only be in January every year, but the challenge to fight against trafficking is daily. It’s great large companies like UPS are making key efforts, but what can we, as individuals, do? After all, these large-scale problems require the help of everyone.

The first step is awareness. It’s challenging to defeat an enemy you don’t know. And one of the less commonly known aspects of the human trafficking problem is its relationship to porn.

People tend to picture these industries as separate spheres, when in fact the reality looks more like a Venn Diagram. There’s more overlap than is commonly known, and some of the most basic ways they are connected are these: Reports have shown that in many countries, those who were sold for sex have had pornography made of them while they were sexually exploited in almost 50% of cases.

What’s more? Victims of sex trafficking are often groomed for abuse using pornography. They are “taught” what they are expected to perform, usually at the request of the buyer who comes with expectations, also from porn.

Porn warps potential sex buyers’ expectations and creates unhealthy ideas about women and sex. A Call to Men, a violence prevention organization and leader on teaching about healthy manhood, says, “The driving force behind the human trafficking industry is men…and there’s a real necessity to change the way men view women…porn plays a big role in shaping the minds of young men.”

This brings us to the next way porn fuels trafficking: porn can fuel the demand for sex trafficking. Often, those seeking sex want to act out what they’ve seen on screen. Even consumers who don’t seek out sex drive the demand in real life of what’s on screen.

When it comes to issues like sex trafficking, the challenge is often more complex than meets the eye. Unexpected industries, like porn, can actually factor in as an important player. Likewise, when it comes to the solution, we have to consider all the actors involved. Companies that are seemingly completely unrelated to the problem now become part of the solution.

As individuals, we can do the same. Let’s be part of the solution, and refuse to click.

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‘May justice prevail’: Litzman departs Health Ministry
'For a Change'

MK Yaakov Litzman, head of ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism party, tells PM Netanyahu of his decision to leave the Health Ministry

It shouldn't be his decision. He should have been fired years ago.

By AJN STAFF

Controversial Israeli MK Yaakov Litzman, who is accused of aiding alleged child sexual abuser Malka Leifer, has informed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he will step down as health minister.

Litzman is set to head an expanded Housing portfolio instead, according to multiple media reports on Saturday night (Israel time).

Including expanding into Judea and Samaria? What could possibly go wrong there?

The announcement has been welcomed by child sexual abuse victims’ advocate Manny Waks, who said this was a “positive development” in the Leifer case.

Malka Leifer and Yaakov Litzman.

Litzman has faced criticism for allegedly using his position as Health Minister to interfere in attempts to extradite Leifer to Australia, by pressuring psychiatrists to state she was unfit to stand trial. Litzman denies the allegations.

Israeli police have recommended he face charges over the alleged interference.

“Based on the police recommendation to indict Litzman on a range of serious charges … it seems a significant barrier for Leifer’s extradition has now been removed,” Waks said.

“May justice finally prevail!”

According to a report on Channel 12, Litzman asserted that his decision was not tied to recent public criticism of his handling of the coronavirus crisis.

Litzman came under heavy criticism when a television report said he took part in group prayers in violation of his own ministry’s guidelines shortly before he was infected with the coronavirus.

Litzman had reportedly been instructed by Rabbi Yaakov Aryeh Alter, the head of the Gur Hasidic sect, to change ministries.

According to Ynet, ultra-Orthodox leaders believe Litzman could be helpful to the community’s needs from the Housing Ministry, while avoiding being scapegoated for any fallout from the pandemic.

Blue and White officials told the Ynet news site they would demand the Health Ministry be given to a health expert rather than a politician in light of the coronavirus crisis.

They added that they were willing to give up another ministry in exchange for control of the portfolio, noting that Likud had been willing to give them the health portfolio during coalition negotiations if Litzman agreed, but Litzman had refused.

Litzman said willing to leave Health Ministry for Housing portfolio

Minister reportedly offers switch to Netanyahu, though his motives are unclear after it was previously reported he was refusing to consider any change

Yisrael Beytenu party head Avigdor Liberman joined the call for the ministry to be led by a professional rather than a politician.

Litzman, who leads the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism party, has been the de facto head of the Health Ministry since 2009, except for a period between 2013 and 2015 when he was out of the government.

He has been largely absent from the public eye over the two months of the coronavirus crisis (some three weeks of which he spent being treated for a COVID-19 infection alongside his wife).

Though he appeared in some earlier briefings, the face of the Health Ministry’s response has been its director-general, Moshe Bar Siman-Tov, leading some to speculate on the level of Litzman’s involvement in the ministry’s decision-making.

Can we please move on with the very long-awaited extradition of that lesbian, child predator, Leifer, to Australia. Israel's Justice system has been laughed at and scorned long enough.

New drug 'cuts risk of men abusing children within weeks'

Study says volunteers reported a rapid reduction in desire

without impaired self-control

Nicola Davis
The Guardian

The risk of some men sexually abusing children could be quickly reduced by a drug that lowers testosterone levels, researchers have found.

The team behind the project, which was put up for crowdfunding four years ago, said the drug – degarelix acetate – produced the results in men with paedophilic disorder in just two weeks. The drug was developed as a treatment for prostate cancer treatment and blocks the production of testosterone.

“We finally have something to offer that has a quick-acting effect,” said Dr Christoffer Rahm, a psychiatrist and researcher at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, who led the study.

Rahm said the project is aimed at preventing risk to children, as well as improving the lives of men experiencing attraction to minors – an approach he says complements the work of police and others.

While such interventions, sometimes known as chemical castration, can be controversial, Rahm said the most controversial thing was not to do research in the field. “I think we should put more energy into investigating this field from a scientific perspective and from a medical, psychiatric perspective,” he said.

The new study, published in the journal Jama Psychiatry, reports how the team recruited 52 men from callers to a national telephone helpline called PrevenTell, which helps people who self-identify as having unwanted sexuality, who were subsequently diagnosed with paedophilic disorder.

The team assessed the men’s risk of committing child abuse, using a mix of self-reporting and psychological testing, taking into account a range of issues from sexual preoccupation to impaired self-regulation.

The researchers then put the men into two groups, one of which received two injections of a placebo while the other group received two injections of degarelix acetate, with the men unaware of which they received. Two weeks later, the men’s risk of committing child abuse was re-assessed.

The team found that, relative to the placebo group, the men treated with degarelix acetate showed a fall in risk level, in particular showing a reduction in high sexual desire and attraction to children, although not impaired self-regulation. The effects were still present, if not stronger, at 10 weeks, with many men saying they wanted to continue with the medication.

The drop was only deemed clinically significant in the small number of participants who were originally classified as at high risk of child sex abuse.

Dr Michelle Degli Esposti of the University of Oxford, who was not involved in the work, said developing effective treatments for individuals with paedophilic disorder was important. But she cautioned that the study involved only a small, self-selected group of men.

Also the study did not look directly at whether the drug reduces the occurrence of child sexual abuse itself, said Degli Esposti, adding: “This limits the generalisability of the findings and its potential wider benefits in tackling child sexual abuse.”

She said the study also raised ethical questions, asking: “Should we be focusing on medicating individuals who have sexual desire for children and, if so, do we expect these individuals to take drugs that have known side-effects? Or should we instead be focusing on tackling the upstream societal and structural factors that place children at risk of being sexually abused?

“It may not be a question of either/or, and such questions go beyond the findings of this specific study, but it is important to consider the implications of medicalising profound societal problems such as child sexual abuse.”

Donald Grubin, emeritus professor of forensic psychiatry at Newcastle University, said other drugs are already used to reduce testosterone levels, while the findings of the new study need to be replicated.

But, he said, the trial is well designed and degarelix acetate appears to act faster than current drugs – although safety and efficacy must be explored further. Like Degli Esposti, he noted that the study looked at changes in sexual thinking, not sexual offending, saying: “While it is reasonable to expect the former to impact the latter, this is very difficult to demonstrate given the long follow-up time required to do so and a reluctance to prescribe high risk sex offenders with a placebo in a community setting.”

Baby Trafficking Ring, Child Porn Ring, Police Chief, Among Today's Global Pervs n Paedos List

Ukraine busts ‘human trafficking ring’ that sold BABIES to Chinese ‘single men of certain orientation’

How long, Oh Lord, how long?

(L) Anton Gerashenko © Facebook; (R) FILE PHOTO © AFP / BORYANA KATSAROVA

Ukrainian police have raided a private reproductive clinic that has been allegedly “selling babies” to China. While the suspects are accused of “human trafficking,” surrogate motherhood is a legal gray area in Ukraine.

The scandalous case was brought to light by the country’s interior ministry late on Saturday. The police broke up a “human-trafficking” ring that was centered at a private reproductive clinic in Kiev.

Further details on the case were shared by the Deputy Interior Minister Anton Gerashenko on his Facebook page. The ring involved the head of the clinic, her son, as well as two other Ukrainian and three Chinese nationals. They were charged with human trafficking that may lead to 12 years in prison with property confiscation.

The majority of the clinic’s clients were single Chinese males of “certain orientation,” as Gerashenko put it. While the exact number of trafficked babies remains unknown, at least 140 more Chinese nationals are under investigation, the official added.

And what would the certain orientation be? Gays? Perhaps Paedophilia is an 'orientation' in Ukraine? The question is, are these babies used for sexual purposes? Are they used for 'infant pornography? With false papers, they could be used in snuff videos and no-one would ever know. If so, 12 years is nowhere near enough time for such monsters.

The price tag for a single baby was about $50,000. The hefty sum covered artificial insemination of a surrogate mom, legal support and organization of fictive marriages needed to facilitate smuggling children abroad. It’s unclear if the babies’ fathers were the ones who then adopted them.

Five newborn babies, believed to be about to be trafficked, were found by the investigators in private apartments across the Ukrainian capital and placed in maternity hospitals.

While the suspects stand accused of “human trafficking,” there’s a catch – surrogate motherhood is not regulated by any laws in Ukraine and lies in a legal gray zone. As it’s not explicitly prohibited by law, nothing more than a simple contract between a surrogate mom and would-be foster parents is required.

International Sex-Crime Inquiries Link UK Swim Coach Conviction & Arrest Of Child-Rape Suspect In Arizona

by CRAIG LORD - SWIMMING WORLD EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Swimming authorities have been placed on high alert after the conviction of a British Swimming coach and member of the trustees of a swim club in Yorkshire for possession of around 150,000 images of child pornography, including rape scenes, and the arrest of a 29-year-old man in Arizona alleged to be pictured committing sex crimes in several of the photos.

A special-police forces inquiry involving a tip off from Queensland officers in Australia and stretching from England to Arizona in the United States led to a 20-month jail sentence, suspended for two years, being handed down to Mark Anthony Boyce, 56, of Whitby, Yorkshire, last Thursday.

A suspended sentence! This is not unusual in the UK as there aren't enough prisons to hold all the child sex abuse voyeurs. But watching child rape videos ought to disqualify a person from having his sentence suspended. He has contributed to that rape, and to others, and should be held accountable for that.

Boyce, a member of the Trustee Board of the Whitby Seals Amateur Swimming Club, appeared before York Crown Court. He was sentenced to 20 months imprisonment (suspended) after previously pleading guilty to a series of offences including possession of indecent images of children.

The offences included ‘making’ 11,145 of the most serious Category A images, 12,177 Category B images and 121,047 Category C images. In law, ‘making’ an image can include opening an email attachment containing an indecent image, downloading such an image from a website or storing an image in a directory on a computer.

Boyce also admitted distributing two Category C images, possessing 150 prohibited images of a child and possessing 114 extreme pornographic images.

Among the images were several that allegedly show an American 29-year-old, Jesse Anthony Garcia, from  Goodyear, Arizona, raping a child under 15 years old. Garcia was arrested on March 22 on suspicion of raping a child and then uploading photos and videos of the crime online, according to documents of the Maricopa County Superior Court.

In a UK newspaper report suggested that Garcia also has a connection to swimming but that has not been confirmed nor any record of him having coached at a swim club uncovered.

During investigations, agents learned that Garcia was dismissed more than four years ago from a high school in the “Phoenix Unified School District” after communicating with a student through social media, court documents show, according to the AZCentral.

Garcia faces a charge of sexual exploitation of a minor or worse. He is being held on a $1 million bond.

Boyce, meanwhile, had been remanded in custody for six months following his arrest last year. His sentencing included an intensive course of rehabilitation. Boyce has been placed on the Sex Offender’s Register in the UK, which rules him out from any future employment in work environments in which children are present.

'Trapped with abusers,' 7 kids rescued from

sex trafficker in Luzon, Philippines

'One unintended consequence of [the lockdown] is that vulnerable children are being trapped with abusers and traffickers in their homes,' says the International Justice Mission

Rappler.com

ARREST. Cops in hazmat suits storm the house of a woman suspected of sexually exploiting children, including her own, on April 22, 2020, somewhere in Luzon. Photo courtesy of IJM

MANILA, Philippines – Police arrested on Wednesday, April 22, a 25-year-old woman allegedly engaged in cybersex trafficking of minors, including her own children, in an undisclosed province in Luzon.

Rescued from the suspect’s house were 7 children, all but one of them male, ages 3 to 14. Four of them are the suspect’s children.

“We assure the public – and warn criminals – that our mandate to safeguard Filipino children from online sexual exploitation remains despite the community quarantines in effect around the country,” said Brigadier General Alessandro Abella, who heads the Philippine National Police (PNP) Women and Children Protection Center (WCPC).

It was the second police operation against online sexual exploitation of children or OSEC during the coronavirus lockdown imposed by President Rodrigo Duterte on Luzon since mid-March.

The PNP’s WCPC and Anti-Cybercrime Group conducted the raid with support from the United States Homeland Security Investigations and the International Justice Mission (IJM).

An hour-long chase ensues after a Korean national attempts to evade undercover cops who caught him pimping a woman in Angeles City

Last year, the Department of Justice Office of Cybercrime received more than 600,000 tips of images and videos of naked, sexualized, and abused Filipino children.

“We recognize lockdowns as an important step to contain the coronavirus, but we also acknowledge that one unintended consequence of this is that vulnerable children are being trapped with abusers and traffickers in their homes,” IJM Philippines director Samson Inocencio Jr was quoted in a statement.

Member organizations of the Child Rights Network (CRN) Philippines had earlier sounded the alarm on the potential rise of OSEC during the coronavirus lockdown.

Another arrest in Cebu

The WCPC’s field unit in the Visayas arrested on April 6 another suspected online sex trafficker (6th story on link) in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu.

Police secured an arrest warrant against the suspect, a woman, and her live-in partner in February. Her victim – who was abused from the age of 11 to 13 – was her first cousin who was rescued in 2019.

The suspect allegedly live streamed the sexual abuse of her cousin to a foreign sex offender in exchange for money. She was charged for producing and distributing child sexual exploitation materials.

If you come across any suspected case of online sexual exploitation of children, text ENDOSEC (space) (incident details) to 7444-64 for Smart network subscribers. You may also call the action line of the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking at 1343, or the WCPC at (032) 410-8483 for the Visayas, and 0917-180-6037 or 0928-604-6425 in Mindanao. –

Creepy UK teacher found guilty on 13 counts of

sexual assault, victims were girls as young as 7

A supply teacher from Carlton, UK has been found guilty of 13 charges of sexual touching involving young girls. He was previously accused of assault but this was not shown on his record prior to him being hired.

Jonathan Philip Clayton, aged 27, committed these crimes between March and May 2019 while working as a supply teacher in a local school in North Yorkshire. His victims were aged between seven and 11. Clayton had only been at the school for 21 days and in that short space of time assaulted six little girls, some of them several times.

Detective Constable Gillian Gowling, the North Yorkshire Police officer who led the investigation, said that “he displayed an extremely worrying pattern of behaviour where he would take advantage of situations that arose at school to put his hands on the victims.” She added that these assaults usually took place when the young girls were distressed and done under the guise of comforting them.

There were also allegations that Clayton helped his victims put on items of clothing – such as tights – even though the victims did not ask for his assistance.

Notably, this was not the first accusation of sexual assault against Clayton. Similar allegations were made against him in a previous school where he was accused of molesting a pupil under the age of 11, although those charges were subsequently dropped. 

Students at the primary school he worked in before reportedly referred to Clayton as “weird” and “creepy.” 

The spokeswoman for the most recent school Clayton worked in said that he had passed all the statutory checks before joining as a supply teacher and that the previous allegations did not show up on his record.

Detective Gowling added that “due to the young age of the victims involved, it has been a complex and sensitive investigation” but that she also believes that “justice has been served.”

In addition to the eight-and-a-half year prison sentence, he has also been prohibited from any contact with girls under the age of 18 as well as being placed on the sex offenders’ register for life.

Two girls aged 14 and 15 kidnapped and gang raped, Polokwane, South Africa

South Africa Today – South Africa News

The South African Police Service in Limpopo welcomes the jail term passed by the Polokwane High Court on Thursday 19 March 2020.

Tlou Caswell Ramasenya aged 27, was sentenced to an effective eighteen years imprisonment without the option of a fine by the Polokwane High Court following a rape incident that occurred on the 7 May 2017, in the Seshego policing precinct outside the City of Polokwane.

The rapist and his accomplices raped two girls aged 14 and 15 after they met them on the road at about 00:00 midnight. On that night, a group of men driving in an open bakkie between Ga-Matamanyane and Ga-Mabitsela villages, met the two girls walking in a group with other people.

They then stopped the vehicle and chased them until they grabbed and forced them into the car. The suspects then drove to one of the villages where they took turns raping the two girls.

Following the incident, police were notified and investigations activated. The case was then assigned to Sergeant Teffo attached to the SAPS Seshego Cluster Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit.

Rwandan police chief accused of sexual assault

of child refugee at UN centre

Boy, 16, evacuated from Libya under EU scheme, alleges incident took place at Gashora transit facility during coronavirus curfew

Hundred of refugees are being accommodated in the Gashora transit centre, under an EU-funded scheme. Photograph: Sally Hayden

Sally Hayden,
The Guardian

An allegation that a Rwandan police commander sexually assaulted a child refugee has rocked an EU-funded scheme, under which hundreds of refugees and asylum seekers have been evacuated from detention centres in Libya.

The allegation was made by a 16-year-old Eritrean boy, who had returned to Gashora transit centre, south of Kigali, after a coronavirus-related curfew on 13 April.

Refugees say the boy was detained there along with three others – an Eritrean and two Sudanese boys – between 6.30pm and 10.30pm, and picked out by the police commander in charge.

“(He) ordered him to take off his clothes,” said a refugee leader who spoke to the teenager afterwards. “The kid did as he was told since he thought he was going to be searched, but then he was asked to take off his pants, which he refused. The commander slapped and beat him all over his body using a stick. Then he proceeded to take out his gun and threaten him with it, but [the teenager] managed to escape.”

UN refugee agency spokesperson Elise Villechalane said her office is “deeply concerned” about the “alleged case of sexual abuse against a refugee at the Gashora emergency transit mechanism. Our protection teams are present at the centre and appropriate measures have been taken to provide the alleged victim with all the necessary support, including legal and psychosocial assistance.”

Rwanda’s police force has accused the refugees of lying, saying they were unhappy with coronavirus-related restrictions and that the boy was drunk.

“They conspired to make up a story of physical and attempted sexual assault. Preliminary findings show that the complainant used the occasion to try to avoid punishment for violating curfew and instead raised other grievances about the food menu, medical services, and police presence at the camp,” the organisation said on Twitter.

The police said refugees had been playing music in the week commemorating the 26th anniversary of the Rwandan genocide. Refugees said they were listening to a preacher read prayers in the run-up to Eritrean Easter. “When everyone wants to pray they use the speaker and everyone prays in [their] room, because everyone was using social distancing,” said one man.

“Still the commander is there, circulating all the time,” another said.

The Rwandan government did not respond to requests for comment, but confirmed an investigation is underway.

Most of the refugees evacuated to Rwanda are survivors of sexual or physical abuse and spent months or years in Libya with smugglers known to torture victims who can’t pay large sums of money. They were then caught trying to cross the Mediterranean to Europe and were locked up in detention centres associated with the UN-backed Libyan government, where forced labour, food deprivation and other abuses have been reported.

Evacuees arriving in Rwanda have been interviewed for the chance to be resettled. The first groups left for Sweden and Canada earlier this year, before the pandemic forced resettlement to be put on hold.

On Thursday refugees in Gashora held a protest presenting seven demands, including a proper investigation, the removal of the commander from the centre, and for a UNHCR staff member to be present at all times for their safety.

They also asked for Alight (formerly the American Refugee Committee), responsible for the protection of minors, to be replaced. Refugees said the organisation is not active or responsive. Alight did not reply to the Guardian’s request for comment.

The Guardian has visited Gashora twice, most recently last month, shortly before the lockdown. Refugees have repeatedly said they are happy to follow restrictions. Many have had tuberculosis or other health problems, making them vulnerable.

On Saturday, refugees told the Guardian they were growing increasingly upset and frustrated that the alleged assault was not being taken seriously. “[There is] no ***** justice in this society,” said one Eritrean in his 20s. “They want to suppress our voice totally. They will fade this incident and we can’t do anything about it because we are refugees.”

Strood, UK, sex offender jailed over historic

child sex abuse

By Katie May Nelson
Kent Online

A sex offender has been locked up after being found guilty of abusing a child in the 1970s.

Paul Hyland of Fulmar Road, Strood, indecently assaulted a child decades ago and when police went to his home to question him over the matters, they seized his laptops and found indecent images on them.

Police arrested him and uncovered hard drives containing almost 200 indecent images of children, 49 of which were in the most serious category.

Hyland, 62, was said to have carried out the abuse between 1973 and 1980; his victim came forward in August 2017.

He pleaded guilty to five counts of making indecent images of children but denied two allegations of abuse, namely, indecent assault against a child.

After being found guilty by a jury, he was jailed for five years and three months.

Hyland was also placed on the sex offenders’ register and made subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, both indefinitely.

DC Wendy Tondeur, of the Medway vulnerability investigation team, said: "Sex offenders like Hyland wreak incalculable damage on their victims, many who will suffer in silence for years, or throughout their whole lives.

"Thankfully in this case the victim has shown extraordinary courage to come forward and I hope they can now take some comfort that justice has been served.

"I hope this result shows that it doesn’t matter how long ago this kind of abuse occurs, we will always investigate and ensure offenders are brought to justice. We have a dedicated team who deal with these types of cases with the utmost sensitivity and I hope this outcome encourages other victims of abuse to come forward."

An NSPCC spokesperson said: “Thanks to this individual’s courage and strength in coming forward and speaking out, Hyland has been held accountable for his horrific actions.

“Abuse ruins childhoods and its effects can last long into adulthood. We hope the survivor in this case has received the support needed to help them move forward with their life.

“Children can speak to trained counsellors at Childline on 0800 1111 or www.childline.org.uk.

"Anyone who wishes to report abuse, no matter how long ago it happened, or concerns about a child’s wellbeing can contact the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000.”

West Australia man charged over vile

child sex abuse videos

AAP
WA News

A West Australian man has been accused of using an encrypted online messaging forum to share abhorrent videos of children being sexually abused and tortured.

Police said the 48-year-old man, who also allegedly hosted a group that shared abuse material, was caught after he had sexually explicit conversations with a covert investigator.

The Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation says some similar groups online have more than 17,000 members.

The WA Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team was enlisted to track the man to WA’s Mid West region and police searched his home on Tuesday.

Officers allegedly found child abuse material on his mobile phone and details of an online account used to communicate with the ACCCE investigator.

The man has been charged with using a carriage service to access and transmit child abuse material, and possessing child abuse material obtained from a carriage service.

He will face Geraldton Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

Australian Federal Police western commander John Tanti said it was unimaginable that children were being degraded and tormented to satisfy depraved predators.

“The impact of sexual abuse continues long after the images or footage are recorded and we are working tirelessly to identify and prosecute anyone involved in the exploitation of children,” he said.


“Obscene conversations, like those alleged in this case, are also classified as child abuse material and can normalise the harm of children.”

Dewsbury man has jail time increased after Huddersfield child sexual exploitation investigation

By Ian Hirst
Dewsbury Reporter

On April 22, Shaqeel Hussain of Spen Valley Road was jailed for 12 months in a separate criminal case, also investigated as part of the wider Operation Tendersea enquiry.

The 36-year-old pleaded guilty to an indecent assault committed in Huddersfield between 2004 and 2005 on a 16-year-old girl.

Shaqeel Hussain

In a previous Operation Tendersea trial in February 2020, relating to the sexual abuse of two girls in the Huddersfield area between 1995 and 2011, Hussain was jailed for eight years for the rape of a 14 year old girl. He was told he must serve the 12 months consecutive to the eight year term he is currently serving.

Manzoor Akhtar (31) from Crosland Moor in Huddersfield was sentenced to four years, six months at Leeds Crown Court on April 22 after being found guilty of raping a young girl between 2005-2006.

Akhtar became the latest man to be convicted as part of West Yorkshire Police’s multi part Operation Tendersea investigation into the sexual abuse of young girls in Huddersfield between 1995 and 2011.

During proceedings, the court heard he subjected his victim to sexual assault when she was between 13-14 years old.

Commenting on the conviction of Manzoor Akhtar, Detective Chief Inspector Richard McNamara of the Kirklees District CID, said: “Akhtar richly deserves the prison sentence he has been given after being found guilty and convicted for the dreadful sexual abuse of this young victim.

“He thought nothing of this girl’s obvious very young age as he raped her and treated her in a fashion which can only be described as callous in the extreme.”

DCI McNamara said he was also pleased that the force was now able to name Shaqeel Hussain.

He said: “Hussain was convicted for rape in an Operation Tendersea trial in February 2020 but at the time we were not able to release his identity. He has now been sentenced after pleading guilty to an indecent assault on a 16 year old victim, and can be named as reporting restrictions have been lifted.

“He will face a total of nine years in prison in total for both of these depraved offences in which he showed no regard whatsoever for his victims.

He added: “A repeated feature of these cases has been the stunning bravery of the now young women who have come forward to tell us about the abuse they suffered and then doing everything they can to support the police and CPS in taking action against those who abused them.

“The courage of victims is helping us take dangerous predators such as Manzoor Akhtar and Shaqeel Hussain off our streets, show them for what they are, and put them behind bars where they belong.”

Peterborough County, ON, man faces child luring charges following OPP online investigation

BY GREG DAVIS GLOBAL NEWS

A Peterborough County man faces child luring charges following an undercover online investigation by the OPP’s child exploitation unit.

According to Peterborough County OPP,  the investigation led officers to execute a search warrant on Wednesday at a residence in North Kawartha Township where they seized “numerous” electronic exhibits.

One man was arrested at the scene. Colin Michael Morley, 35, was charged with one count each of luring a person under the age of 16 and sending sexually explicit material to a child under the age of 16.

He was released and is scheduled to appear in court in Peterborough on July 2, OPP said.

“The OPP will continue to aggressively identify and pursue individuals who use technology to exploit children,” said Staff Sgt. Sharon Hanlon of the OPP’s child sexual exploitation unit.

“Child exploitation is everyone’s business and police cannot do it alone. Everyone needs to know that these offenders operate amongst us and go undetected due to a lack of understanding. Everyone can make a difference by educating themselves about what child sexual exploitation really looks like.”

Hanlon says to help protect children, parents and guardians are encouraged to download “Child Sexual Abuse — It is Your Business,” which is a brochure from the Canadian Center for Child Protection.