Online sexual abuse now at severe levels
published : 17 Sep 2024 at 07:59
writer: Gary Boyle
ORIGINAL SOURCE/WRITER: Chairith Yonpiam
Bangkok Post
The growing threat of sexual harassment on social media is having a severe impact on children and the young, according to Thailand's National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC).
The NESDC said victims of such harassment are at risk of developing social, emotional and mental health problems, including anxiety and depression.
Not just Thailand
ECPAT International, a Unicef-affiliated organisation, identified Thailand as one of the 25 countries with alarming levels of online sexual harassment against children and youth.
Data from the Royal Thai Police shows a sharp increase in child sexual abuse cases, from 48 in 2017 to 540 last year.
Online sexual harassment against children is divided into three levels, according to the NESDC. Low-level harassment is when perpetrators harass victims through non-specific comments, such as those who are sexually attracted to young girls and make sexually suggestive comments about school-aged children.
The moderate level focuses on repeated actions designed to cause emotional distress on victims.
The severe/high level involves violent and aggressive actions, for example luring young people into romantic relationships and forcing them into sexual acts.
‘Our nation’s shame’: Marcos says PH must do more
to stop online child abuse
MANILA, Philippines – An emotional President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the Philippines must do more to fight online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC), as the country has long been dubbed the “global epicenter” of the crime.
In a speech at the National Summit Against OSAEC in Makati City on Monday, September 16, Marcos lamented how prevalent OSAEC still is in the country. Preceding his speech was Charito’s, not her real name, who told her story about surviving exploitation as a child.
“As I was listening to the young lady…I could not help but shed a tear to think [about reliving] the suffering that she went through. And to think how many other children are even — as we’re here, [sitting] in this fancy hotel room, eating our fancy food — continuing to suffer the same fate as she has,” Marcos said.
“And accompanying those tears that I just shed was a deep sense of shame because we have not done enough for the Philippines to now be considered the epicenter of…sexual abuse and exploitation of children. And I leave it to your imagination. And I would imagine in some cases your imagination cannot even begin to fathom what is done to these poor children, to our poor children,” the President added. “We must do more.”
140 cases of child sex abuse material offences investigated by police since 2020: Sun Xueling
SINGAPORE - Children are facing a greater risk of being sexually exploited because of new technologies, and it is challenging for the authorities to prosecute the predators.
And the best way for international law enforcement to tackle this is to work together, said US Ambassador to Singapore Jonathan Kaplan on Sept 16.
He was speaking to about 180 officers and participants at the opening of the Child Forensic Interview Regional Workshop at the Police Cantonment Complex.
The five-day event ends on Sept 20. Its opening was attended by Minister of State for Home Affairs Sun Xueling.
The workshop is organised by the Singapore Police Force (SPF) and the US Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
HSI is the principal investigative arm of the US Department of Homeland Security and probes transnational crime and threats.
These include criminal organisations that exploit global infrastructure through which international trade, travel and finance move.
In his speech, Mr Kaplan said children are increasingly vulnerable to exploitation.
He said: “Unfortunately, our children face more dangers than ever because of new technologies. These technologies, such as live streaming, give criminals unprecedented reach in harming our kids.”
He noted that the rise of social media and online gaming platforms has allowed predators to communicate with children globally.
More advanced technologies, such as encrypted digital storage, have also made it harder for the authorities to gather evidence for prosecution.
Mr Kaplan added: “The challenges are great, but we know that our best chance of combating potential harm and protecting our kids is to work collaboratively with (international) partners.”
No comments:
Post a Comment