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Violence Against Children In Cyberspace

VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN IN CYBERSPACE

A Contribution to the United Nations Study on Violence Against Children - by ECPAT End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes (ECPAT International), 2005.

This report provides a global overview of violence against children and young people in relation to cyberspace and proposes recommendations to address this violence.

The report stresses that weak laws and territory-bound, fragmented action by governments and industry expose children to serious violence through the Internet and other new information and communication technologies (ICTs). It argues that the violence is pervasive, causes deep and lasting physical and psychological damage to children, and is outstripping the resources of law enforcement and society's understanding of how new ICTs work.

The report identifies distinctive aspects of cyber interactions that affect the potential for harms to accrue against children. In particular, it discusses: production, distribution and use of materials depicting child sexual abuse (child pornography); online sexual solicitation, or "grooming"; exposure to illegal and harmful materials; and harassment, including cyber bullying.

The report calls for stronger legislation and law enforcement, a global industry body to set and monitor child protection standards, and comprehensive education campaigns against the demand for children for sexual purposes.