Social stigmas make children easy targets for online exploitation – study

A recent survey has found that social taboos and stigma around discussing the subject of sex may increase children’s vulnerability to online exploitation.

Out of 49 frontline workers surveyed for the Disrupting Harm in South Africa research, 48 believed taboos around discussing sex and sexuality was a key factor in online sexual exploitation and abuse.

Additionally, 65% of the frontline workers surveyed told researchers that the stigmatisation of victims of sexual violence was the main reason children did not report online sexual exploitation and abuse.

The survey also found that there was a lack of formal reporting from children.

“While discomfort in discussing sexual abuse may play a part, children may also be unaware of the established reporting mechanisms.

“65% of frontline workers said that individuals not knowing how to access the reporting mechanisms available in South Africa hindered the rate of reporting online child sexual exploitation and abuse,” the survey found.

Ignorance

According to the report, there was also a lack of knowledge about online child sexual abuse and exploitation amongst parents.

“…71% of frontline workers indicated that a lack of knowledge and understanding about the risks of online child sexual exploitation and abuse was one of the most significant reasons for the lack of reporting because parents couldn’t provide their children with the appropriate advice,” the survey found.

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Researchers called for greater action from government to enforce existing legislation around online child sexual exploitation and abuse, and to engage in awareness-raising programmes and campaigns to increase the general public’s understanding of these forms of violence.

The research found that between up to 10% of internet-using children aged between nine and 17 had experienced clear instances of online sexual exploitation and abuse in the last year alone.

Experiences reported by children included being offered gifts or money in exchange for images, videos, or in-person sexual acts, being threatened or blackmailed to engage in sexual acts, and having their sexual images shared without their permission.

Sexual acts on children

Children in South Africa are subjected to various types of online sexual abuse and exploitation.

• 19% of surveyed children were asked to talk about sex or sexual acts with someone when they did not want to in the year prior to being surveyed.
• 17% of surveyed children were asked to share sexual images of themselves.
• 34% of surveyed children had been subject to sexual comments about them that made them feel uncomfortable in the year prior to being surveyed.
• 24% of surveyed children had been sent unwanted sexual images in the year prior to being surveyed.

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Call to action

Researchers pointed out that prevention was key in tackling online child sexual exploitation and abuse.

Disrupting Harm in South Africa outline a number of ways to proactively respond to this urgent issue.

These include:

• Informing children about their rights to be protected from all forms of emotional, physical and sexual abuse, including how to stay safe online and recognise appropriate and inappropriate behaviour from adults and peers.
• Always ensuring that responses to online child sexual exploitation and abuse convey it is never the child’s fault.
• Increasing human and financial resources for law enforcement units investigating and prosecuting online child sexual exploitation and abuse.
• Increasing awareness and learning about what children are doing, both online and offline.

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