Prevention and protection of children from sexual abuse and exploitation: ---The contribution of Helplines

Transcription

1 Prevention and protection of children from sexual abuse and exploitation: ---The contribution of Helplines Laure Abado, Legal advisor, Child Helpline BRIS, Sweden Public hearing on Child sexual abuse and exploitation online and offline: time to act European Parliament's Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE)

2 Content About BRIS and Child Helpline International (CHI) Definitions Role of helplines in the Prevention and protection of children victims of sexual abuse and exploitation

3 About BRIS Campaign to STOP corporal punishment of children Phone line Then later. and chat every single day,

4 BRIS 2017 Member of Child HeIpline International (and among the initiators)- 181 helplines, 139 countries; about 20 million calls from children/year European harmonised number for child helplines (reserved by the EU Commission since 2007); What BRIS does: Online support to children by professional counselors Awareness raising and capacity building. Communication and advocacy

5 BRIS Advocacy Priority issues: Child rights governance: includes child rights perspective in decision making, CRC incorporation in Swedish law, CR budgeting, child friendly information and referral systems, etc. Children s right to mental health Right to protection from violence, abuse and neglect (inludes sexual abuse and exploitation) Right to social protection and support; Rights of asylum-seeking children

6 Definitions Helplines (example: BRIS)- hotlines (example: ECPAT) Sexual violence = umbrella term encompassing sexual abuse and exploitation (Luxembourg guidelines 2016)

7 Role of helplines in the Prevention and protection of children victims of sexual abuse and exploitation - Figures and numbers from Child Helplines in Europé - Figures and numbers from BRIS (Sweden) - Prevention role - Protection role - Prevention and Protection gaps in Sweden

8 Figures and numbers: Child contacts with CHI about sexual violence in Europe (2015) Europe: 39 child helpines in 36 countries participated in the data collection (2015) Contacts on sexual abuse : total girls and 8000 boys the rest unspecified. PLUS: contacts on abuse and violence via technology which includes child pornography, sextortion and victim of online sexual exploitation of which 6000 from girls and 2000 from boys the rest is unspecified.

9 Figures and numbers: Child contacts with BRIS about Sexual violence (2016) Contacts about sexual violations = victims (majority); witnessed; scared of becoming a victim or has caused such violations to someone else. 710 contacts= 2 /day; 47% via chat 9/10 girls Age Average age 15. Most cases where child is a victim: age (indication of when they dare talking about it, not when it happened) 50% of cases: the child has no contact with any support services.

10 Figures and numbers: Usually contact is also about number of other issues: Mental ill-health (40%, mostly anguish, self-destructive behavior, suicide). ±22 % also relate to other forms of violence/abuse (mostly physical and mental violence); ± 24% relate to family conflicts Most say the contact with the offender started online.

11 Role of helplines: Prevention 1. Listening and Counseling: a crucial service for children! => Listen, empower, motivate, inform about rights, referral systems, about what help is available in the particular case, etc.

12 Prevention role: 2. Information is key for breaking the taboo around sexual violence! Bris for children and special webpage Bris for adults about Child Rights and special webpage Communications and publications, often about violence, vulnerability, coping strategies Awareness raising Campaigns- this year new partnership with the Swedish umbrella organisation for sports clubs (Riksidrottsförbundet). Focus on child rights and sexual abuse in sports.

13 Prevention role: 3. Adapt the information and communication to childrens s needs and reality - Using Abused Emojis makes it easier to express feelings (being hurt, mistreated, sad, etc.) - Using social media: facebook, twitter, Instagram, etc. - Films, Youtube - Brisbot

14 Helplines: Limited Protection role Anonymity principle Extra counselling and mediation in exceptional cases Collaboration and networking Advocacy for more protection

15 Prevention and Protection Gaps in Sweden: what can be improved? ADVOCACY role of helplines Need to strengthen the helpline mandate and capacity More awareness and competence among parents, professionals, volunteers working with children More awareness among children themselves Better information about sexual offences and referral systems

16 More effective and child friendly referral systems Judicial services need to be more child friendly Importance of unified terminology Regular extracts of police registers Obligation to report abuse etc.

17 For more information: www.

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