Enact strict laws to help child abuse victims
As little as 1% to 3% of Thai children who survive online sexual exploitation and abuse opt to report their assault to law enforcement, according to Disrupting Harm (Thailand), a holistic and innovative research project that aims to better understand how digital technology facilitates sexual exploitation and abuse of children.
Their evidence-based report, supported by ECPAT, Interpol, and Unicef’s Office of Research — Innocenti and funded through the Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children’s Safe Online Initiative, outlined the harrowing realities of online sexual exploitation and abuse of children in Thailand.
A COUPLE OF THEIR KEY FINDINGS INCLUDE
Children and caregivers are not reporting online sexual abuse, with between 10% and 31% of children (aged 12-17) who experienced online sexual exploitation and abuse in the past year choosing not to disclose the most recent incident. Just 17% of caregivers surveyed said they would report incidents of online sexual harassment, abuse, or exploitation of their child.
The main barriers to disclosure reported by children were a lack of awareness around where to go or whom to tell. Another 47% of children surveyed said they would not know where to get help if they or a friend were sexually assaulted or harassed.
In survivors who reported such incidents to the police, there was an overwhelming feeling of being ashamed, blamed, and silenced.
Testimonies showed they felt responsible for the online sexual exploitation and abuse they endured and rarely considered themselves to be a victim. They believed these views were also held by law enforcement and the general public.
Victims also reported the harrowing ordeal of having to sit in the courtroom and confront their offenders.
It was also disclosed that despite child-friendly, victim-centric investigation techniques and victim identification procedures being standardised in Thailand, they were not consistently applied by the police.
Approximately 9% of internet-using children aged 12-17 (approximately 400,000 children) were victims of grave instances of online sexual exploitation and abuse in the past year alone.
This includes everything from blackmailing children to engaging in sexual activities and sharing these images online and more.
Disrupting Harm [Thailand] recommends urgent action, education, and support to tackle these pressing social issues.
Recommendations include the government of Thailand appointing a governing body to centralise and lead online child sexual exploitation and abuse response and prevention. The response should include a dedicated and technically trained law enforcement unit and other related bodies working on online child sexual exploitation and abuse cases.
The need to destigmatise conversation about sex and adapt existing awareness and education programmes about sexual exploitation and abuse of children was also encouraged to help familiarise people with online child sexual exploitation and abuse and the role technology might play in facilitating it.