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Report - Exploiting Isolation: Offenders and Victims of Online Child Sexual Abuse during the COVID-19 Pandemic

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child sexual abuse header 

The online child sexual abuse has been one of the cybercrime areas most affected during the COVID-19 crisis, as both children and offenders have been forced to stay home and spend more time on the internet. 

In this lines, the Europol has published, last June 19th 2020, a report aimed at finding ways to confront the serious threat to children’s safety. Some of its key findings are described below:



europol report 


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  • "There have been significant increases in activity relating to child sexual abuse and exploitation on both the surface web and dark web during the COVID-19 lockdownperiod.

 

  • "Travel restrictions and other measures during the pandemic have likely prevented offenders from travelling and so have shifted their focus to the exchange of CSAMonline."

 

  • "Increases in detection and reporting of CSAM on the surface web during lockdown indicate the level of re-victimisation of children through the distribution of imagesand videos depicting them."

 

  • "Consistent levels of activity by offenders on the dark web during lockdown reflects the ongoing organised business model that has evolved and the level of threat thatit poses to children."

 

  • "An increase in the number of offenders exchanging CSAM online during lockdownmay have an impact on and stimulate demand for this type of material onlinebeyond the lockdown."

 

  • "Society, including law enforcement, needs to focus on the self-generation of CSAMto ensure that children are protected from this type of exposure to harm."

 

  • "The increased circulation of CSAM during the COVID-19 pandemic will alsoincrease the need for law enforcement to identify the victims depicted in it."

 

  • "We need to continue promoting preventive and educational initiatives in acoordinated and structural manner across Europe."
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