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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 


DOWNLOAD the full report.
  • "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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EU flag Copyright © 2020 LOCARD. All rights reserved. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under Grant Agreement nº 832735. This project reflects only the author’s view and the Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains.