We Need To Rethink the Way We Prevent Sexual Violence Against Children

November 20 marks World Children’s Day, marking the adoption of the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of the Child. While great strides have been made in many areas, we are failing one of the declaration’s key provisions: to “protect the child from all forms of sexual exploitation and sexual abuse.”

Sexual violence against children is a public health crisis that keeps escalating, thanks in no small part to the internet, with hundreds of millions of children falling victim to online sexual violence annually. Addressing sexual violence against children only once it materializes is not enough, nor does it respect the rights of the child to be protected from violence. We need to reframe the way we think about child protection and start preventing sexual violence against children holistically.

It is clear that our ongoing efforts to keep children safe are not enough. Sexual violence against children is not a new phenomenon, but technology and digital devices have made offending against children much easier. Perpetrators can now hide behind their devices, presenting themselves as children through text, voice, pictures, and even video. Offenders can target hundreds of children at once, with sexual offending against a child no longer requiring physical proximity between the perpetrator and the victim. Furthermore, child sexual abuse material, or CSAM, is easily accessible on the open web and can be viewed, created, and distributed with the press of a button. Laws and enforcement have not been able to keep up with these changes. We need stronger, future-proof, and technology-neutral legislation, laying down uniform obligations for online service providers to ensure that their platforms are safe for children. Even before the new technologies, it was clear that the efforts of law enforcement alone were not enough. It is increasingly evident that addressing violence only after it occurs and penalizing offenders is insufficient; proactive and preventative measures must become a priority.

To effectively and holistically protect children against violence, we must combine efforts currently often done in isolation; we need to educate children and caregivers on digital safety skills; train professionals coming into contact with children on the phenomenon, as well as possible warning signs and risk factors; and finally, we need to start placing a stronger emphasis on prevention and intervention measures for potential offenders. Alongside all of these efforts, we need to ensure that online services and platforms are safe for children, and that legislation allows for the effective protection of children globally.

Firstly, it is vital to underline that we must not hold children and caregivers responsible for the violence. The responsibility must always be placed on the offender. However, it is an important part of the holistic prevention efforts to empower and equip children to stay safe online. Secondly, professionals coming into contact with children, including educators, medical staff, and law enforcement, should be better educated on the phenomenon of sexual violence against children, as well as potential risk factors and warning signs. Professionals should also be better equipped to respond to potential cases. Finally, resources, including anonymous support and self-help programs, should be made available to individuals who fear that they might offend against a child. Depending on national legislation and mandatory reporting obligations thereof, online self-help tools might be the only resources available for many potential offenders. Tools such as the Protect Children’s ReDirection Self-Help Program can support behavioral change and reduce violence against children.

And when it comes to those offender-focused efforts, offering prevention or intervention measures for people who worry that they’ll offend against a child does not excuse or justify their thoughts or feelings, nor does it mean we need to sympathize with them. Think about it this way: if there were a way to prevent a child from being sexually abused or exploited, shouldn’t we explore it? What we are doing now is simply not enough. It’s time we start proactively and holistically addressing violence before it materializes.

Anna Ovaska is a Public Voices Fellow on Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse with The OpEd Project and works as Deputy Director at Protect Children, a nonprofit organization focused on ending sexual violence against children globally.