Visible
Evidence : Forgotten Children
10 Oct 2006 09:00:00
GMT
Source: International
Save the Children Alliance
A new report published today
(Tuesday, 10th October) reveals serious gaps in the protection of sexually
abused children whose abuse has been filmed or photographed and distributed over
the Internet.
Interpols Child Abuse Image database has more than 200,000
images showing the sexual abuse of over 20,000 individual children. However,
less than 500 of these children have been identified and given
the protection they need.
Visible Evidence Forgotten Children finds
that despite this wealth of evidence little is being done by governments at
national, EU and international level to identify and protect these
children.
Save the Children is gravely concerned that so few children
have been identified and protected from ongoing abuse despite the access to
primary evidence of a criminal act being committed against a child. It is
unacceptable that so little is being done when there are so many children at
risk, says Vernon Jones, of Save the Children Denmark.
Jones continued:
While we cannot do much about the fact that these images continue to circulate
on the Internet, we can improve our efforts in identifying and protecting
children who continue to be sexually abused in the production of
them.
Adds Elizabeth Skogrand, Save the Children Norway: 'Child sexual
abuse is an immense global problem and a serious violation of childrens rights.
The advance of the new technologies has meant that perpetrators can easily
exploit the technology for the production and distribution of child abuse
images. Without concerted political backing, the capacity to address the issues
of children made vulnerable through the new technologies will remain fragmented.
Governments at national, EU and international level must be held accountable and
do everything they can to address this '.
Save the Children are calling
for political commitment to victim identification, coordinated international and
national police efforts as well as clear mandates and ownership of
investigations. Increased financial, technical and human resources must be made
available. Save the Children also call for increased focus on child protection
and improved support services for children having survived abuse. This requires
training of child protection professionals, updated statistics and increased
academic research on the extent and consequences of Internet-related sexual
abuse of children.
Visible Evidence Forgotten Children gives a clear
indication as to how identification procedures can be improved by implementing a
child protection and children's rights focus.
Save the Children will be
launching the paper in the European Parliament, hosted by Baroness Emma
Nicholson, MEP. Some of the worlds leading experts on victim identification
will be present.
Journalists are welcome to attend. Room ASP 1H1.
Please contact Espérance Kana at the Save the Children Brussels office, [EMAIL PROTECTED], tel +32 2 512
78 51 or Vernon Jones tel +45 30668293.
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