Along with the development of technology, the types of crime, violence, sexual exploitation are also developing. As always, people on the periphery fall prey to him. In which the number of children is high. The types of sexual exploitation of children through the Internet are now increasing. It is exploited in different ways. These children are the victims of online violence, sexual exploitation, and crime. According to a report, 30 crore children worldwide are victims of sexual abuse every year.
A study conducted by the University of Edinburgh in the UK has shown that one in eight children in the world have had to take, share, and contact sexual photos and videos without their consent in the past year.
The report shows that the number of children who have survived unwanted sexual messages and forced sexual activity is also the same. Apart from this, children have been exploited by blackmailing through private photographs and creating deepfake photographs or videos using AI. Researchers say that these types are happening all over the world, but in America, they are the most common.
Paul Steinfield, the head of the research, said, "Sexual abuse against children has increased to such an extent that the police are getting information about them every second. It is a global health epidemic that is hidden. Such incidents are happening in every country and there is a need to act globally against them.”
What is online child sexual abuse?
Online child sexual abuse takes place in the virtual world of the Internet. These crimes do not happen face to face. So there is no direct physical absorption. But it could be a possibility. Child sex is spread through live streaming, online broadcasting, and blackmailing of children for sexual acts. According to the 'Australian Center for Counter Child Exploitation', “Online child sexual exploitation involves an adult sending nude or indecent photographs to a minor. Shares pornographic images or videos with children. Sexting. Asks to have sex. Share your pornographic photos with him, emotionally blackmail him, and cheat him.”
Online grooming and forms of coercion are also on the rise. According to the National Society for the Prevention of Violence Against Children (NSPCC), online grooming has increased by 80 percent in the last four years. In 2022, 90 percent of URLs flagged by the Internet Watch Foundation were found to be openly child sexual exploitation content and free-to-use.
Governments around the world have recognized the need to recognize and combat online sexual exploitation of children. The US has created the 'Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force' for this. According to 'Internet Matters', these forms of child sexual abuse are committed outside of school hours. Therefore, it is the responsibility of parents to get complete information about where their children go and what they do before and after school.
Online child sexual exploitation is also on the rise in India
Online child sexual exploitation is now becoming an emergency and there is an urgent need to take immediate steps against it. According to a study by 'Child Right and You', online child sexual exploitation crimes are increasing every year in India. According to the 2022 report of the 'National Crime Records Bureau', there were 1,823 cases of online exploitation against children. In 2021, their number was 1,376. Crimes against children in India have increased by 8.73 percent.
Every day 445 crimes are committed against children in the country. There has been a huge increase in online child sexual exploitation since the Covid pandemic. Compared to 2019, there was a whopping 400 percent increase in such incidents in 2020. In 90 percent of these cases, 'child sexual abuse material' was disseminated. With the increasing use of social media, online classes, and educational apps, child sexual exploitation is taking place on a large scale. They are also being blackmailed.
A childhood caught in the net of the Internet
According to the 'Local Circles Survey' conducted in 2023, 61 percent of parents in urban areas say that their 9 to 17-year-old children spend at least three hours daily on social media, videos, OTT. According to 'The Print' news, 39 percent of parents say that their children spend 1-3 hours on the Internet every day. 46 percent say their children spend 3-6 hours and 15 percent of parents say their children spend more than 6 hours on the Internet every day. Parents also observe that these children become more aggressive, unstable, depressed, restless, and hyperactive.
Need for awareness and timely action
In collaboration with UNICEF and the 'We Protect Global Alliance', the focus is on six issues: policies and governance, criminal justice, industry, society and culture , research, and advocacy to combat online child sexual exploitation. Child sexual abuse can be prevented through them. This should be closely monitored. It is necessary for the administration as well as the judiciary to have special training in this regard. This will increase their sensitivity towards these matters. In such cases, swift and appropriate action will be taken.
Along with this, there is a need to make parents, children, and people in the community aware of online child sexual abuse. It is also necessary to monitor the children while teaching them about this. For this, special training for children should be taken from schools. So that they will be fully aware of it. A large number of such crimes are still not reported in the country. Therefore, it is necessary to create awareness among people about this. The available statistics prove that India may face a dire situation soon and preventive measures against it need to be taken now. Because the country is still not ready to deal with such cases.
Courtesy – Feminization in India
Translation – Pratik Puri
