Protecting Children from Online Sexual Exploitation

"Online sexual abuse and exploitation is a growing global problem for girls and boys, many of whom suffer in silence at the hands of people closest to them in their homes and communities. Through their values, moral authority and extensive networks, religious communities and faith-based organizations play a critical role in helping to break the silence around this crime, protecting children from this atrocity and linking children affected to support services, essential for their healing and protection." - UNICEF Director of Programmes Ted Chaiban

Created through a partnership with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), this Guide is designed to help religious communities harness their strengths to prevent, respond, and end online child sexual exploitation (OCSE). It recognises that faith-based organisations (FBOs) and religious leaders are in a unique position to mobilise moral authority, influence thinking, generate debate, and set standards for others to follow. "Religious groups and communities represent the most developed, inter-connected form of social organisations in existence, reaching the smallest villages to capital cities and beyond." The Guide's publishers, ECPAT International and Religions for Peace, assert that FBOs and religious leaders are well placed to take action when offenders ask for help, as well as to give families the advice and the tools they need to protect their children.

The introduction provides background, noting that OCSE has soared in recent years as reflected by the ever-increasing production and distribution of child sexual abuse materials (CSAM) due to the use of more advanced information and communication technologies (ICTs) by perpetrators. As a result of the engagement of FBOs and religious leaders in the process of adopting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as well as strong advocacy by the child rights community, the SDGs, unlike their predecessors, address violence against children and identify OCSE as one of their core components.

Outlining the critical role of religious communities in addressing this crime, the Guide notes their spiritual, moral, and social influence, as well as their obligation to end violence against children. The Guide also sets out the online risks to children and the impact of OCSE, as well as the skewed motivations of offenders and intermediaries, including traffickers and pimps. It then provides the perspectives of many different religions on child protection, as well as step-by-step tips to help religious leaders and communities act, advocate, educate, and collaborate both among themselves and with broader initiatives seeking to protect children from assualts on their inviolable, inherent dignity.

Specifically, these actions "can include immediate changes within your place of worship and programmes to ensure that the place is safe and child-friendly. This section also outlines how to create more awareness and discussion on your faith's perspective on sexual violence. You will find information on how to care for child victims, report abuse, and use your voice to advocate and campaign to help combat online child sexual exploitation. There is more that your community can do by working together with other religious groups in your area and beyond to build awareness and take action against this problem. Through multi-religious action, religious communities can leverage resources to reach more people and leaders, and therefore, better protect children everywhere....The following are several guiding principles to keep in mind when engaging in inter-faith action.

• Seek impartiality and transparency: It is important to remain impartial and non-judgmental when engaging with other faith groups. Each tradition has its own deeply held beliefs and traditions that must be respected, even if they differ from your own. Open communication and transparency are essential for effective collaborative action.
• Build trust and mutual respect: It is crucial to build mutual trust, given that action against OCSE means dealing with sensitive issues and situations where potentially harmful beliefs and practices are challenged.
• Find common ground: Open, frequent and transparent communication should be used to develop a trusting relationship between faith groups. Take time to establish a common message and terms that all sides can use to communicate shared priorities.
• Determine strategic entry points: Most faith communities share similar objectives on various social justice issues and could already be engaged with, or at least willing to become involved with the issue of child protection."

At the close of the Guide are several factsheets from ECPAT International that can be printed out to help a faith community understand more and help prevent the dangers and threats of OCSE. They focus on: Child Sexual Abuse/ Exploitation Material; Online Grooming for Sexual Purposes; Sexting; Sexual Extortion; and Live Online Child Sexual Abuse or Live Streaming of Child Sexual Abuse.