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Interview: Child Rights organisations support the EU Proposal to Prevent and Combat Online Child Sexual Abuse

ECPAT International’s opinion on the topic of child sexual abuse online and the European Commission’s proposal to Combat and Prevent Child Sexual Abuse online. Interview broadcasted in the German MDR/AR media journal.

Listen to the interview.

Open Letter to the European Commission’s Proposal to Prevent and Combat Child Sexual Abuse

(Child) Sex Offender Registry: Executive Summary

This document summarises the learnings obtained from the (Child) Sex Offender Registry: Working Paper and the Technical Considerations for the Development of (Child) Sex Offender Registries.

This analysis delves into the complexities surrounding child sex offender registries, questioning their efficacy in both crime prevention and child protection. Our reporting examines the moral quandaries of public versus restricted access, advocating for a risk-based, multi-agency approach over a system solely based on offences. Concluding with key recommendations, it emphasises the need for a balanced, evidence-based strategy that pairs enforcement with preventive education and global collaboration.

ECPAT and NSPCC child online safety poll: Questionnaires

In 2023, ECPAT International and NSPCC conducted a large survey on child safety online, in partnership with Savanta. Over 25,000 adults were surveyed across 15 countries in the EU and the UK on their understanding and views on the balance between personal privacy and the protection of children from sexual abuse and exploitation on the internet.

The results show unwavering support for child safety online and the need for new legislation to protect children from online sexual abuse and exploitation, including regulation of online platforms. A large majority support the use and development of automated tools to detect child sexual abuse and exploitation across a variety of platforms, including end-to-end encrypted environments. Most importantly, most respondents recognise and understand the importance of compromise between online privacy and child safety online.

Please find the Executive Summaries here.

Overview of research findings: Sexual exploitation of children in the context of travel and transport in Burkina Faso, Côte D’ivoire, Guinea and Niger

The “Ensemble” project is a three-year joint initiative (2022-2024) of ECPAT International, ECPAT France, and national partners Keoogo (Burkina Faso), SOS Violences Sexuelles (Côte d’Ivoire), Monde Des Enfants (Guinea), and Association Nigérienne pour le Traitement de la Délinquance et la prévention des crimes (Niger).

In the first year of the project, ECPAT International and its partners explored the issue of sexual exploitation of children in the context of travel and transport, through research aimed at documenting local knowledge and understanding of this problem in each country, as well as assessing practices and identifying localised responses. The results of the research have been consolidated in this document.

Bolivia Promising Practice: The role of the travel and transportation industry in preventing and addressing the sexual exploitation of children

Bolivia Promising Practice: The role of the travel and transportation industry in preventing and addressing the sexual exploitation of children explains how transportation networks can be misused by travelling sex offenders, whether national or foreign. The promising practice presents the “Model of Safe Terminals” from Bolivia, which strengthens the capacity of operators in the travel and transport sector, both formal and informal, to prevent and respond to the sexual exploitation of children.