Online child sexual exploitation has been in the limelight for a long time because the Internet has made it easier for sexual predators to spread child sexual content, negatively impacting children and society. International organizations such as law enforcement agencies are trying to solve the issue to provide a safe environment for the growth and development of children. Online child sexual exploitation employs social media platforms availed by the advent of the Internet to spread harmful material that is not ethically conducive to children’s sexual health because children should not be exposed to such materials. Child sexual offenders use the Internet to distribute material containing explicit child sexual content, which is a crime according to law enforcement agencies (Broadhurst, 2019). These offenders also use social media platforms such as Facebook to engage children in sexual communication, which ideally corrupts their minds. International law enforcement agencies hope to combat online child sexual exploitation through collaboration which utilizes legal frameworks to locate and apprehend child sexual offenders. The latter enables them to stop criminals from producing and distributing abusive materials that sexualize children. This paper will focus on different aspects of online child sexual exploitation, the motivations behind them, the victimization of children, investigations, and the interventions employed by international law enforcement agencies to combat online child sexual exploitation.
Different Aspects or Forms of Online Child Sexual Exploitation
Consuming material containing information on child sexual exploitation is a significant aspect of online child sexual exploitation because it sexually portrays children and does not give them the dignity that befits them (Simon et al., 2020). The authors also claim that child sexual offenders utilize the Internet to produce harmful sexual content through videos and images that portray children as engaging in sexual crimes such as pornography. The latter is dangerous to children because once they watch this content, they may feel that there is nothing wrong with mimicking the same in actual life. Misleading content on the Internet availed to children by sexual offenders projects a society corrupted by moral decadence, which prompts law enforcement agencies to try tracking these offenders and punishing them for setting an example in society. Law enforcement agencies take consuming content that exploits children as a serious crime and punish individuals who engage in such crime.
Another aspect of online child sexual exploitation is grooming children to prepare them for sexual acts (Ali et al., 2021). Sexual offenders lure children into sexual activities by starting friendly conversations via the Internet. Offenders use these conversations initiated online to gain children’s trust and then mislead them. Ali et al. (2021) also note that children are likely to do everything that the people they trust tell them; therefore, sexual offenders can lure children and exploit them. Sexual offenders use various forms of grooming to expose children to sexual exploitation. One such instance is when these offenders trick children into meeting them for sexual reasons such as child pornography which they then record and upload into the Internet. The establishment of an emotional connection between children and adults with ill intention enable the adults to abuse children because since they trust the offenders, they are more likely to follow through with every suggestion, however harmful to them. Offenders start by pretending that they are creating a safe environment for children, which is but an illusion, after which they give children no choice when exploiting them sexually.
Identifying children being groomed by sexual offenders may be difficult because sexual offenders may be people close to them, which makes friendly gestures such as gifting children normal. Child sexual offenders may give children who are their targets special attention and gifts which helps create a bond with their victims. In most cases, children become indebted to offenders because they have been kind to them and shown them the attention they do not receive from the rest of society. Grooming can also occur when sexual offenders make close contact with children, such as making every minimal contact appear sexual (Ali et al., 2021). For instance, some offenders tickle children or engage in questionable plays that involve touching children inappropriately. Individuals who groom children for sexual exploitation may also pretend that they have stumbled upon sexual content via their mobile phones and then expose children to such online nudity, which prepares them mentally for sexual acts that are harmful to their wellbeing.
The third aspect of online child sexual exploitation is live-streaming content portraying the abuse of children sexually via the Internet. Sexual offenders spread their agenda by using social media platforms and the Internet to display explicit content that shows children being abused sexually (Drejer et al., 2023). Child sexual abuse content is willingly accessed by other child abusers who pay considerable amounts to watch these videos. Law-enforcement officers cannot easily track down offenders who engage in live-streaming of child abuse content because they do not reveal the faces of the offenders in the videos. It may be difficult sometimes for law enforcement agencies to identify the victims of this abuse because they hide identities using complex technologies. The latter makes it difficult to track offenders or even apprehend them because there is limited information that connects law enforcement agencies to them. Lastly, it is difficult for law enforcement agencies to stop child abuse in time because of the live nature of the abuse.
Another form of online child sexual exploitation, sextortion, is a kind of sexual abuse involving coercing a child to send revealing pictures or videos of themselves. Later on, offenders use explicit videos and pictures of children to blackmail them and their parents into sending money or even sending other sexual content, failure of which they threaten to expose the images online (Drejer et al., 2023). The Internet enables offenders to achieve their goals by using messaging apps to threaten their victims to give in to their demands. Children and teenagers are the main targets of child sexual offenders because they are easy to manipulate than adults, as portrayed by Simon et al. (2020), who assert that “wherever children are present, vulnerability to abuse exists.” (p.4). Moreover, offenders threaten children and teenagers that they would expose the videos to their families and post them online for everyone to see, thus prompting the victims to oblige to their requests. Sextortion, according to law enforcement, is a serious crime to humanity; thus, they work hard to prevent the crime and support the victim’s families as much as possible.
Motivations Behind Online Child Sexual Exploitation
Online child sexual offenders are motivated mainly by money to exploit children (Broadhurst, 2019). Most offenders make much money from selling explicit content containing child sexual activities, such as child pornography. Broadhurst (2019) further asserts that financial motivation pushes these offenders to create content using children’s images and videos, after which they distribute them on the Internet for money. Others may engage in sextortion by threatening the victims that they would post their images online. Failure to comply, some sexual offenders blackmail the victim’s parents. They also facilitate these blackmails using money and sophisticated technology to alter their images and sounds to avoid recognition. One such way they avoid recognition even during transactions is when they use Bitcoin and other virtual currencies to pay for materials containing child sexual abuse content, according to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). FinCEN also revealed that financial institutions and other organizations should be duly informed of the existence of online child abusers and the nature of transactions to monitor any suspicious transactions (Zagaris, 2021). Financial organizations can then identify several red flags related to online child sexual exploitation. The latter includes large using prepaid cards to make large transactions.
Offenders exploiting children sexually online are also motivated by psychological issues that affect their rational thinking (Wild et al., 2019). For instance, some of these offenders may have mental illnesses that corrupt their judgment regarding offering children dignity. Most offenders have a history of abuse as children, having been brought up in broken families, while others have experienced traumatic events while growing up which makes them engage in questionable acts to cope emotionally. The offenders then end up exploiting children to ease their childhood traumas. Research has found that other offenders exploiting children have personality issues that drive them to exploit children (Wild et al., 2019). Moreover, they feel in control when abusing children as it frees them from their traumatic memories. Accumulating and distributing content on the Internet on child pornography or child abuse enable offenders to escape reality. Psychological issues may also be associated with online child sexual exploitation in that some offenders view explicit videos containing child abuse content which makes them satisfy their sexual desires. However, these issues do not justify why offenders commit crimes against children. Law enforcement agencies thus liaise with psychiatric institutions to help offenders seek treatment for their disorders.
Peer pressure is also a significant motivation behind child sexual exploitation because most offenders are recruited into the crime by their friends (Finkelhor et al., 2022). Moreover, individuals may feel pressured to engage in child abuse when their friends are focused on exploiting children sexually. Peer pressure is portrayed chiefly in societies and countries where the society has normalized online child sexual exploitation. in these communities, sexual offenders are influenced by those within their vicinities as they tend to mimic their behavior. By doing the latter, individuals seek recognition and acceptance from their peers. Sexual offenders are also pushed by peer pressures to groom children for sexual exploitation through flattery and manipulating them to engage in sexual activities. Individuals, thus, should be empowered and enlightened by the community about the negative impacts of peer pressure.
Victimization of Children
Children are often victims of sexual exploitation because offenders consider them easier to manipulate than young and older adults. Online child sexual exploitation negatively impacts children as they are traumatized by sexual acts, and they are not psychologically prepared for sexual acts and relationships. Moreover, children exposed to these acts experience feelings of guilt and shame and thus have low self-esteem, affecting their social relationships (Wild et al., 2019). Consequently, children who are sexually exploited are depressed by these circumstances and may suffer long-term damage, which includes Major Depressive Disorder. Victims are also physically assaulted by offenders causing detrimental harm to the patients. Harming children through sexual abuse negatively impacts the society because children grow into broken adults who cannot promote societal growth (Simon et al., 2020). As such, victims of online child sexual exploitation should be supported by society and law enforcement agencies by taking them through safe rehabilitation processes and protecting them from further harm.
Interventions Used by International Law Enforcement Agencies to Combat Online Child Sexual Exploitation
International law enforcement agencies use intelligence-collecting tools and investigations as one of critical steps. These techniques are crucial in identifying and imprisoning those found guilty of the offense. The initial step involves the formation of well-trained units to conduct investigations on child sexual exploitation. In this unit, the security department ensures that individuals deployed have enough experience to handle social platforms, forensics, and criminal behaviors. In this case, the main aim is to arrest criminals involved in child sexual exploitation. Internet Crimes Against Children, an agency in the United States consisting of local enforcement authorities and federal states, deals with such serious matters (Kimberly et al., 2022). Task teams formulated by the bodywork closely, making a collaborative effort that yields excellent performance in many cases. Secondly, agencies formulated to ensure the use of forensic software and modern technology to gather relevant and authentic data from social media platforms and digital services. Forensic software enables access to critical information regarding potential criminals, thus making it easy to arrest and detain them. Finally, to identify and trace persons involved in child sexual exploitation, law enforcement organizations monitor numerous online platforms such as social media, chat rooms, forums, and peer-to-peer networks. They use modern software and algorithms to discover potentially illegal activities, keywords, or trends.
Public awareness and education initiatives also combat online child sexual exploitation. First, law enforcement authorities conduct campaigns to educate the general public on online child sexual exploitation. These initiatives may include conveying information via social media, websites, traditional media outlets, and public events. Agencies, for example, may develop campaigns that include instructional videos, infographics, pamphlets, and posters emphasizing the risks associated with online activity, signals of possible exploitation, and methods to report suspicious conduct. Secondly, law enforcement and educational institutions work together to establish educational programs addressing online safety and child protection. These programs aim to provide children, parents, and educators with the knowledge and skills they need to use the Internet safely. In schools, agencies may give presentations, workshops, or interactive sessions on issues like safe internet use, detecting and responding to grooming tactics, privacy settings, and reporting systems.
International collaboration is an important approach used by law enforcement authorities to prevent online child sexual exploitation. According to Russel et al. (2020), given the worldwide nature of the problem, international coordination is critical for tracking down criminals operating across borders, exchanging intelligence, and coordinating rescue attempts. Through joint interventions, law enforcement authorities from many nations work together on collaborative investigations to address cases of international internet child sexual exploitation. They share information, intelligence, and expertise to detect and apprehend transnational criminals. International organizations such as Interpol promote the exchange of information through specialized databases and communication channels by sharing information. Law enforcement organizations can submit and access data relating to ongoing investigations, allowing them to identify linkages and patterns across jurisdictions. Furthermore, Law enforcement authorities are working to harmonize laws and legislation concerning internet child sexual exploitation. The latter promotes international cooperation by ensuring that legal frameworks are consistent and enable efficient prosecution and extradition of offenders. For example, agencies may work together to design and implement international treaties addressing online child sexual exploitation. These accords provide a common legal basis for the prosecution of criminals.
Undercover operations are one of the most effective methods used by law enforcement agencies to combat online child sexual exploitation. Officers pose as possible victims or offenders to enter online networks involved in such crimes. Law enforcement can acquire intelligence, identify culprits, and gather evidence for prosecution in this manner. An undercover officer, for example, may pose as a child in a chat room frequented by potential criminals. The officer can identify individuals participating in the grooming or soliciting of children by engaging in conversations and observing the behavior of others (Christensen et al., 2021). Undercover officers establish confidence with suspects through recording discussions and gathering sexual content requests made by offenders.
Conclusion
In summary, online child sexual exploitation is a form of child abuse involving making and distributing materials containing explicit images and videos of children, such as child pornography. Online child sexual abuse may also involve physically engaging children in sexual activity before grooming them. Online sexual abuse of children may take other forms, such as consuming content that sexually portrays children and live streaming information, images, and videos that show how children are abused physically and sexually by offenders. Child online sexual exploitation also exists in the form of sextortion, which involves the offenders blackmailing the victims and their families that they would expose the content if the families did not send them money. Sexual offenders are encouraged to engage in online child sexual exploitation for financial gains as they sell illicit materials like child pornography to make money. Offenders are also motivated by psychological burdens such as prior abuse as children and pressure to inflict physical and mental harm on children by abusing them sexually. International law enforcement agencies and organizations help combat this crime by conducting thorough investigations, apprehending offenders, collaborating with other international organizations, and creating public awareness of online child sexual exploitation.
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