Cyber Talk: Protecting your child from sexual abuse

Here’s all you need to know about the types of offenders and how to report them

Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) refers to any visual depiction, including images or videos, depicting sexually explicit conduct involving a minor, i.e. children under the age of 18. The CSAM is also commonly referred to as child pornography, although the term is considered outdated and has been replaced with ‘child sexual abuse material’ to accurately reflect the abusive nature of the content.

Possessing, distributing, producing, or accessing CSAM is illegal in most countries and is considered a serious criminal offence. There are basically two types of users:

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(a) Malicious Users: Preferential offenders, commercial offenders and situational offenders
(b) Non-Malicious Users: Unintentional offenders, minor non-exploitative users and situational “risky” offenders

According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) of India, in 2021, a total of 1,49,404 cases of crime against children were registered, which is an increase of 16.2 per cent over 2020 (1,28,531 cases). Of the 1,49,404 cases, about 38 per cent are from the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences.

Different forms of child sexual exploitation:

a) Child sexual abuse material refers to the creation, distribution, and possession of sexually explicit images or videos involving children.
b) Child sex tourism occurs when individuals travel to other countries with the intention of engaging in sexual activity with children.
c) Child marriage is a form of sexual exploitation that occurs when children, usually girls, are married off before the age of 18.
d) Children and young people may be forced into engaging in sexual acts against their will, either through threats, manipulation, or violence.

Child Sexual Abuse Framework in India:

a) Legal framework: Possessing, producing, distributing or accessing CSAM is illegal in India under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, which is a specific law designed to protect children from sexual abuse and exploitation.
b) Internet Intermediary Guidelines: In 2021, the GoI introduced new rules called the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, which require online intermediaries, including social media platforms and messaging services, to take measures to detect, remove and report CSAM, among other prohibited content.
c) Efforts and awareness: There are various government bodies and NGOs that work towards creating awareness, prevention and rehabilitation related to CSAM. These efforts include public awareness campaigns, training for law enforcement agencies and initiatives to report and remove CSAM from online platforms.

Preventing CSAM in India:

There are several bodies and organisations in India that are involved in preventing and combating CSAM, including:
a) National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR): A statutory body established under the Commissions for Protection of Child Rights (CPCR) Act, 2005, and responsible for protecting and promoting the rights of children in India.
b) Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD): It is responsible for formulating policies and implementing programmes to prevent and combat CSAM. It works in coordination with other agencies and stakeholders to prevent CSAM, provide support to victims, and promote awareness and education on child protection.
c) Non-governmental organisations (NGOs): Several NGOs in India are actively involved in the prevention and rehabilitation of child victims of sexual abuse.

Helplines to report CSAM:

* Nation Cyber Crime Reporting Helpline: 1930 (cybercrime.gov.in)
* NCPR Complaint Portal: www.ebaalnidan.nic.in/
* Child Line: 1098 (www.childlineindia.org/)
* National Commission for Women Helpline: 7827170170 (www.ncw.nic.in/helplines)
* Mahila Bol Helpline: 0124-4007444, (mahilabol.org/women-helpline/)
* Prajwala Foundation: www.prajwalaindia.com/

Reporting abuse content on social media:

* Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/help/1380418588640631/?helpref=hc_fna
* Instagram: https://help.instagram.com/165828726894770
* Google: https://transparencyreport.google.com/child-sexual-abuse-material/reporting
* Twitter: https://help.twitter.com/en/forms/safety-and-sensitive-content/cse
* YouTube: https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/2802027#report_channel