Study on the Effects of New Information Technologies on the Abuse and Exploitation of Children on the Technologies of New Information Study on the Effects Study on the Effects of New Information Technologies on the Abuse and Exploitation of Children UNITED NATIONS OFFICE ON DRUGS AND CRIME Vienna Study on the Effects of New Information Technologies on the Abuse and Exploitation of Children UNITED NATIONS New York, 2015 © United Nations, May 2015. All rights reserved, worldwide. This report has not been formally edited and remains subject to editorial changes. The contents of this report do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of UNODC or contributory organizations and neither do they imply any endorsement. 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Acknowledgements This report was prepared pursuant to ECOSOC resolution 2011/33 on Prevention, protection and international cooperation against the use of new information technologies to abuse and/or exploit children by Conference Support Section, Organized Crime Branch, Division for Treaty Affairs, UNODC, under the supervision of John Sandage (former Director, Division for Treaty Affairs), Sara Greenblatt and Loide Lungameni (former and current Chief, Organized Crime Branch, respectively), and Gillian Murray (former Chief, Conference Support Section). Study team: Steven Malby, Tejal Jesrani, Tania Bañuelos, Anika Holterhof, Magdalena Hahn (UNODC). Consultant: Kayla Bakshi Experts: The study greatly benefited from the inputs of the following expert practitioners in the fields of law enforcement, prosecution, academia, the private sector and civil society: Maria Teresa Aguirre, Paraguay Omashani Naidoo, South Africa Anjan Bose, ECPAT International Heila Niemand, South Africa John Carr, Online Child Safety Consultant John Peacock, New Zealand Carla Della Donne, Argentina John Penn, Adobe Guillermo Gallarza, International Center for Missing and Cristian Perella, Facebook Exploited Children Anders Persson, Sweden Paul Gillespie, Kids’ Internet Safety Alliance (KINSA) Ethel Quayle, COPINE Project Jorge Luis San Lucas Gonzalez, Ecuador Patrick Redling, Virtual Global Task Force Susie Hargreaves, Internet Watch Foundation Jonathan Rouse, Australia Apichart Hattasin, Thailand Seila Samleang, APLE Cambodia Jenny Jones, GSMA Vanessa Fusco Simoes, Brazil Lata Kallychurn, Mauritius Hana Snajdrova, Organization for Security and Co-operation Carla Licciardello, International Telecommunications Union in Europe (OSCE) (ITU) Clara Sommarin, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Bjørn-Erik Ludvigsen, Norway Oran Sukkasem, Thailand Nelly Montealegre, Mexico Joe Sullivan, Mentor Forensic Services Michael Moran, INTERPOL Daniel Szumilas, Germany Andrew Morling, United Kingdom Janis Wolak, Crimes against Children Research Center The Branch is also grateful for the input of UNODC staff members Margaret Akullo, Adam Palmer, Anna Giudice Saget and Alexandra Souza Martins. iii Contents List of abbreviations . vii Executive summary . ix Opportunities to enhance the fight against ICT-facilitated child abuse and exploitation ........................... xi Introduction . 1 Scope and structure of the study .............................................................................. 3 I . Identifying and describing the problem . 6 Key terms and concepts ...................................................................................... 6 Main forms of ICT-facilitated child abuse and exploitation ...................................................... 8 Cyberenticement, solicitation and online grooming ......................................................... 11 Cyberbullying, cyberharassment and cyberstalking .......................................................... 12 Exposure to harmful content ............................................................................... 13 II . Evaluating the problem . 15 Effects of ICT on common existing forms of child abuse and exploitation ........................................ 15 Enhanced access to victims and to child sexual abuse material ................................................ 15 Increased profits for criminal enterprises .................................................................... 18 Reducing offenders’ risk of detection ........................................................................ 18 Increased levels of harm for victims ......................................................................... 19 Provision of social affirmation for offenders ................................................................. 20 Information and communication technologies as a tool for detection .......................................... 21 New forms of child abuse and exploitation. 21 Made-to-order child sexual abuse material .................................................................. 21 User-generated content and self-generated content, including “sexting” ........................................ 22 Broadcasting of live sex abuse .............................................................................. 22 Victimization risk factors ..................................................................................... 23 Gender and sexual orientation ............................................................................. 23 Prior abuse and family dysfunction . 24 Poverty and migration . 25 Age ....................................................................................................... 25 Risky online behaviour and inattention to online safety and privacy ........................................... 26 Social isolation ............................................................................................ 27 Profile of offenders ........................................................................................... 27 General profile and motivations of offenders ................................................................. 27 Gender ................................................................................................... 30 Age ....................................................................................................... 30 Other demographic characteristics ......................................................................... 31 Technological sophistication ............................................................................... 32 Groups of offenders ....................................................................................... 33 Organized criminal groups ................................................................................. 33 v III . Combating the problem . 36 International instruments ..................................................................................... 36 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) ................................................ 36 The Optional Protocol to the CRC on the sale of children, child prostitution, and child pornography ............ 36 United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime .......................................... 37 The Protocol to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children .......... 38 Guidelines on Justice in Matters involving Child Victims and Witnesses of Crime .............................. 38 Regional instruments ......................................................................................... 38 Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime .............................................................. 38 Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse ..... 38 African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child ....................................................... 39 National laws and policies .................................................................................... 39 Child sexual abuse material ................................................................................ 40 Commercial sexual exploitation of children ................................................................. 43 Cyberenticement, solicitation or online grooming ........................................................... 44 Cyberbullying, stalking and harassment ..................................................................... 45 Limiting children’s exposure to harmful content ............................................................. 45 Investigation of ICT-facilitated child abuse and exploitation .................................................... 45 Image analysis and image databases ......................................................................... 45 Digital forensics ........................................................................................... 46 Automated search ........................................................................................