1. Barbara Richardson-Todd
Abuse via Technology
Modern technology and lifestyles mean that most young people and even many children as young as five years old have unsupervised access to the internet, and while this brings great opportunities for education and entertainment it also carries dangers of exploitation including child abuse.
Barbara Richardson-Todd

2. Today, such technologies form a large part of many young people’s world. There are websites allowing young people to talk to other people on the web: blogs, instant message services, s, social networking sites, gaming sites, consoles and virtual worlds; chat rooms buzz with instant conversations and immediate replies. Online message boards and forums allow questions or comments to be posted and other users are requested to give their opinion. Internet – s, social networking sites
facebook, twitter, chat rooms,
Instant messaging
Tablets
Games consoles
Digital cameras
X Box Wii
Play Station
Mobile phones – sexting,
The act of sending sexually explicit messages or intimate photos electronically, primarily between mobile phones
The motives may be innocently sending an image to a friend, or intending to embarrass and humiliate someone, can be a bullying tool
This behaviour is not often reported

3. Technological Abuse
Abusive images of children (although these are not confined to the Internet).
A child or young person being groomed for the purpose of sexual abuse.
Exposure to pornographic or other offensive material on the Internet.
Cyberbullying
Internet abuse
Relates to three main areas of sexual abuse to children:
Utilising the internet/other communication devices to access and distribute indecent images of children
2 Using internet chat rooms, discussion forums and bulletin boards to contact and groom children. In such situations an adult may sometimes pose as a child in order to make initial contact – enticing the victim into abusive relationships or into making pornographic images for distribution or to perform sexual acts for a webcam.
3. Exposing children to pornographic/inappropriate images
And also
Use of technology by children to bully or intimidate other children e.g. assaulting a child and distributing the images by mobile phone.
3 Exposing children to pornographic/inappropriate images
Sexual Abuse: "Sexual abuse involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, not necessarily involving a high level of violence, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. The activities may involve physical contact, including assault by penetration (for example, rape or oral sex) or non-penetrative acts such as masturbation, kissing, rubbing and touching outside of clothing. They may also include non-contact activities, such as involving children in looking at, or in the production of, sexual images, watching sexual activities, encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways, or grooming a child in preparation for abuse (including via the internet). Sexual abuse is not solely perpetrated by adult males. Women can also commit acts of sexual abuse, as can other children." (Working Together to Safeguard Children 2010, para 1.35, p 38.)
Abusive Images of Children: "Any representation, by whatever means, of a child engaged in real or simulated explicit sexual activities or any representation of the sexual parts of the child for primarily sexual purposes." (Optional Protocol to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, 2002.)
To obtain or produce indecent images of a child or young person necessitates the sexual abuse of that child or young person.
Child abuse through abusive images is not solely tied to the Internet.
Grooming of a Child/Young Person:
This refers to where a person establishes contact with the child or young person and gains their trust and confidence in order to meet and sexually abuse them.
Grooming is not solely tied to the Internet.

4. Cyberbullying
Being cruel to others by sending or posting harmful material using technological means;
an individual or group that uses information and communication involving electronic technologies to facilitate deliberate and repeated harassment or threat to an individual or group.
Receiving unwanted or upsetting text or messages or images.
Sending bullying messages or posting malicious details about others.

5. Differences BULLYING DIRECT Occurs on school property
Poor relationships
with teachers
Fear retribution
Physical: Hitting, Punching & Shoving
Verbal: Teasing, Name calling & Gossip
Nonverbal: Use of gestures & Exclusion
CYBERBULLYING
ANONYMOUS
Occurs off
school property
Good relationships with teachers
Fear loss of technology privileges
Further under the radar than bullying
Emotional reactions cannot be determined
{McKenna & Bargh, 2004; Ybarra & Mitchell, 2004}

6. WHAT Viewing adult pornography
Abused through prostitution and/or trafficking – abusers use the Internet and mobile phones to control their victims
Made the subjects of abusive images
Groomed online and abused offline and/or online
Made the subjects of abusive images, groomed online and abused online and or offline
Young people displaying sexually harmful behaviours online
Young people presenting as gay, lesbian or bi-sexual online who are groomed online and sexually abused offline
Living in a household where a family member has been apprehended for viewing child abuse images
What are the things that might be happening?
Viewing or receiving socially unacceptable material such as inciting hatred or violence.
Being “groomed” by an adult with a view to meeting the child or young person for their own illegal purposes including sex, drugs, or crime.

7. Concerns
• Becoming secretive about where they are going to or who they are meeting.
• Will not let you see what they are accessing online.
• Using a webcam in a closed area, away from other people.
• Accessing the web or using a mobile or tablet for long periods and at all hours.
• Clears the computer history every time they use it.
• Receives unexpected money or gifts from people you don’t know.
Parents and teachers need to be aware of a child or young person who is accessing age inappropriate or illegal websites.
Grooming scenario - Find out as much as they can about their potential victim, establish the risk and likelihood of child telling find out about child’s family and social network if “safe enough” will isolate their victim – may use flattery and promises or threats and blackmail – and get control
Give false information, including false self images
Also be concerned about an adult who:
• Befriends a child/ren or young person/people on the internet or by text messaging.
• Has links to children or young people on their Facebook or other social network site; especially if they work in a position of trust such as a sports coach or youth worker.

8. Who is Vulnerable? There are few common indicators of vulnerability
It seems to be more about the stage of development of the child starting around 11 to 12 years of age
It may affect children of any age, sex and ethnicity
The risks are often from people known to them
The internet can be a fantasy world where anyone can escape from the issues of reality. Children can act like adults to feel mature and groomers (or internet seducers) don’t need to worry about being suspicious and both can build any online persona they wish. These technologies are often easily accessible, hidden and quick, provide an effortless way of communication and can act as a conduit for abusers. Many young people are putting themselves in dangerous situations and engaging with online “friends” who may not be who they say they are and are leaving themselves open to being bullied or abused.
“The internet is possibly the greatest social experiment of all time but one in which children can be the sacrificial guinea pigs. I use the analogy of a loaded gun. No one warned us about it yet they blamed us when the kids started to shoot themselves”
(Mary Kozakiewicz, in an interview with Mary Wark  (2)).

9. Findings from Clinical Practice GIRLS
Victims are most unlikely to report the abuse that had occurred
Most say they would not have told anyone of the abuse had it not been discovered
5 reasons for not telling
All gave minimal information on initial interview with police – many denied
Talking in any detail about what happened is very difficult
Shame, guilt, feeling conned, broken hearted
Formed online relationships with the offenders when 12/13
Age when abuse was discovered 14/15
Very few present with a history of troubled backgrounds
Recovery is a long haul – role of family cannot be under-estimated
5 reasons for not telling
Highly sexualised nature of the language used by the young women,
Feelings of complicity
Lying about their age
Emotional dependency on online “boyfriend”
Fear of peer group and family responses to what they had done – nb. “grooming”
The internet is a weird version of the real world where you can do everything
Groomers don’t have to worry about seeming suspicious
Children can act like adults
I used people online to make me feel good
Girls use groomers to make them feel mature – groomers use girls for sex – it’s mutual using of one another
Girls get involved with men because nothing much seems to be happening when you’re but you want to be older
The most talkative (girls) online are the quietest offline
The most normal (man) online is a real weirdo offline
We rarely talk about our behaviour online – kind of embarrassing”

10. Findings - BOYS
Few facilities in the off-line environment for them – the internet is their refuge
12/13 when first encountered abusers
Relief that there’s someone else “like them”
Eager and needy for relationships
Multiple engagements with abusing men
Reinforcement given through experiencing sex and a belief that their “friend/lover” understands them whereas their family and others around them don’t
Start coming out of the abyss around 16/17 years
Boys presenting as gay and bi-sexual
“I would never have told anyone if the police hadn’t come knocking at our door. It turned out that they had arrested the bloke I was friends with online and had traced me through examining his computer. First off, I said they’d got the wrong person….I was terrified my mum and dad would know what I had been talking about….you don’t even talk to your friends about what you say online….somehow it seems a different world….one in which I can act like I’m 22 when I’m actually only 14”

11. Barriers to effective listening and to asking the relevant questions
The Adult
Own pain, experiences,
memories, sexuality.
View of child/alleged abuser .
Values, attitudes, beliefs
Pity, Horror, Shame, Distress,
Embarrassment, Anger, Disgust,
Uncertainty
Will I cope? Will I make it worse?
Is it true? What next?
Practicalities ( time, other responsibilities etc.),
Knowledge, Skills, Confidence, Legislation, Language,
Support available, Possible repercussions.
Personal
Feelings
Doubts
Professional

12. What can be done? Talking to them about safety online,
Supervise internet sessions and regularly check what children are doing online,
Only allow use of certain websites, in a certain location/room, for a certain amount of time, at certain times of the day
Check use of social networking sites,
Don’t allow use of ‘chat’ programmes
Use special software to filter / block access,
Ensure access is password protected.
Children need to be taught about the risks and how to stay safe online.  They need to learn how people behave online and how they themselves should behave to avoid these risks. Children should be helped to deal with what they may come across online and they need the knowledge and skills to build up resilience to the things they find online.
Parents can help their children by:
Talking to children and young people about what they are accessing on line.
• Keep the computer/s in a general space where we can monitor what is going on.
• Explain the risks of giving out personal details online.
• Talk about how people can be anyone they want to be online: by using misleading s, photographs of other people, telling lies about their age, school, hobbies.
• Encourage children and young people to think carefully about which photographs or videos they use on line this material can be used and tampered with by other people, or they may not be appropriate.
• Advise children and young people to only text, chat or webcam to people they know for real.
• Talk about how to identify and how to delete messages from people they do not know, or opening attachments.
• Discuss how people hide their identities online and the importance of never meeting new online “friends” for real.
• Make sure children and young people understand they can talk to us or their parents and/or carers about anything that makes them feel uncomfortable.
• Look on the internet together for information about how to deal with, or report, problems.
• Talk about how, when information or images get onto the net, they can never be erased or retrieved.

13. If abused what can be done?
The young person needs to be believed
They need to be in a safe place
They need to be protected from contact with the perpetrator
Continuity and consistency of key workers is essential – they can act as role models
Children need to live in an environment where they know that they will be heard if they say what is happening to them. If they were close to the person who is the cause of their abuse, for example, a trusted adult in their lives, they need to know that the person will be answerable for what they have done but will receive help. Children need to be reassured that they will not have to spend periods of their childhood in emotional and physical pain without receiving help and that they will not be labelled troublesome or difficult

14. TOP TIPS for Young People
• IF you haven’t met them in real life don’t link
to them.
• Use a nickname online
• Meeting up with an online friend can be dangerous
• ALWAYS have a good look at the privacy settings
• Look out for your friends online
• Delete chain-mails - they're just rubbish.
Treat online space with respect – only allow your real life
friends to link to you…if you haven’t met them in real life don’t link
to them.
Use a nickname online (not your real name) and a nickname that is
not going to attract the wrong type of attention!
Meeting up with an online friend can be dangerous – if you really
have to meet up with them speak to an adult and make sure that
they go with you.
ALWAYS have a good look at the privacy settings of any spaces you
post personal information on and make sure you know who can
see or copy your stuff!
Look out for your friends online and do something if you think they
are at risk.

15. The internet is a wonderful resource and can be a great way to meet and talk to other people, but young people need to know that care must be taken not to pass on any personal details. Internet users can pretend to be anyone they like; they can lie about their age, their interests and whether they're male or female. However long they have been a “friend” on the internet, they are still strangers in reality and an unknown quantity.

16. Online Protection Centre (CEOP)
The Child Exploitation and
Online Protection Centre (CEOP)
is working to protect young people online by posting an icon on certain websites;  by clicking on this button help or advice can be  gained or suspicious behaviour reported.
Finally, to quote a mother’s perspective:
“What parents have to realise is that the internet is the focus of our children’s lives. What they are doing online is the same thing that everyone is doing: they’re seeking love, attention, they’re bored. Anything that they can’t do in real life they can do online, and engaging in a virtual world is now part of their growing up. If
they have a bad day they can go online and be somebody else. If you are 12 and have braces you can go online and be 23 and a femme fatale. It’s a game, it’s fun, whatever’s offered to them they grab without thinking. Some parents find it hard to understand their children’s growing awareness of their sexuality but our kids are sexually aware, they see sexualised adds every day, they talk about sex on the internet. All we can do is make our children aware that the dangers out there are very real and that this can happen to them.”

17. Marie Collins Foundation
Acknowledgement
Tink Palmer, CEO
Marie Collins Foundation