SWEDEN The internet is one of the most important social arenas for children and youth today. But there are risks; online abuse of sexual character against children is becoming more and more common. With support of Childhood and TeliaSonera, the child psychiatric unit BUP Elefanten in Sweden is conducting a project aiming to raise knowledge about the problem.

 

With the development of the internet, a whole new type of sexual abuse and exploitation of children is on the rise. Since very little research has been done in this field, there are very few specific methods for treating child victims of online abuse.

 

– These children are very vulnerable. They have been sexually violated and the abuse is often documented through photos. Because of this ongoing exposure, it´s impossible to talk about a beginning and an end of the abuse. The child has to go on living, knowing that these photos can be copied an unlimited number of times, seen by millions of people, and they stay on the internet forever, says Linda Jonsson, social worker at BUP Elefanten, a child psychiatric unit specialised in treatment for children and adolescents who have been sexually- and/or physically abused.

 

Linda Jonsson is managing the Online project, which started two years ago aiming to investigate how children and adolescents are affected by internet-related abuse.

 

Abuse and sexual violations over the internet take many forms, Linda Jonsson states. Bullying with sexual character is one example, such as school children photographing each other with their mobile phones in the shower after gym class. When the photos are put on the internet, they are suddenly available to be viewed by the whole school. Another example is teenagers posing naked in front of their web cameras, in exchange for money or other forms of compensation.

 

Children who have gotten to know someone over the internet sometimes also become sexually abused when they meet the person in real life.

 

– Even if such abuse happens, it is more common that the child has made a deal with the violator. The child is aware of that sex is going to take place. We have seen everything from children in poor families wanting to earn money for their parents, to children needing money for a new pair of sneakers, says Linda Jonsson. Often a child feels guilty and afraid of telling of this kind of abuse because they believe that they have taken an active part in the abuse themselves and feels responsible.

 

Running on its third year, the Online project has lead to greater knowledge about the characterization of online abuse. Linda Jonsson has made interviews with child therapists all over Sweden to find out how these so called “online children” are treated. A psychiatrist at BUP Elefanten is also treating child victims of online abuse. The goal is to create guidelines for the treatment of these children.

 

– Children exposed to abuse hardly ever tell about it. A year ago, we didn´t have any online children at BUP Elefanten, since we didn´t know where to find them and because we didn´t know how to ask the relevant questions, says Linda Jonsson.

 

She is noticing that the interest in obtaining more information about internet-related abuse is growing rapidly. An important part of the Online project is to create a network in Sweden and internationally to gather experiences and knowledge. In February 2009 a large international conference will be held in Sweden, and at the end of 2009, a report with results from the project will be presented.

 

As a part of TeliaSonera´s collaboration with World Childhood Foundation, the company financially is supporting the online project. TeliaSonera is also contributing additional financial support.

 

– The internet can be used for many good causes, such as buying tickets, paying bills and chatting. But there are negative aspects, and we want to address them as well, says Patrik Hiselius, Senior Advisor, Public Affairs at TeliaSonera.

 

– As an internet supplier, he adds, TeliaSonera can´t be held responsible for bad things happening on the internet, but we can contribute in different ways to gathering knowledge about online abuse.

 

The support from Childhood and TeliaSonera is crucial for the Online project, Linda Jonsson states.

 

– Without this financial contribution the project wouldn´t be possible. In the public sector, there is no money for this kind of research.

 

Author: Maja Svenonius

 

More information:

BUP Elefanten