Staff Reporter
IN the past year alone, an estimate of 20 000 children between the ages of 12 and 17 were subjected to online sexual exploitation and abuse in Namibia – some of these cases involved the sharing of sexual photos of minors without permission.
This was revealed by the recently-launched Disrupting Harm report, which was compiled by the Ministry of Gender Equality, Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare in collaboration with the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF).
The report is part of a series that aims to present the perspective of young people, government representatives and service providers with regards to the online sexual exploitation and abuse of children (OCSEA).
According to the report, the estimated 20 000 children who were subjected to online sexual exploitation and abuse, represents 9% of internet users aged 12 to 17. The survey found that some children were blackmailed to engage in sexual activities or coerced into engaging in sexual activities through the promise of money and gifts.
The report further revealed that 5% of the surveyed children who were subjected to OCSEA said that they were offered money or gifts in return for sexual images or videos. The same proportion, the report indicated, also said that sexual images of them were shared without their permission in the past year.
Furthermore, 7% of internet-using children between the ages of 15 and 17 said that they accepted money or gifts in exchange for sexual images or videos of themselves during the past year.
The report found that about 80% of the perpetrators were already known to the children. In most cases, the perpetrators were their intimate partners, adult friends and family members. This, the report indicated, is consistent with evidence concerning violence against children in offline settings as well.
The report also revealed that between 16% and 40% of the surveyed children who were subjected to OCSEA did not tell anyone and those who disclosed typically confided in a friend. According to the report, the minority confided in a caregiver and about 0% to 4% accessed formal reporting mechanisms such as the police, social workers or helplines.
This, the report found, is due to a sensitivity regarding the topic, prevailing practices about how to deal with such matters and a distrust of the justice system. A lack of awareness was also highlighted as a main reason for a reluctance to report OCSEA cases.
OCSEA cases can be reported to two police units: The Gender-Based Violence Protection Units and the Cybercrime Unit. Besides this, the Office of the First Lady also operates as a place to report OCSEA-related crimes. Reports can also be made to the Internet Watch Foundation online reporting portal, where an expert analyst will use a global network of partners to remove an illegal image or video.
Survivors of OCSEA can also contact Lifeline/Childline at 061 232 221, or reach out to the 116 Child Helpline or the 106 Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Helpline.
File photo for illustrative purposes only.
