Following on from our article on point 2 of the EU strategy for a more effective fight against child sexual abuse:

3. Identify legislative gaps, best practices and priority actions

The Child Sexual Abuse Directive does not yet cover all of the measures needed in the fight against child sexual abuse. The Commission is launching a study to identify the relevant legislative and implementation gaps, best practices and priority actions at EU level.

The key questions which this study will ask are:

• whether the current EU legislation solves the issues for which it was put in place; and
• whether there are new issues in relation to these crimes that the current legislation addresses only partially or not at all.
  
  

INHOPE is currently conducting an evaluation of the legislation as it pertains to content, processing in its member countries to identify gaps, strengths, and best practices. This evaluation will contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the variety of methods of operating within the INHOPE network, as well as help identify countries whose legislation may be preventing full hotline functionality.

An area which has seen some of the most radical shifts since the adoption of the Child Sexual Abuse Directive in 2011 is technology.

“Technology has made it easier than ever before for perpetrators to make contact with children, share images of abuse, hide their identity and profits, and conspire with each other to avoid accountability and commit further crimes.” (EU Strategy pg.6)

What technological development or shift in the 9 years since the Directive was passed do you think has had the greatest impact in the fight against Child Sexual Abuse Material?

• End-to-end encryption
• The growth in social media use
• The younger age at which children have access to smart phones
• Mainstream use of cryptocurrencies as a way to facilitate commercial CSAM
  
  

Get in touch at communications@inhope.org.

Read about Point 4 of the EU strategy for a more effective fight against child sexual abuse here.

Source: EU strategy for a more effective fight against child sexual abuse