Abstract
COVID-19 infection prevention measures have enhanced risks of abuse for children, especially in terms of high vulnerability to technology. Despite the rise in technology-assisted child sexual abuse (TA-CSA), little research has been conducted on Child Healthcare Workers’ perceptions beyond reporting on young people’s experiences. This novel study aims to understand how Childcare Workers perceive technology-assisted child sexual abuse, risks, impacts, therapeutics, and perceptions of need. Qualitative research methodology was used for the study. Child healthcare workers volunteering to participate in the study were approached by a purposive sampling strategy and interviewed in person. Field notes were taken to record the conversation. Grounded theory approach was used to analyze the results to eliminate bias associated with presumptive knowledge from literature. Participants reported an exponential rise in cases of TA-CSA during the COVID-19 pandemic. Impacts of TA-CSA such as self-blame, fear of offender, and inability to manage emotions were the most common and peculiar aspects of TA-CSA in this population. Though the childcare workers recognized the risks and impacts of TA-CSA, they were unaware of the need for distinct frameworks and therapeutic approaches essential for handling cases of TA-CSA. Complexities in TA-CSA necessitate an algorithm in addressing TA-CSA as a separate entity. Therapy should be focused on the specific impacts of TA-CSA. Further, the observations of the study stipulate the exigent shift in community perspective from blaming the victim to shaming the offender.
References
Interpol. COVID-19 - Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse: Threats and Trends. [Internet]. 2020 [cited 2024 Feb 25]. Available from: https://www.interpol.int/content/download/15611/file/COVID19%20-%20Child%20Sexual%20Exploitation%20and%20Abuse%20threats%20and%20trends.pdf
Norwegian Centre for Violence and Traumatic Stress Studies (NKVTS). Rapport 2-20 [Internet]. 2020 [cited 2024 Feb 25]. Available from: https://www.nkvts.no/content/uploads/2020/12/Rapport_2-20.pdf
ECPAT. ECPAT Hotline-rapport. 2019. Available from: https://www.ecpat.se/uploads/ECPAT_Hotline-rapport_2019.pdf.
ORF Online. How India is protecting its children online. [Internet]. Available from: https://www.orfonline.org/expert-speak/how-india-is-protecting-its-children-online.
World Health Organization. Report of the Consultation on Child Abuse Prevention: 29-31 March 1999, WHO Geneva. [Internet]. Geneva: World Health Organization; 1999 [cited 2024 Feb 25]. Available from: https://search.worldcat.org/title/Report-of-the-consultation-on-child-abuse-prevention-:-29-31-March-1999-WHO-Geneva/oclc/42813956.
Ali S., Paash A.S. A systematic review of the technology enabled child sexual abuse (OCSA) & its impacts. J Leg Ethical Regul Issues. 2021; 25 (S5): 1-18.
Vaish S., Fayaz I. Child sexual abuse in India during COVID-19. IAHRW Int J Soc Sci Rev. 2021; 9 (3): 173-178.
Jonsson L.S., Fredlund C., Priebe G., Wadsby M., Svedin C.G. Online sexual abuse of adolescents by a perpetrator met online: a cross-sectional study. Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health. 2019 Aug 24; 13: 32. doi: 10.1186/s13034-019-0292-1
Arata C.M. Child sexual abuse and sexual revictimization. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice. 2002; 9 (2): 135-164. https://doi.org/10.1093/clipsy.9.2.135
Boney-McCoy S., Finkelhor D. Psychosocial sequelae of violent victimization in a national youth sample. J Consult Clin Psychol. 1995 Oct; 63 (5): 726-36. doi: 10.1037//0022-006x.63.5.726.
Hillberg T., Hamilton-Giachritsis C., Dixon L. Review of meta-analyses on the association between child sexual abuse and adult mental health difficulties: a systematic approach. Trauma Violence Abuse. 2011 Jan; 12 (1): 38-49. doi: 10.1177/1524838010386812
Save the Children Sweden. Why Didn't They Tell Us? Stockholm, Sweden: Save the Children Sweden; 2003. Available from: https://cdn.icmec.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Why-Didnt-They-Tell-Us-Save-the-Children-Sweden-2003.pdf.
Rancher C., McDonald R., Kamata A., Jackson M., Jouriles E.N. Self-blame in adolescents who have been sexually abused: factor structure and differential correlates of abuse-specific and global measures. Assessment. 2021 Jun 30:10731911211027632. doi: 10.1177/10731911211027632.
Von Weiler J., Haardt-Becker A., Schulte S. Care and treatment of child victims of child pornographic exploitation (CPE) in Germany. J Sex Aggress. 2010; 16 (2): 211-222.
Hanson E. Promising therapeutic approaches for children, young people and their families following online sexual abuse. In: Brown J, editor. Online risk to children: Impact, protection and prevention. Wiley Blackwell; 2017. p. 97-122.
Comments
![Creative Commons License](http://i.creativecommons.org/l/by-nc-sa/4.0/88x31.png)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) 2024 CC-BY-NC-SA 4.0