Displaying items by tag: Child Abuse

In 2023, the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) reported a 27% increase in 'self-generated' child sexual abuse images and videos, marking a disturbing trend involving very young children, including those as young as three years old. The foundation particularly noted a significant rise in the most severe imagery, which involves the worst forms of sexual abuse. Perpetrators are targeting children within the safety of their own homes, manipulating them into producing abusive content through devices commonly found in family settings. Most imagery was captured in children’s bedrooms, often surrounded by innocent items like toys and cartoon-themed bedding. The IWF stresses that 'self-generated' does not imply the child is at fault, but rather highlights the grim reality of grooming and coercion by online predators. It has urged early education about online dangers for children under six and called for significant protective measures from tech companies.

The religious organisation, Jehovah’s Witness, has kept details of molestation accusations against members over the last 25 years at its headquarters known as Bethel. Documentation obtained by The Telegraph newspaper shows that senior officials - known as elders - were asked in the late 1990s to log details of child abuse allegations and forward them on to Bethel in Chelmsford. The instruction to record and keep details of abuse has been repeated multiple times since then. The existence of a database of abuse allegations has already been established in America and Australia, but this is the first time it has been shown to be in Britain. In a statement, the Christian Congregation of the Jehovah’s Witnesses said current child protection policies instruct leaders to ‘make a report to the police wherever it appears that a child is in danger of abuse’. They did not, however, respond when asked if the historical database of allegations had been passed to the authorities.

Vulnerable children in homes run by Calcot Services for Children were abused when staff should have prioritised safeguarding them. Calcot runs eight homes, four schools, and supported living accommodation, making huge profits of 36%, double that of other care providers. Calcot said profits were high because it built up investment. A dozen current and former employees said the company accepted high-risk children because they came with increased funding levels, but did not meet all their needs or keep them safe. Children were groomed for sex, given alcohol, or assaulted by staff. Allegations of child-on-child sexual abuse and suicide attempts were not reported to Ofsted despite an obligation to do so. Employees said vulnerable children were failed. Foster caring is often inappropriate for those who have suffered the worst abuse and neglect. Children's homes are the last resort for young people. Local councils no longer manage care for children with challenging behaviour. Most homes are now run by private companies.

Over eighty complaints of assaults, neglect, and sexual abuse have been made about after-school clubs in the past five years. In one incident, an eight-year-old boy had to clean his younger sister who had special educational needs, after she soiled herself: see The Department for Education says every child should feel safe in such clubs. Parents rely on them, and breakfast clubs, to provide childcare outside school hours. Many are not regulated, as providers do not need to register with Ofsted unless they offer childcare for more than two hours. They can register voluntarily with Ofsted in England, but only 10% are inspected a year, meaning they might not be inspected for nearly a decade. The mother of the two siblings said it was difficult for parents to know about the quality of safeguarding, saying, ‘After-school clubs are blind spots that need to be addressed.’

Praise God for a local public prosecutor who has just secured her 100th conviction against perpetrators of child abuse. IJM has been honoured to work closely with this courageous woman over the last five years. It is grateful to God for leaders like her, who are stepping up to protect children every day, and are very encouraged by her enduring compassion and pursuit of justice. Please continue to pray for this prosecutor's success and safety.

A recent report revealed Bradford social workers turned a blind eye when a 15-year-old grooming victim took part in an Islamic marriage to one of her abusers. One of her social workers even attended the ‘wedding ceremony’. Despite the teenager not being a Muslim, professionals who were meant to protect her allowed the family of her 'husband' to foster her after she became pregnant. The council even paid them for fostering her. The terrified girl was trapped in 'domestic slavery', too scared to leave the controlling relationship, fearing she would be the victim of an honour killing. The report, which makes difficult and distressing reading, found that children suffered abuse no child should have to experience, and some youngsters in Bradford still remain unprotected. The report’s authors said, 'We believe that practice across all agencies is improving, but there is still much more to do.'

A new Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) study indicates internet sex predators are manipulating children to record their own sexual abuse, and that of their friends and siblings. The new research reveals this ‘disturbing’ trend is eight times worse than experts had feared. The IWF is the UK-based charity responsible for finding and removing images and videos of children suffering sexual abuse from use of the internet. The rise in ‘self-generated’ child sexual abuse imagery being created and shared online often occurs after a child has been groomed, bullied, or blackmailed by an adult. Between 28 September and 23 December, 511 self-generated child sexual abuse images and videos assessed in this period were also found to involve siblings. That’s eight images or videos each working day. IWF said the youngest children are the most vulnerable, and often disproportionately suffer the worst kinds of abuse. It often takes place in children’s own bedrooms, when parents think children are safe – playing with their siblings.

The United Nations have declared 2021 the Year for the Elimination of Child Labour. Children are being deprived of their childhood, their potential and their dignity. The worst forms include the sale and trafficking of children. For example trafficked children in Ghana worked longer hours, performed more hazardous work, and were more frequently prevented from attending school than non-trafficked children in the fishing industry. Also trafficked children do not have proper clothing and shelter and are more likely to be beaten. Trafficked girls risk sexual exploitation and forced marriage. Child labour can last for years, leaving children traumatised and robbing them of an education and social mobility. Covid-19 has closed schools, so teachers are not around to notice signs of abuse. An estimated 150 million people are in extreme poverty, creating conditions for child labour in its worst forms.

For months both adults and children, many of whom are working at home, have spent significantly more time online. Now the Internet Watch Foundation reports that images of child abuse images online have increased by almost 50% during lockdown. In the eleven weeks from 23 March its hotline logged 44,809 reports of images, compared with 29,698 last year. The Government has promised to draw up legislation to reduce online harm. The fastest-growing category of images being removed in recent years has been those generated by children after grooming or coercion. The updated figures are likely to renew the debate about how to keep children safe, after months of parents grappling to limit children’s online activity. There are now growing concerns that appropriate draft legislation will be delayed by the pandemic.

A survey showed that Poland's pro-EU opposition has a ten-point lead over the ruling nationalists ahead of European Parliament elections - a sharp turnaround that some analysts linked to a film about sexual abuse scandals in the Catholic Church. The documentary Just Don't Tell Anyone, which shows victims of child abuse confronting priests who had sexually abused them, has shocked Poles. The powerful Catholic Church has close ties with the governing Law and Justice party (PiS). The documentary has been viewed more than 18 million times on YouTube since it was released on 11 May. PiS has responded to public outcry by announcing tougher penalties for child abuse, but it has also stressed that the instances of abuse by priests should not be used as a reason to attack the Catholic Church. PiS sees Catholicism as a key element of Poles' national identity. Some say that the church is too powerful.