Today’s visual showcase (Monday, October 13) in Brussel’s European Quarter invites the public to experience an empty schoolroom symbolizing the European children whose lives have been blighted by sexual abuse, online and offline, because of political inaction.
Children like Alba, from Sweden, who was groomed and sexually exploited online at age nine, or the group of girls from Belgium and the Netherlands who were targeted by a predator on a social media platform and subsequently raped, show the real-life impact of legislative delays.
Their stories will be central to Thursday’s (October 16) high-level discussion with EU policymakers, civil society, young people and industry representatives, aimed at breaking the legislative deadlock and moving toward concrete solutions.
Balanced and effective EU laws are crucial in the battle to stop child sexual abuse online. Decision-makers and platforms have a duty to ensure that the internet is not a safe haven for criminals to target children and share child sexual abuse material. The privacy and safety of children is paramount.
Balanced and effective EU laws are crucial in the battle to stop child sexual abuse online.
Children and survivors of abuse are seen everywhere online, but their calls for help have too often gone unheard. We are listening — but we need our policymakers to urgently act and pass the essential laws needed to protect children against sexual abuse, online and offline. The EU has the means to stop this harm, and we cannot let the opportunity slip away.
Find out how you can support children and victims on the ECLAG website.