Pornography driving UK teens towards child abuse material, say experts
Pornography driving UK teens towards child abuse material, say experts The Guardian
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Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Rise in Harmful Sexual Behavior Among Young People
Introduction
Child abuse experts and police are warning that access to increasingly extreme pornography is driving a rise in harmful sexual behavior among young people, from sexting to watching online child abuse.
Impact on Child Sexual Abuse Prevention
One charity that works to prevent child sexual abuse said there had been a 30% increase in under-18s contacting them, and a 26% rise in adults contacting them because they were concerned about the behavior of a young person.
The Role of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Rachel Haynes, a senior practitioner at the charity the Lucy Faithfull Foundation said that since lockdown their Stop It Now! helpline – originally designed for adults – has been called by more teenagers.
“As a service we have seen an increase in under-18s contacting us for support,” she said. “We particularly began to see it when we launched a chat service for adults during lockdown.”
Addressing the Issue: Shore – A Groundbreaking Website
As a result, they have launched a groundbreaking website in the UK aimed at helping teenagers who are worried about their own sexual thoughts or behavior. The site is called Shore and is the first of its kind in Europe and one of only three in the world. It has a chat and email service for teenagers aged 13 to 18, who can get in touch anonymously.
The Alarming Rise in Viewing and Sharing Illegal Child Abuse Material
One of the most alarming developments for the charity and for police has been the rise in minors watching or sharing illegal child abuse material. Since 2020, about two-thirds of the young people who contacted the helpline have spoken about indecent images of children. At present, half of the young callers will be already known to police, but the charity wants to move to earlier intervention.
Contributing Factors and Complex Pathways
Haynes says: “A large proportion of young people we work with have downloaded child sexual abuse material – the pathways they reach that by are complex.
“Porn is a contributing factor – teenagers become desensitized to what they are seeing. Sometimes they have been groomed by adults, or have been sent illegal images during sexualized chats online.”
The Role of SDGs in Combating Harmful Sexual Behavior
DCI Tony Garner leads a specialist online child sexual exploitation team at West Mercia police. He said: “Quite often when we go through a door following intelligence on someone watching or sharing child sexual abuse, we find a teenager. There is a crisis here and it’s being driven by young people having access to very extreme pornography that is changing their brains.
“I think this is a very important and much-needed project.”
The Importance of Shore in Addressing Online Harm
Haynes hopes that Shore will change the lack of opportunity for talking about online harm.
“There is a stigma – young people don’t have spaces where they feel they can talk openly. Often when we speak to them it’s the first time they have spoken about it to anyone,” he said.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being | 3.4: By 2030, reduce by one-third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being | – Increase in under-18s contacting the charity to seek support – Increase in adults contacting the charity due to concerns about the behavior of young people |
| SDG 4: Quality Education | 4.7: By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including among others through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles | – Launch of the Shore website aimed at helping teenagers with their sexual thoughts or behavior |
| SDG 5: Gender Equality | 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation | – Rise in harmful sexual behavior among young people, including sexting and watching online child abuse |
| SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions | 16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and all forms of violence against and torture of children | – Rise in minors watching or sharing illegal child abuse material |
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
The article discusses the rise in harmful sexual behavior among young people, which can have negative impacts on their mental health and well-being.
SDG 4: Quality Education
The article highlights the launch of the Shore website, which aims to provide support and education to teenagers regarding their sexual thoughts or behavior.
SDG 5: Gender Equality
The article mentions the increase in harmful sexual behavior, including sexting and watching online child abuse, which can contribute to gender-based violence and exploitation.
SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
The article discusses the rise in minors watching or sharing illegal child abuse material, which is a form of violence against children and requires strong institutions to address.
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
Target 3.4: By 2030, reduce by one-third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being
The increase in under-18s contacting the charity for support and the rise in adults contacting the charity due to concerns about the behavior of young people indicate a need for prevention and treatment of mental health issues related to harmful sexual behavior.
Target 4.7: By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including among others through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles
The launch of the Shore website aimed at helping teenagers with their sexual thoughts or behavior aligns with the goal of providing education and support to young people.
Target 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation
The increase in harmful sexual behavior among young people, such as sexting and watching online child abuse, highlights the need to address and prevent violence and exploitation.
Target 16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and all forms of violence against and torture of children
The rise in minors watching or sharing illegal child abuse material indicates a need to address and prevent the exploitation and abuse of children.
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
– Increase in under-18s contacting the charity to seek support
– Increase in adults contacting the charity due to concerns about the behavior of young people
– Rise in harmful sexual behavior among young people, including sexting and watching online child abuse
– Rise in minors watching or sharing illegal child abuse material
These indicators can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets by tracking changes in the frequency and nature of these behaviors, as well as the effectiveness of interventions and support services.
4. SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being | 3.4: By 2030, reduce by one-third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being | – Increase in under-18s contacting the charity to seek support – Increase in adults contacting the charity due to concerns about the behavior of young people |
| SDG 4: Quality Education | 4.7: By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including among others through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles | – Launch of the Shore website aimed at helping teenagers with their sexual thoughts or behavior |
| SDG 5: Gender Equality | 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation | – Rise in harmful sexual behavior among young people, including sexting and watching online child abuse |
| SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions | 16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and all forms of violence against and torture of children | – Rise in minors watching or sharing illegal child abuse material |
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Source: theguardian.com
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