Speakers at the 5th Conference of the Virtual Global Taskforce (VGT) agreed on enhancing child protection against online child abuse by educating them and setting up protocols, studies and research.
The speakers of the first two days of the conference shed light on understanding criminal behavior, victims’ care, and the efforts made by countries with regard to child protection.
The conference, which is organized by the Higher Committee for Child Protection at the Ministry of Interior, in cooperation with the VGT, was held under the title ‘International Cooperation: an Enabler for Protection’ and included workshops on child abuse.
The lecturers’ papers at the event focused on victims’ care, while workshops presented information on how to understand the dynamics of targeting victims online. The workshops also addressed stories of victims to help better protect them in the future, as well as the legal tests on evidence of child abuse. The workshops highlighted the importance of establishing protection protocols and reviewed the multi-disciplined local strategies on protecting children against internet dangers.
Todd Hunter, Chief Detective of the Australian Federal Police (AFP), presented a paper on child abuse during tourism in Australia. The paper addressed the role of the AFP in protecting children and the legislations issued in this regard. Dr. Joe Sollivan and Tom Simmons from the UK spoke on behavioral analysis and criminal knowledge used to help law enforcement bodies. This type of analysis refers to enhancing investigation by incorporating information on attackers’ behavior; such information is concluded via research on child-related sexual criminals.
Guillermo Galarza, Program Director at International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children, Virginia, USA, presented a paper under the title ‘Child Pornography: Politics and Legislation.’ He addressed laws that were issued to curtail the spread of child pornography on the internet.
Dr. Victoria Baines, Strategic Advisor, Cybercrime at Europol in Holland, presented a paper under the title ‘Environmental Scan of VGT Conference’. She addressed the tangible increase in research related to criminal cases linked to child abuse during the past years. The paper also referred to the great success achieved by law enforcement institutions to limit such activities. Baines called out for more studies, research and investigations on child abuse.
Mrs. Samia Kazi, Operation Manager at Arabian Child, Dubai, participated with a paper on ‘Abuse on the Internet: Communicating with Children and Families.’ She said that police officers in the United Arab Emirates are playing an essential role in protecting children against online abuse by enforcing related laws and legislations. She also stressed on raising child awareness on risks, which could lead them to become victims.
Major General Al Nuaimi to Zayed University Students:
Your Contributions are Necessary to Empower Child Protection
At a mentoring meeting with Zayed University’s female students of psychology and family specializations, Major General Nasser Lakhrebani Al Nuaimi, Secretary General of the Office of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, and Head of the Higher Committee for Child Protection, said: “We are proud to see female elements studying psychological and family specializations.”
“Children today make up half of the Emirati society,” he added making reference to the fact that more than 50% of the Emirates society members are between 1-15 years old. “This community statistic makes such specializations essential, in order