Online child sexual exploitation is a growing concern around the world and the issue is becoming more severe than ever before. It has never been easier for perpetrators to make contact with innocent children, to share images of abuse and encourage others to commit these hideous crimes.

In the world of child sexual abuse, the waters are always muddied. With new methods of criminal activity arising and a vast array of technological advances to thwart them, it’s a field that is always evolving.

The fact that adults with sexual interest in children would choose to approach these young victims on social media is not a new concept. What has changed in recent years is the quantity of social platforms and how easy, quick and ‘private’ it has become to share images and videos via mobile phones and tablet computers.

Reliance on mobile technology has grown exponentially in the last decade. Our CEO Christian Berg recently tested out the new range mobile devices and innovations at Mobile World Congress and is thrilled by the exciting new possibilities that these new technologies will bring.

No parent would want to see their child hurt or in despair. Yet, thousands of children are being sexually abused every single day. They may be living in foreign countries far far away, being trafficked across the seas, or sitting next door to you in your neighbourhood.

Today, in the UK, it is Child Exploitation Awareness Day – a day that aims to raise awareness of the issues surrounding child sexual abuse. After a number of high profile sexual exploitation cases in the news, the National Working Group felt that it was appropriate to create an awareness day that is dedicated to tackling this problem.

In February, Women’s Weekly in Australia published an in-depth, interesting and horrifying article on child sexual abuse, telling the story of some of the most disturbing cases of child sexual abuse that the world has seen.

Our generation lives and breathes in a world of digital connections. Most of us own more than one mobile device, and are spending more and more time on our smartphone, tablet or laptop for work or personal use. In fact, it has recently been reported that Britons now touch their phones every four minutes throughout the day. It is therefore fitting that the theme of this year’s Mobile World Congress would be “Mobile is Everywhere.”

Crimes against children remains a huge challenge in our society. Worryingly, the number of cases are on the rise and there seems to be no sign of a reversal any time soon.

Digital video content has experienced an explosive growth in the last decade. Our viewing habits have also shifted from TVs to digital devices (laptop, tablet and smartphone). The total video viewing time for UK consumers is on average 212 minutes a day, compared to a global average of 204 minutes and a European average of 173 minutes.

Today is Safer Internet Day in the UK, the aim is to raise awareness of Internet safety and encourage organisations to get involved with promoting the safe, responsible and positive use of digital technology for children and young people.

While the start of February may have passed many of us by, the beginning of an important week should have carried much greater attention. The 1st of February 2016 marked the start of Sexual Abuse & Sexual Violence Awareness Week in the UK. Seven days that are dedicated to improving society’s understanding of the many cases of sexual

As you can gather from Maura Harty and Rich Brown’s blog posts, the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children (ICMEC) and Project VIC are two incredible organisations. Many organisations want to make a difference, but ICMEC and Project VIC truly are, and we could note be prouder to play a part in making the world a safer place for children.

With the release of director Tom McCarthy’s latest film due on January 29 in the UK, the spotlight is well and truly on the subject of child sexual abuse (CSA) right now.

To enact true change, the right tools and proper training is key, but advanced, first-class tools tend to have a price tag that agencies can’t afford.

A recent report by the National Children’s Bureau has called for mandatory status for sex and relationships education (SRE) in all UK schools, following a youth survey which finds child safety is being ‘undermined’ by dramatic variations in what is taught.

As the Law Enforcement and Technology Liaison at the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (ICMEC), I am proud to be one of the driving forces behind Project VIC.

At the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children (ICMEC), we advocate, train and collaborate to eradicate child abduction, sexual abuse and exploitation. And when it comes to protecting society’s most vulnerable citizens, we know the only way to create a safer world is to bring together the best ideas and resources that the public and private sector have to offer.