Internet Day: alert of the large increase in cases of digital violence against children and adolescents

On the occasion of World Internet Day, the Anar Foundation (Aid to Children and Adolescents at Risk) has announced its 'Decalogue on the Digital Rights of Children and Adolescents', to emphasize the importance of a secure digital environment for the full development of our children before a large increase in 2018 of violence against minors related to technology.

They warn that the use of the Internet has led to the appearance of 'grooming' or 'sexting' and aggravated others such as violence for control in gender-based violence, cyberbullying in bullying, addictions (technologies, online games ...) or in self-harm and suicidal ideas, anorexia and bulimia.

Data on digital violence in minors

According to the Anar Foundation, the digital rights charter is fundamental, in response to the alarming increase in the involvement of technology in the different types of violence against minors. The figures correspond to the cases attended by Anar during 2018 and are an advance of the 'Annual Telephone Report and the ANAR Chat'. Here are the most representative, according to the total number of calls received.

  • Bullying: The term 'cyberbullying' refers to psychological harassment among children and adolescents through the Internet. It has its origin in the term 'bullying', an English word that designates bullying or bullying.

The big problem with this type of bullying is that it never ends and those affected cannot rest even at school, because the Internet is available 24 hours a day.

According to the latest UNICEF report, one in five boys and one in seven girls between 12 and 16 are involved in some case of 'cyberbullying'.

Anar answered in 2018 36,428 calls of General Orientation and 3,702 of special orientation, in which technology was involved.

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  • Gender Violence: Twenty women have been killed by their partners or ex-partners from January 1 to May 13, 2019, 995 since they began counting in 2003. If in doubt it is a scourge to fight with all our strength. But there are other silent victims of gender-based violence: children, who live in situations that they should not live and that sometimes end up losing their lives at the hands of abusers. In 2018, according to the NGO Save the Children, eight children killed by fathers and four by their mothers died.

The Anar Foundation confirms in 2018, 21,952 General Guidance calls regarding gender violence, of which 2,770 were of special orientation, 12.6% more than the previous year.

Of the 2,770, in 2,327 gender violence was in the family environment and the remaining 443 calls refer to the violence that a teenager is suffering from her partner or sentimental ex-partner (13.2% more than in 2017).

  • Ideation / Attempt Suicide: According to sources from the INE (National Institute of Statistics) in 2017 suicide was the cause of the death of 286 people between 15 and 29 years. In fact, it is the second leading cause of death at these ages, behind tumors. And the harassment they receive on social networks or their eagerness to fit the prototype marked by the influencer, may be behind the problem today.

Anar received 6,861 General Orientation calls, of which 2,038 required special guidance because the minors had attempted or thought about committing suicide. It represents 24.3% more than the previous year.

  • Self-harm: It seems one nightmare after another, because from time to time new challenges appear on social networks encouraging our children to self-harm, such as the serious case of 'Momo', to the point that YouTube has had to ban all those that involve minors

Related to self-harm, Anar has answered 5,481 General Orientation calls. Of these, 1,170 required special guidance because minors were self-injured due to psychological problems. It represents an increase of 24% compared to 2017.

  • Sexting: It consists of sending, through new technologies, intimate images of a sexual nature and voluntarily by the person who stars in them. This practice has potential derived risks, since the images can fall into bad hands and be used for pornographic purposes.

Anar acknowledges having received 1,222 General Orientation calls, of which 76 have been of special orientation due to sexting situations. An increase of 52.0% over the previous year.

  • Grooming: Pedophiles use social networks to contact children, posing as other minors or pretending empathy and affection, to gain their trust. These 'groomers' seek their sexual satisfaction, which is sometimes the prelude to sexual abuse.

Although the legislation in Spain indicates fourteen years as a minimum age to be part of social networks, the truth is that since there is no sure way to guarantee the age at the time of access, there are many children under that age present in Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and other networks accounts. And from there, the figure goes off: Nine out of ten teenagers between 14 and 16 have a social media profile.

According to Anar, 1,064 minors called denouncing a possible grooming and of them, 161 needed specific help. They represent 419.3% more than in 2017.

  • Technology addiction: Teenagers spend the hours stuck to the screen, to the point that they get hooked on mobile or online games, with consequences of addiction as serious as alcohol or drugs.

According to data from the Ministry of Health, 18% of young people between 14 and 18 years of age use the Internet compulsively. It is not about addicts, but they say they cannot spend much time without connecting to the Internet or social networks and that not doing so causes them anxiety or discomfort.

Concern for this phenomenon is such that 'addictions without substance', such as new technologies, games or video games, have been included in the National Strategy of Addictions of the Ministry of Health.

Related to the topic, Anar has received 496 General Orientation calls, of which 161 have needed special guidance.

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  • Pornography: We may think that our son does not watch pornography on the Internet, but the figures show the opposite: in Spain they see her since she was 10 years old and 35% of those between 13 and 14 years old claim to see her "too many times". And with the negative repercussions that this practice has.

Benjamín Ballesteros, program director of Fundación ANAR, warns that:

“The use of pornography at an early age when the child is in full development, he or she can be highly harmful, can generate addiction and prevent children in their adult lives from having healthy sexual relations. And he adds that, in addition, it influences the macho concept of women as an object of use for the satisfaction of men and victims of gender violence. "

Of the 355 calls Anar received on the subject, 24 calls have been of special orientation for cases of prostitution of minors, 14.2% more than in 2017.

'Decalogue on the Digital Rights of Children and Adolescents'

I. On the best interests of the minor

Any service of the information society or technological device aimed at children or adolescents, or capable of being used by them, will guarantee the protection of the best interests of the child and their fundamental rights.

II. On the right to health and safety

Minors have the right to a digital environment in which they are protected against any type of violence or abuse carried out through or through technology.

Minors have the right to be protected from content that may harm their physical, mental or moral development, such as gratuitous violence, pornography or those that may promote self-harm, suicidal ideas or risk situations.

Minors have the right to the safety of the devices and technology they use, and it must be guaranteed that their use does not imply a physical risk, nor for their rights.

III. On the right to privacy and its image

Minors have the right to honor, privacy and self-image. It also includes the secret of your digital communications.

This right violates any use of your image or your data, in any digital channel, which may imply impairment of your honor or reputation, or that is contrary to your interests, even if the consent of the minor or his legal representatives.

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IV. On the right to personal data protection and the right to be forgotten

Minors, regarding the processing of their personal data, have access rights, rectification, opposition, deletion (right to be forgotten on social networks), limitation of processing and portability. It must be ensured that they can exercise them, either directly or through their legal representatives.

These rights include that you must have your consent, or that of your legal representatives, for the publication or dissemination of your personal data or your image through social media services or equivalent services.

It also includes the right to forget Internet searches and social networks, making it possible for them to erase their 'fingerprint' (their history on the Internet) when they consider it.

V. On the right to access the Internet

Minors have the right to access the Internet and information technologies without any discrimination based on family income, geographical area, disability or any other reason.

At the same time, this access to technologies must be supervised by his parents, guardians or legal representatives, ensuring that the contents and devices he is going to access are not harmful to him or others.

SAW. On the right to information and education

Minors have the right to access information and education through the Internet and technological means.

It will be ensured that the information received by minors is truthful, plural and respectful of constitutional principles. Minors have the right to receive sufficient and necessary information on the responsible and appropriate use of technologies.

VII. On the right to be heard and heard

Minors have the right to be heard through the Children's Help Lines (in Spain, Telephone and ANAR Chat) so that any child at risk knows that this resource exists and access it whenever they need.

VIII. About the right of participation

Minors have the right to participate and express their opinion in matters that affect them. The use of technologies for the full development of this right will be enhanced.

It includes the right to freedom of association and to hold meetings for peaceful purposes in the digital environment.

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IX. On the right to freedom of expression

Minors have the right to freely express their opinions and ideas through technological means, with the only limits set by international standards for respect for the rights and reputation of others. This right includes freedom of thought, conscience and religion.

X. On the right to leisure, play and culture

Minors have the right to recreation, play and recreational activities of their own age, also through technological means.

The access of minors to culture and the arts must be promoted, enhancing the opportunities of technology for this.

Minors have the right to receive sufficient and necessary information on the responsible and appropriate use of technologies.

Photos | iStock

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