Danielle Jones

Society, Health and Childhood (B&FC) | Year 4 | Degree: BA Family Support and Well-Being

Is social media making it more challenging for professionals to protect children and young people from Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE)?

Despite legislation recognising Child Sexual Exploitation as a crime (Scott et al, 2019), the aim of this article is to discover if social media is making it more challenging for professionals to protect children and young people from Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) whilst identifying what support and training is offered to professionals, victims, and families. Livingston and Smith (2014) also identify the benefits but also the risk of harm associated with online content or contact. The Impact of CSE can have long-term effects on a child’s wellbeing and mental health lasting into their adulthood and often their entire life. There is a range of implications, for example, mental health problems, a criminal record, drug and alcohol addiction/ substance abuse, and suicidal thoughts/ attempts (Berelowitz et al, 2012; Parents against child sexual abuse, 2013; Safe and Sound, 2013; NSPCC, 2021).

A study of professionals that work in the field will identify issues professionals are facing with protecting vulnerable children and evaluate the effects of social media on children and the impact, either positive or negative, this has on the supporting profession. Furthermore, an understanding what access and support there is available on social media for children and young people will be explored. CSE can happen online and offline; when sexual exploitation happens online it can involve conversations, for example, sexting, voice notes, and calls, these conversations could also include sending and receiving explicit images, video calls, and webcams (Hamilton-Giachritsis et al, 2017). According to a study by Child Wise, most children own a mobile phone by the age of seven and have access to or own a mobile device/tablet having access to the internet from an earlier age (cited in Foster, 2021). Both qualitative and quantitative methods (mixed methods) will be used to gather data to reach as many professionals as possible in the timeframes given as Wright (2017) states online surveys are much faster and easier for researchers to obtain data. Researchers also concur that surveys are a good way to obtain data from professionals with similar characteristics (Bachmarn and Elfrink, 1996; Yun and Trumbo, 2020).

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Danielle Jones

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Danielle Jones

Society, Health and Childhood (B&FC) | Year 4 | Degree: BA Family Support and Well-Being

Is social media making it more challenging for professionals to protect children and young people from Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE)?

Introduction

Despite legislation recognising Child Sexual Exploitation as a crime from 2009, there is still a lot more work required (Scott et al, 2019).

The Impact of CSE can have long-term effects on a child’s wellbeing and mental health lasting into their adulthood and often their entire life. According to Hamilton-Giachritsis et al (2017), it has been suggested that online CSE can have just as much of an impact on a child as it does offline. Munro (2011) and Hamilton-Giachritsis et al (2017) believe that digital technology is making it easier to be always contacted, and contacting a child at night increases the abuser’s control and influence over a child.

This can lead to a range of implications, for example, mental health problems, a criminal record, drug and alcohol addiction/ substance abuse, and suicidal thoughts/ attempts (Berelowitz et al, 2012; Parents Against Child Sexual Abuse, 2013; Safe and Sound, 2013; NSPCC, 2021).

Aims of the study

1. To identify issues professionals are facing with protecting vulnerable children against CSE.

2. To evaluate the effects of social media on children and the impact this has on the supporting profession.

3. To assess the support available on social media for young people in regard to CSE.

Devices/Smartphones

According to Ofcom (2019), one percent of children aged three to four have their own smartphone and nineteen percent have their own tablets or pads. These figures grow massively as children age: eighty-three percent of children aged twelve to fifteen have their own smartphone and fifty percent have their own tablet, which can make it easier for them to communicate on a wider range of platforms. Child Wise concurs, stating that most children own a mobile phone by the age of seven and have access to or own a mobile device/tablet with access to the internet from an earlier age (cited in Foster, 2021). The study also found that children spend approximately three hours and twenty minutes a day interacting with their devices, which includes messaging, playing games, and other online activities. The report was based on 2167 children in the UK aged between five and sixteen years old; the study found that by the age of eleven, ninety percent had their own personal device and of which thirty-nine percent stated they could not live without their device.

Internet use

Leung (2014) concluded that children who used the internet at the start of the trial for entertainment and status gaining were more likely to develop pathological internet use and systems of addiction in the following year. Additionally, Vrocharidou and Efthymiou (2012) noted that children who spend time relying on social media for entertainment and passing time are more prone to lose track and have difficulty controlling their time spent online.

Social media

This dependancy has its own implications when children and young people are using social media to portray a better life than what is in reality actually happening; this impedes their own academic, social skills, and achievements. However, receiving certain positive comments is proved to aid with self-esteem (Leung, 2014).

Most parents involved in this study also agreed and expressed concerns with the content and the time spent on viewing. Bandura (1989) states learnt behaviour that has been witnessed a minimal number of times does not usually influence the viewer. However, if repeating behaviours are witnessed more often, retention takes place and may influence an individual’s behaviour (Artino, 2007; Graham and Arshad-Ayaz, 2016).

CSE

CSE occurs when a group or a single individual takes advantage of their power by manipulating and deceiving a child/young person under the age of eighteen. This could be to take part in sexual activities often for small gifts, money, affection, tobacco, or drugs (Wales Safeguarding Procedures Project Board, 2020; NSPCC, 2021).

Jago et al (2011, p.47) state the UK is working at a reactive level and are not proactive enough when dealing with CSE in England and implementing the 2009 guidance. Pearce (2014) conducted a research task on 144 Local Safeguarding Children’s Boards (LSCBs) across England and found that CSE is not prioritised in three-quarters of the UK.

Professionals

Shaw and Greenhow (2019, pp.14-15) found that there are fifteen differing approaches and priorities between the multi-agencies who represent and work together to give protection to the children and young people in the care setting; also evident is the fact that there is still work required around the exploitation and the vulnerability of children in care, showing that there is still a requirement for a greater co-ordinated response. Roache and McSherry (2021) also concur stating that children who are more at risk of sexual exploitation are the ones that reside in state and residential care. One of the main causes for concern for professionals which influences the behaviours and perceptions of children and young people is pornography and the ease of access on devices that are connected to the internet with no parental filters.

Methodology

The means of collating data for this research is by using online questionnaires that will be sent to professionals within the company willing to participate anonymously; these professionals work directly with the children and young people who are deemed at greater risk of CSE (Roache and McSherry, 2021) and also those who have experienced CSE in a variety of forms. Questionnaires will also be sent to a local school and organisation to collect data from a different perspective and environment.

Findings

During the research for this questionnaire it is evident that there is still a lack of clear understanding and awareness surrounding CSE on a professional level; this could be mainly due to the lack of training that is given to the differing professionals which has led many other children and young people being victimised. The questionnaires have identified a number of areas that require immediate improvement, for example, the training given, awareness and signs of CSE. The availability of social media is also having a massive impact on the ease of communications with children and young people, as there are a number of differing platforms that are readily available to anyone with a device connected to the internet. Many of the professionals who took part in this survey feel that social media has a negative effect on the younger users, with the main issue being the inability to effectively safeguard against the harmful effects of social media which can be due to the inability to restrict the content in which they are viewing but are able to restrict the time given to access when using the devices. However, there are positive outcomes as it gives the user the chance to ask questions which they might feel embarrassed to ask of peers and receive information and guidance anonymously on other sites available.

Conclusion

CSE is an ongoing issue: not only does it have immediate effects on the victim but in most cases can lead to further issues later on in life (Berelowitz et al, 2012; Hamilton-Giachritsis et al, 2017).

The majority of today's youth have been brought up with and around smart devices and the internet, with many younge people owing their own device by their early teens (Ofcom, 2019). Children are given devices to play with, to watch films, videos, or to play games to keep them occupied and entertained. As they get older and learn to communicate with friends, there are a great deal of social media sites and platforms available. Dependancy appears to be an issue and the fashion trend to keep up with the latest devices as technology advances. Leng (2014) found that children and young people who use the internet for entertainment and social statues were more likey to show signs of addiction, with Vrocharidou and Efthymiou (2012) also stating that the users tend to lose track of time spent online.

The number of young people using a range of different social media platforms is making it easier for online CSE to take place allowing unwanted communications by unwanted protenal abusers (Munro, 2011; Hamilton Gia et al, 2017). Unfortuatlly it appears that even though there is now legislation and guidance in place there is still work to be done at all levels to effectively implement and safeguard children and young people (Shaw and Greenhow, 2019, pp.14-15).

The questionnaire completed by professionals in a range of settings also showed that more can be done to help safeguard against CSE: from extra training on how to approach the situation and initiate a conversation to working proactively and raising awareness.

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