A high-profile case involving the possession of sexualized images of minors brought the issue into public focus last year. This was followed by a tightening of criminal law and a broad public discourse about how criminals should be dealt with and which terms are appropriate. The complexity is reflected in the naming of the paragraph: § 207a StGB – Pictorial sex-related child abuse material and pictorial sex-related depictions of minors.
The move away from the trivializing and imprecise term child pornography as part of the tightening of Section 207a StBG is to be welcomed. It is too much of an invitation to hide the fact that any such representation constitutes a criminal offense. At the same time, the paragraph touches on the reality of life for children and young people, since half of the approximately 2,000 suspects in reports under Section 207a of the Criminal Code are not of legal age.(1)
In their everyday lives, young people and children sometimes inexperiencedly share images and videos with far-reaching consequences and unknown risks. This makes it all the more important to provide competent support to children and young people and to protect them together.
Together for digital child protection and safe handling
ECPAT Austria, Safer Internet specialist center for digital child protection and the Vienna child and youth advocate have collaborated on legal innovations Guidelines for dealing with graphic, sexually-related child abuse material and graphic, sexual-related depictions of minors written. This step-by-step guide is aimed at professionals from psychosocial and educational institutions who are confronted with or suspected of abuse and sexual-related depictions of minors and offers clear orientation and practical support.
A flyer was also developed that provides a quick guide that shows the first steps and contact information. Suggestions for prevention and child protection concepts were also collected for those interested. Instructions that explain laws in an understandable way are important because they provide security and enable competent action, which is exactly the aim of this guideline.
Collective commitment and action is crucial to creating a safe environment for all children. It is important that society takes an active role and raises awareness of this issue. Only by reporting suspicions can effective prevention and intervention be guaranteed.
Download action guide: brochure and Folder
Inquiry note
Vienna child and youth advocate
Sebastian Öhner / Telephone: 01 70 77 000 / post@jugendanwalt.wien.gv.at / www.kija-wien.at
ECPAT Austria
Waltraud Gugerbauer / Telephone: 01 293 16 66 / info@ecpat.at / www.ecpat.at
Safer Internet specialist center for digital child protection
digitalerkinderschutz@saferinternet.at / www.saferinternet.at/projekte/kinderschutz
(1)https://www.neustart.at/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/230615_KinderJugendkriminalitaet.pdf
Presentation: Guidelines for dealing with graphic, sexually-related child abuse material and graphic, sexual-related depictions of minors.
The Vienna Child and Youth Advocate, ECPAT Austria and Stopline, the reporting office against sexual abuse depictions of minors, will present the guidelines in a short online workshop on November 15, 2024, answer questions about the topic and offer space for individual questions. The workshop is aimed at specialists and interested parties. To register, see the link below.
Datum: November 15, 2024, 10:00 a.m
Art: Lectures and discussions
Ort: online
URL: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_exnLXiATS8ePszCmXTCx5A