Prevention of Sexual Abuse

The term “child sexual abuse” covers any and all acts that violate the sexual integrity and self-determination of a child. Child sexual abuse also serves as a generic term for sexual harassment and grooming. By “child”, we mean anyone under the age of 18.

“Sexual abuse” refers to any act or attempted act that harms another person sexually, any unwanted sexual comment or advance that takes place without the consent of the other person, regardless of the relationship between these persons. Sexual abuse is a form of violence where the boundaries of another person are violated by, for example, touching, harassing or coercing them. Sexual abuse can take place in any setting, such as in the home, in a public space or online.

Examples of child sexual abuse:

• commenting on a child’s photo or their body in a sexually suggestive manner
• asking for a nude photo of a child
• sending sexually explicit photos or videos to a child
• getting a child to act in a sexually suggestive way in front of a camera
• directing any sexual activity towards a child

Every child has the right to be protected from all forms of violence. Child sexual abuse involves an adult or a person clearly older than the child using the child to satisfy their own sexual needs. Sexual abuse is the abuse of power. A child is never to blame for the sexual abuse they have experienced.

Sexual abuse can have a wide range of effects on the child and their development. It is therefore important that the child receives support and help from professionals to deal with what has happened. A child or a person who has been a victim of sexual abuse as a child should not be left alone to cope with their experiences.

Child sexual abuse is a criminal offence and must be addressed. This ensures that the child will receive help. The Criminal Code of Finland (39/1889) includes different terms and age limits for different forms of sexual abuse. If you suspect that a child has been a victim of sexual abuse, you should always report it to the police and child welfare services. You don’t have to be absolutely sure, and as a normal person, you don’t have to know the Criminal Code of Finland in detail. You can also ask the police and child welfare services for advice.

Please note: Professionals have a duty to notify the police and child welfare services if they suspect that a child has been a victim of sexual abuse.

Every time a photo or video depicting child sexual abuse is shared or viewed, the child once again becomes a victim and their rights are violated yet again. Sexual abuse and the distribution of materials demonstrating it can have serious mental consequences for the child at the time of the offence, later in childhood and for the rest of their life.  A violent experience in childhood needs to be properly processed.

Child sexual abuse material (CSAM) is evidence of a sexual crime commmitted against a child regardless of the child’s age, sex, or other similar factor. By “child”, we mean anyone under the age of 18. Materiaalista käytetään Suomessa ja kansainvälisesti usein termiä ”lapsiporno”, vaikka tämä on harhaanjohtava ja ilmiötä vääristävä. Suomen rikoslaissa käytetään termejä “lasta seksuaalisesti esittävä kuva” ja “lasta seksuaalisesti esittävä esitys“. Materiaali todistaa kuitenkin lapseen kohdistunutta tai kohdistuvaa vakavaa seksuaalirikosta.

Intentional recording and distribution of images of sexual abuse often plays a central role in a sex offence against a child. A sex offence against a child and recording of such an offence in the form of any images are often committed by people close to the child in a home-like environment. The offence may also be committed entirely on the web.

Typically, the term CSAM refers to one of the following:

• Materials depicting sexual abuse of a child recorded by the perpetrator. The sex offence depicted by the materials may have been committed online (e.g., via a webcam), or it may have been committed in real life and the recording is distributed online.
• Materials recorded by the child themselves depicting their sexual abuse. A sex offence committed online, where a child or a young person has, for example, been solicited, instructed or blackmailed into taking photos and videos of themselves.
• A child sharing photos or videos in a consensual relationship with another child, with the recipient sharing the materials to third parties or online without permission.

People who use CSAM to satisfy their own sexual needs do not always realise or acknowledge the link between use of the CSAM and an actual sex offence. However, demand for illegal CSAM increases the need to produce such materials – either for personal use or for others. In practice, this means more sex offences against children. It is impossible to accurately estimate the amount of illegal CSAM in the world, as much of the offences go unnoticed by the authorities.

The production, possession and distribution of CSAM is illegal in Finland (Criminal Code of Finland 39/1889, chapter 20). The law defines a child as a person under the age of 18. A person distributing sensitive images, information or claims may also be guilty of the dissemination of information violating personal privacy or defamation.

The term “grooming” refers to persuading a child to a sexual act. The aim of grooming is to abuse the child sexually.

In grooming, the adult’s goal is to lure the child into a situation where they can be subjected to child sexual abuse, either online, in real life or in both environments. Grooming is a multidimensional phenomenon that includes any and all words and actions that the groomer directs towards the child or a person close to the child.

Grooming can also be a very quick process

Grooming can be very fast-paced communication, where the groomer tries to get the child to act spontaneously. In some cases, it may be just a single contact with a child or an attempt to contact a child. Grooming can also be a slow-moving process, however. For example, a groomer may establish a trusting relationship with the child and gradually infiltrate sexually explicit content into everyday conversations.

If someone tries to groom a child, they may:

• persistently try to get the child to communicate with them and/or share their photos with them
• send the child a large number of messages, asking the child to keep the conversations confidential
• try to groom a child through a chat or gaming platform, or a similar private channel
• compliment the child’s appearance or ask whether the child has ever been kissed
• ask the child to share secrets or personal information such as their address or the name of their school
• ask the child to keep in touch constantly and always reveal their whereabouts to the groomer
• post sexually explicit messages and/or pornographic materials
• threaten and blackmail the child into sending sexually explicit pictures of themselves
• threaten to share the child’s photos online or show them to people the child knows if the child does not send more photos
• threaten the child with violence

The perpetrator is always responsible

Grooming takes place both online and in real life. Online, the perpetrator may be simultaneously in contact with several children, and it is easy for them to be anonymous or use a fake profile. The perpetrator may lie about details such as their age and gender. The perpetrator may also reveal that they are an adult and offer the child friendship, admiration, gifts or guidance on sexual matters, for example. Grooming can take place on any online or social media platform where children spend time.

It may be difficult to recognize grooming

It may be difficult for a child to recognise grooming or sexual abuse inflicted on them as the result of grooming. Grooming can lead to, for example, the adult getting the child to send nude photos or videos of themselves. The child may also be proactive or active in the communication. All of this can make the child feel guilty and ashamed. However, a child is never the guilty party when they have been subjected to grooming or sexual abuse.

“Sexual harassment” refers to verbal, non-verbal or physical unwanted conduct of a sexual nature that violates the mental or physical integrity of another person.

The term somewhat overlaps with the term “sexual abuse”. Sexual harassment can include a wide range of acts, such as sexually suggestive speech or writing, gestures or expressions of a sexual nature, or touching. Sexual harassment always violates the self-determination and sexual integrity of the victim. Sexual harassment is subjective – it can be found disturbing, offensive, unpleasant, distressing and/or frightening. Sometimes the perpetrator may say that the harassment was a joke – but that never justifies the act, and such conduct is always wrong. Recognising sexual harassment can be challenging for a child.

Sexual harassment can be committed by the child’s peer, a child of another age or an adult. Sexual harassment can take place online on various open chat platforms, in social media or via private or group messages, for example.

Sexual harassment online includes but is not limited to the following:

•  sexually offensive name-calling, rumour-mongering and intrusive comments about another person’s body
• sexually explicit communication, jokes or innuendos (unless the communication is consensual)
• sending sexually explicit or suggestive emojis, unless the sending and receiving of them is consensual
• editing images to make them sexually explicit by, for example, adding text or emojis
• sexually explicit comments or postings on open forums
• sexual harassment via live video link

Sexual harassment is always wrong. Sexual harassment can affect a child’s daily life, such as their ability to concentrate and study. The harassment can have wide-ranging effects on the child’s self-esteem and sexuality, and in the worst cases it can cause depression or other symptoms. Even as an adult, a person may feel inadequate because of the harassment they experienced when they were young. Sexual harassment must be addressed.

When sexual harassment is directed at a child or a young person, the act can very easily constitute a criminal offence. In such a case, you must report the incident to the police or the Finnish Hotline.

Human trafficking is always a serious crime and a violation of human rights. Trafficking in children refers to the recruitment, transport, transfer, concealing or receipt of a child for the purpose of obtaining financial or other benefits. In the case of adults, the definition of trafficking in human beings also includes a method such as deception, exploitation of the vulnerability of the victim or the threatening to use force. Due to their age, children are considered to be particularly vulnerable and less able to protect themselves than adults. For this reason, human trafficking is defined differently in the case of adults and children.

Human trafficking is often perceived as a crime where the victim is moved from one country to another. However, human trafficking also takes place within countries – also in Finland. Human trafficking is a form of hidden crime, meaning that only part of the incidents come to the attention of the authorities. Internationally, a third of the victims of human trafficking are estimated to be children.

Human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation (sex trafficking) can take many forms. It is also referred to as “forced prostitution”, “involuntary prostitution” or “sex slavery”. What is common to all forms of sex trafficking is that the victim is placed in a situation where they are subjected to sexual activities or made to act in a sexual manner. The events may be filmed, and these images and videos may be distributed or sold online. Technology also enables the sharing of sexual abuse materials online in real time, even to a large crowd.

Sex trafficking is the most common form of human trafficking internationally. The majority of identified child victims are girls, but all children may become victims of sex trafficking regardless of gender.

The Criminal Code of Finland defines trafficking in children, while “purchase of sexual services from a young person” and “sexual abuse of a child” are separate offences. Such activities are always illegal, regardless of whether the activity constitutes an offence determined as trafficking in human beings.

In Finland, assistance to victims of human trafficking is coordinated by the National Assistance System for Victims of Human Trafficking. The assistance system has a helpline (open 24/7) and a contact form on their website.

You can contact the Finnish Hotline if you suspect child sex trafficking.