Abstract:

Globalization makes the world community put on the agenda burning issues that arise due to social integration and technological advance. The proliferation of minors’ sexual abuse across the world has become one of current challenges. The mentioned phenomenon represents the multifaceted problem that requires a strategic collaborative approach primarily focusing on minors’ education in the respective domain. Policy makers, experts, social workers, legislators and other professionals concerned underline that there should be global response to tackle the problem at both international and national levels.

Currently in many countries school-based curriculum and pre-university education include special subjects for children and teens about their rights and risks related to various forms of physical, emotional and sexual violence. International agencies and international public organisations are coordinating efforts to educate and protect children.

The research hypothesis stated that modern technologies could be effective instruments to implement the necessary steps in various trajectories to educate and protect minors against sexual violence.

The research goal was to identify and compare national and international practices regarding the ICT use to implement the policies in the field under study.

The research methodology focused on exploring international and national activities regarding minors’ education and protection with ICT support. The research stages included the analysis of recommendations and guidance that international and national agencies draft regarding the topic under study, the analysis of ICT resources that international organisations, national governmental and public institutions use for minors’ education, the analysis of data regarding minors’ perceptions of the ICT-supported education on sexual violence prevention.

The research materials included a set of documents specifying the use of ICT for education on sexual violence, that have been developed by the international agencies (UNICEF), by international public organizations (ECPAT), the information on ICT-supported education issues provided by the Committee of the State Parties to the EU Convention on Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse.

Countries’ national reports on best practices regarding ICT use for minors’ education in the field under study were explored, as well.
The research has resulted in the list of various ICT-based instruments for different target audiences‘ activities, including minors themselves (multimedia resources, video, visual aids for children’ awareness, on-line training of children in respect to behavioral patterns, on-line public radio and digital storytelling across the world, web-based hotlines, etc.), educational staff, law enforcement agencies, etc.
The report will provide recommendations for national educational agencies regarding the ICT use to educate and protect minors against sexual abuse.

References
[1] UNICEF http://www.unodc.org/justice-child-victims/login/index.jsp
[2] ECPAT http://www.ecpat.net/
[3] Committee of the State Parties to the Council of Europe Convention on Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual

Abuse Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse, Lanzarote Committee http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/standardsetting/children/Committee_en.asp

Keywords:

Minors' education on sexual abuse, ICT for children rights protection.