INTERNET, MINORS AND SEXUAL ABUSES. A CIRCULAR PHENOMENON

Nowadays, new Internet technologies are rapidly changing the usual communication habits, especially among the youth. Therefore, communication tools such as instant messaging, forums or social networks have been quickly assimilated by this group of users and by minors in particular. Most of them very much prefer these tools to socialize with other people. However, these new relational interfaces entail some risks.

One of the risks are sexual abuses to minors through the Internet, a social phenomenon that is being consolidated as a public problem needing more and more a deep intervention (or regulation). A variety of present studies show that when minors use the Internet, they may become a vulnerable individual. From our point of view, the youth is active in both kinds of interactions (sexual and cybernetic). In this respect, our research insists on the double relationship provided to the youth by the universe of Internet, which we will call “circular phenomenon”. In other words, Internet is conceived as an interaction space where a series of risks can be found, but at the same time, as an interaction space for the prevention of these risks.

In this communication, we will present the situations of sexual abuse to minors through the net and the possible intervention, evaluating the political options available which are not excluding: repression, surveillance or prevention. We will give our reflections placing them within the education framework, as a basic activity for the prevention of these risks.