RESEARCH
Advances in technology and its widespread use are changing the dynamics of offenses against children. All of the offenses professionals are most familiar with, from stalking to sexual abuse, now have a technology counterpart. Given this new reality, the authors of this article suggest that there is a need for new concepts, new definitions, and new measurement tools for research, clinical screening, and we would add, prevention.
The study screened for eight types of online offenses. Girls were the most frequent victims of all online offenses (73%) and males were the most common perpetrators (82%). Adults were a minority of those who offended (12%), and 69% of the episodes involved perpetration against someone known to those victimized, with intimate partners being the largest percentage of the known perpetrator groups.
In terms of impact, only 4% said that they were “not at all” impacted by the online offense. It was noted that the impact was highest for LGBTQ+ participants, those with high levels of childhood adversity, and those with childhood victimization (before age 13). The types of online offenses with the greatest impact were the three involved with the sharing of images -- non-consensual sharing, non-consensual taking, and threats of sharing and sextortion. However, this higher impact was not connected to the media image of adult stranger – the typical scenario used in education programs. In fact, the authors note that adults who offended were not more impactful than peers who offended as some have presumed, which may be due to betrayal trauma. The current narrative in the media and many educational programs is a warning about strangers on the internet. Given the large number of peer and intimate partner online offenses, it is important that both media narratives and educational programs include an emphasis on peer and dating partner situations.
Overall, this study confirms that online offenses are perpetrated in a variety of ways by a variety of individuals (including intimate partners, peers and acquaintances) and that victims experience a wide variety of impact.
IMPLICATIONS FOR PROFESSIONALS
It is not uncommon to hear professionals differentiate between “the real world” and the online one. These findings illustrate the importance of understanding that what happens online can be very, very real indeed. Further, the behaviors described in this article remind us that these activities are prevalent and can cause lasting harm to those who experience as well as perpetrate them. While the misuse of technology to achieve abusive aims was once the province of adults, these data show that this is no longer the case, and that these behaviors may happen impulsively or in a more planned and purposeful fashion by youth to other youth.
Fortunately, this study provides guidance for professionals, not only in outlining the prevalence of these behaviors and the harms associated with them, but in suggesting avenues for inquiry in assessment, treatment, and prevention. For many, the study will offer the knowledge that our clients are far from alone in experiencing these harms.
IMPLICATIONS FOR THE FIELD
In an era when anxiety and depression are at record highs, especially among youth, it is helpful to have research studies to guide our efforts. In many instances, our training programs, manuals, and workbooks may lag behind the realities of daily lives of adolescents and emerging adults. While there are still vigilantes in social and mainstream media seeking to expose adults who may pray on children, these findings remind us that there is more to the story of what is happening in our communities.
Ultimately, these findings can inform our prevention efforts, through education about using social media and technology carefully, psychoeducational curricula that include a focus on the role of technology in building healthy relationships, and adult guidance in general.
CITATION:
Finkelhor, D., Turner, H., & Colburn, D. (2023). Which dynamics make online child sexual abuse and cyberstalking more emotionally impactful: Perpetrator identity and images? Child Abuse & Neglect, 137, 106020.
ABSTRACT:
Background
The migration of offenses against children to the online environment requires a revised understanding of how episode dynamics aggravate the harm.
Objective
To assess the contribution of various online offense episode elements to the overall negative emotional impact.
Participants and settings
The sample comprised 2639 IPSOS KnowledgePanel members aged 18 to 28, 1215 of whom reported episodes of online sexual abuse or cyberstalking that occurred prior to the age of 18. The analysis was based on 2056 episodes with detailed follow-up information.
Methods
Participants were recruited online and filled out online questionnaires about online sexual abuse and cyberstalking episodes, their characteristics, and the negative emotional impact (NEI) associated with each episode. NEI was derived from a factor analysis of 8 impact items.
Results
Higher negative emotional impact was associated with forms of sexual image misuse: non-consensual sharing, non-consensual taking and threatened sharing/sextortion. Peers made up a majority of offenders, and their impact was just as great as adult offenders. Known perpetrators, including intimate partners, also made up the largest proportion of offenders and their impact was just as great as online strangers or anonymous offenders.
Conclusion
Online safety awareness and prevention need a larger focus on peer and acquaintance offenses, particularly around the misuse of sexual images.
