For the first time, compiled statistics and analysis are presented for judgments from 2020–2021 concerning internet-related sexual abuse of children in Sweden. It emerges, among other things, that children have waited up to 8.5 years from the time they were first subjected to abuse until the trial has been concluded. The report makes clear that new tools and greater collaboration are required, both from the police and platforms as well as from society at large, in order to better combat this type of crime.
The report “…it was a feeling that he was in the room next door” examines internet-related sexual abuse of children handled by Swedish district courts in 2020–2021. It was produced within the framework of Childhood’s AI hub Stella Polaris, whose purpose is to coordinate, develop and intensify AI-related initiatives in Sweden to combat sexual abuse of children. By bringing together actors with different expertise, closer interaction is made possible between police, prosecutors and child rights actors on the one hand and AI experts, programmers, researchers and technology companies on the other.
The internet is a central and in many cases necessary part of children’s and young people’s upbringing, but it has also led to increased vulnerability. Therefore, it is important that we have functioning protection mechanisms that warn of ongoing abuse and the capacity to handle and investigate after abuse has occurred.
The review of the 157 judgments shows that the children were between 2–17 years old at the time of the first abuse, and that some children have waited up to 8.5 years until the trial was concluded. Many judgments lack documentation of important information that can help provide a complete picture of what characterizes this type of crime. However, it is clear that the platforms enabled the suspected perpetrators to contact up to 83 children each.
The most common platforms were Snapchat, which appeared in more than half of the 685 individual cases, followed by Instagram and Star Stable. The report shows that the most common way crimes are uncovered is when the police find material in connection with other criminal investigations. According to the report, it is rarely the children themselves who report the crimes.
– It is completely unacceptable that a child can be forced to spend a large part of their childhood waiting for crimes to be resolved. These abuses can be prevented through more research in the area, more technical solutions – including AI solutions – and more measures against potential perpetrators, says Britta Holmberg, Program Director and Deputy Secretary General, World Childhood Foundation.
The report is deepened with insights from expert commentary from police, counsel for the injured party and a psychologist who has researched children and sexual abuse.
Read the full report in Swedish here.
