We are pleased to announce an upcoming course on online sexual violence against children designed for professionals in multidisciplinary interagency teams. The training focuses on the features, prevalence, and impact of online child sexual violence. It covers victim identification, perpetrator manipulation, and effective professional responses, including support needs and best practices.
Such knowledge is essential for all Barnahus staff to prevent child abuse and neglect as well as to help victims. This course is relevant also for professionals who meet cases of offline sexual violence, as experience in the USA and Europe shows these cases are increasingly have online elements.
If you are familiar with the BaseCan course, it is essentially that, with a focus on online sexual violence.
Content: Theories and working methods tailored to the work of Barnahus, which are relevant for all staff and competencies covering all four rooms embedded in the multidisciplinary approach: criminal investigation (police), child protection (social services), physical health (paediatrics/gynaecology), mental health (child and adolescent psychiatry).
What you will gain: At the end of the course, participants will have a shared baseline knowledge about online sexual violence, and will be aware of the consequences of their choice as professionals when dealing with such cases. You will also have meet your peers from other European countries and learned about how they are working with this issue.
Structure: Each day has lectures in the morning, with seminar discussions in the afternoon. A small number of participants will be welcomed to do a short research and writing assignment on a topic they are interested in related to online sexual violence (this can be written in your preferred language).
Who can join: All professionals who meet child victims of violence in Barnahus – including those which are still being established. Must have a degree in psychology, social work, medicine, law or equivalent of at least 120 ECTS credits. Spaces are limited. Application for a spot does not guarantee participation.
When: Will meet 6 days total during autumn 2024. 4 September, 18 September, 2 October, 6 November, 13 November, 18 November. 10:00 to 16:00 CET on all days.
Cost: Free for Barnahus Network Members who are in good standing, paid for by an EU co-funded project. If spaces are available, others may be welcomed to join the course for a modest fee.
Language: Course is given in English. Would you like to provide an interpreter at your own cost? Contact us to discuss.
Completion: Certificates of completion may be issued to participants who attend 80% of the lectures and workshops, and who complete the written assignment. Certificate of attendance may be issued to those who participate at least 80% in the lectures and workshops.
Due date to apply: 14 June 2024 CoB
Meet your trainers:
- Linda Jonsson holds a PhD in child psychiatry. She has been working in social services and child psychiatry in Sweden and with responsibility for issues related to sexual abuse and exploitation at the Swedish national competence centre against child abuse, Barnafrid. Her research covers all forms of child abuse, especially sexual exploitation and online sexual abuse. Linda is currently a senior lecturer in social work at Ersta Sköndal Bräcke College university, and engages in various expert and consulting roles in Sweden.
- Anette Birgersson is a social worker, licensed psychotherapist, keynote speaker, presenter and educator with a focus on sexual abuse and trauma. Her aim is to increase the knowledge around trauma, sexual abuse and therapeutic approach using DBT and. Anette collaborates with therapists, practitioners and researchers in Europe, the USA, and Australia.
- Additional lecturers may also be featured.
Related reading material: Annotated bibliographies covering the international research on online sexual violence
The following bibliographies were prepared by the Senior Digital Information Librarian of the National Children’s Advocacy Center (NCAC) for the purpose of research and education, and for the convenience of readers.
- Internet Facilitated Child Sexual Abuse Material – international literature related to various aspects of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) offenders, victims, and investigation. Included are citations and abstracts to articles, books, book chapters, and reports. View the publication >
- The Online Manipulation (Grooming) of Victims of Sexual Abuse – covers literature relevant to how perpetrators manipulate and groom their victims of sexual abuse online. This bibliography is not comprehensive. Scholarly articles, reports, book chapters, and books are included. Links to open source publications are included. View the publication >
- Internet Facilitated Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation of Minors – covers literature relevant to how perpetrators manipulate and groom their victims of sexual abuse online. Scholarly articles, reports, book chapters, and books are included. Links to open source publications are included. View the publication >
- Disclosure and Services for Child Victims of Online Sexual Victimization – provides citations and abstracts to English language publications on child disclosure of online sexual victimization, and the provision of services to these victims. View the publication >
- Online Child Sexual Abuse And Perpetrators – covers issues related to child victims of online sexual abuse and their perpetrators. Included are English language articles, chapters, and reports. View the publication >
- Victims of online sexual abuse – Forensic interviews and experiences with the legal systems – Publications listed are English language international publications on forensic interviews and legal system experiences of victims of online minor sex trafficking and sexual exploitation. View the publication >
PROMISE Elpis
“PROMISE Elpis” is a two-year project co-funded by the EU through its Internal Security Fund (ISF) program. The project aims to ensure the rights of presumed/identified child victims of online sexual violence to child-friendly justice, protection from violence and exploitation, and a safe path to recovery. The project is led by Charité, in partnership with Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS), Child Circle, AvBIT, Childhood Haus Heidelberg (UKHD), Children 1st, HEUNI, and National Children’s Advocacy Center USA.