How can we protect children from sexual abuse in gaming?
Posted: 30 Aug 2024We chatted to Sarah Smith, Innovation Programme Lead from the Lucy Faithfull Foundation about how their work is helping prevent child sexual abuse.
What is the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, Stop It Now and Shore?
Lucy Faithfull Foundation is a charity working to prevent child sexual abuse. We run the Stop It Now helpline, which is the largest of its kind in the world, and is for anyone who has concerns about child sexual abuse. Around half of people getting in touch are adults concerned about their own sexual thoughts and behaviour towards children. We give advice and actions to help them change their behaviour and protect children, including by using our online self-help modules. We also support adults concerned about their children or another adult in their family, and from professionals. Last year we took almost 20,000 calls, chats and emails. Every year, the number rises.
Shore is our young person’s helpline for teenagers concerned about sexual behaviour. It’s one of only a few of its kind in the world.
We also carry out assessments and interventions, run training, have programmes for people who have offended and their families. We research and share insights about preventing child sexual abuse, we work in schools to help tackle harmful sexual behaviour, and we have a tech project, Project Intercept, which works with tech companies to create effective online warning messages, and a campaign to deter online offending. We engage with policy and decision makers to advocate for a public health approach to child sexual abuse.
In short, we do everything we can to prevent child sexual abuse.
How can parents take extra measures to protect children from sexual abuse?
There are several things parents can do to help mitigate sexual abuse in children, including:
- Understand potential risks
- Recognise the signs of possible abuse in children
- Be aware of what inappropriate behaviour looks like in adults
- Know where to go for help if they have concerns and would like to talk about them
- Feel able to voice concerns as soon as they notice changes that might mean that something is wrong – our helpline can guide and advise.
How do games come into play with this topic?
The main issue in games is grooming, but sharing sexual abuse images of children also happens. Playing online games is one of the first ways that children experience the online world.
It’s also one of the first contact points between them and other people online. It’s vital that children understand how to block and report if they feel unsafe or unsure about something that’s happened online, and also to report their concerns to a safe adult. But it’s also important that gaming companies do all they can to stop people who are attempting to abuse or exploit children, and that’s where Project Intercept comes in.
We help tech companies identify the points where warning messages could deter people from bad actions and redirect them to our helpline. Often, people will use online games as a way to connect with children but then move them quickly to other more private platforms (such as encrypted messaging apps). The key is to ensure everyone is doing their part to prevent, detect and stop this.
How can parents protect their children in gaming?
There are technical things they can do, such as ensuring parental controls are in place and up to date, and that gaming devices are in public spaces not bedrooms.
But one of the key things is to develop a supportive atmosphere at home where a child can come to a parent with concerns without fear of repercussien our responses to our children’s online lives are negative – complaining about screen time, or about the games themselves.
It’s all too easy to do. But it leads to children thinking that either they will not be understood, if something bad happens, or that it must be their fault.
If parents take some time to ask about the games their children are playing, with a genuine sense of openness and curiosity, and even have a go at playing the games themselves, not only will they see for themselves what their children are up to and where there might be worries or concerns, but the children will be delighted at having a chance to beat their parents!
It creates a positive, supportive atmosphere that is crucial for when things go wrong and can be the difference between a child saying nothing and knowing they can go to their parent for help.
What can game developers do to help prevent child sexual abuse within gaming communities or online games?
Technology is constantly evolving that helps with filtering, moderation and spotting bad actors, and games companies who lead the way with such innovative solutions should be applauded. But there are some quick, easy wins as well. Warning messages have been shown to be effective in diverting and deterring people who were heading down a pathway to abuse or exploitation of children, and we can certainly help to create effective interventions, with our understanding of the motivations of people who have offended.
Making sure moderators and community managers are trained properly in the signs of abuse and exploitation, is another effective method. And of course, safety by design. Games should be designed with the safety of the most vulnerable user in mind, and in many cases that is children.
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