Namibia: 20 000 Minors Face Online Sexual Exploitation Annually

An estimated 20 000 children aged 12 to 17 years in Namibia are exposed to dehumanising activities of online sexual exploitation and abuse annually.

Statistics from a survey conducted by the world-renowned Disrupting Harm Project reveal that 81% of Namibian children aged 12 to 17 are internet users.

Among them, 56% go online every day. Internet use amongst children of that age group is slightly higher at 84% in urban areas.

For their counterparts in rural areas, it stood at 79%.

The survey further shows that, on a weekly basis, the online activities in which children in Namibia engage the most are schoolwork (82%), closely followed by social media usage (79%) and instant messaging (78%).

Of those surveyed, it is reported that 14 059 cases of violence against children, encompassing physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, child trafficking and abandonment, were recorded in the past few months.

Statistics also indicate that a sizable number of children were subjected to unwanted requests to talk about sex or to send sexual images.

An estimated 8% of them have complied to requests to talk about sex, while about 5% admitted having been offered money or gifts in return for sexual images or videos.

An additional 5% of children aged 15-17 years shared that sexual images of them had been shared without their permission on the internet.

In addition, another 7% admitted to having accepted money or gifts in exchange for sexual images or videos of themselves.

All these experiences occurred both online and in person, but all were facilitated by digital technology with the frequent involvement of platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram, the survey shows.

The Disrupting Harm Project focuses on how technology can be misused to facilitate child sexual exploitation and abuse.

Child sexual abuse refers to various sexual activities perpetrated against children or persons under 18 years of age, regardless of whether they are aware that what is happening to them is neither normal nor acceptable.

It can be committed by adults or peers and usually involves an individual or group taking advantage of an imbalance of power.

It can be committed without explicit force, with offenders frequently using authority, power, manipulation or deception.

Key interventions

The growing prevalence of online child sexual exploitation and abuse presents a significant challenge for Namibia, necessitating further reinforcement of digital safety measures and targeted interventions as already undertaken by government.

Against the backdrop of alarming figures of online child sexual exploitation and abuse, President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, through the country’s sixth National Development Plan (NDP6), vowed to strengthen and improve the coordination and integration of child protection services.

“Improving coordination mechanisms and integration of child protection systems is crucial to ensuring timely and comprehensive responses to child abuse, neglect and exploitation. A more effective system will enable better coordination among stakeholders, enhance prevention and service delivery, and ensure that resources are allocated where they are most needed.

“It will also foster a child-centred approach, ensuring that children’s rights are upheld and that children receive protection, support and justice when needed,” she said.

Under NDP6, and in collaboration with law enforcement agencies, Nandi-Ndaitwah said that the implementation of key interventions will involve streamlining case management processes, improving data collection and sharing mechanisms to enhance the capacity of multi-sectoral service providers through training and resources.

“Through such collaboration, success will be evident through quicker and more effective responses to child protection cases, better reporting and tracking of abuse, and increased public awareness and confidence in the child protection system.

“There will be a reduction in the incidence of child abuse and exploitation, increased access to services for vulnerable children, and stronger collaboration among stakeholders,” she said.

The President also placed special emphasis on combating practices of child marriages, which remain a critical issue in Namibia, particularly in the Kunene, Kavango East, Kavango West, Zambezi, Omusati and Ohangwena regions.

“It is imperative to ensure an adequate number of trained professionals with the necessary skills to support child protection services. Currently, the social worker-to-child ratio in Namibia is 1:17, posing a significant barrier to providing timely and effective prevention and response services,” she indicated.

By New Era.