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DRAFT OPINION (COM (2022)0209 – C9-0174/2022 – 2022/155 (COD))

On the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down rules to prevent and combat child sexual abuse

FEMM-PA-746640

Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality · Rapporteur: Heléne Fritzon

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The Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality gives its draft opinion on the Commission proposal for a regulation to prevent and combat child sexual abuse. It calls on the lead committee to take into account amendments that add a gender perspective throughout the text. The amendments state that child sexual abuse is largely an expression of gender-based violence, that girls are disproportionately affected, and that prevention, support and data collection must be gender-sensitive and age-appropriate. They require gender- and age-disaggregated data, gender balance in the EU Centre's bodies, and a Children's Rights and Survivors Advisory Board within the EU Centre. They strengthen victims' rights to information and support, cooperation with the European Institute for Gender Equality, and gender mainstreaming and gender budgeting in the EU Centre's work.

Committee position. The rapporteur proposes amendments to reinforce prevention through age- and gender-tailored awareness raising, provide specialised gender-sensitive support to victims, create a Children's Rights and Survivors Advisory Board within the EU Centre, strengthen gender- and age-disaggregated data collection, and ensure cooperation with the European Institute for Gender Equality.

Key points

  1. The rapporteur says child sexual abuse is to a large extent an expression of gender-based violence, so combating its online aspects must use gender-specific approaches.
  2. The amendments add that child sexual abuse disproportionately affects girls, that most child sexual abuse material depicts girls, and that men are overrepresented as perpetrators.
  3. A new recital states that girls face greater risk of cyber violence, that one in ten women has experienced gender-based cyber violence since the age of 15, and that 58% of girls have experienced online harassment.
  4. Member States should strengthen prevention, including awareness raising, comprehensive sexuality and relationships education in all schools, digital skills and online safety programmes, and specialised support services tailored by gender and age.
  5. Providers of hosting and publicly available interpersonal communications services should assess risk for each service, including based on the gender and age of child users.
  6. Victims should receive gender-sensitive support and be assisted by the EU Centre, and child victims, their guardians and adult survivors should get age-appropriate information and referral to support services.
  7. The EU Centre should work with victim protection centres, women's shelters, children's specialised services, social services, children's rights organisations and healthcare professionals, and refer victims to child protection services.
  8. A Children's Rights and Survivors Advisory Board should be set up within the EU Centre, made up of survivors and representatives of civil society and children's rights organisations, meeting at least twice a year.
  9. The EU Centre, Coordinating Authorities, advisory committees and administrative and management structures should be gender balanced, with at least 40% of candidates of each sex in several bodies.
  10. Providers, Coordinating Authorities and the EU Centre should collect, record and analyse gender- and age-disaggregated data and publish annual reports.
  11. The EU Centre should cooperate closely with the European Institute for Gender Equality on research, statistics and best practices, and use gender mainstreaming and gender budgeting.
  12. Regulation (EU) 2021/1232 should be repealed when this Regulation is in effect and the first detection orders have been implemented; from August 2024, if the Regulation has not entered into force, the interim derogation regime should apply.

Who is affected

  • Girls and young women, who the amendments say are disproportionately affected by online child sexual abuse and gender-based cyber violence.
  • Child victims, their guardians and adult survivors, who gain rights to age-appropriate information, gender-sensitive support and referral to services.
  • Providers of hosting services, publicly available interpersonal communications services and internet access services, which must assess risk by gender and age and collect disaggregated data.
  • Member States and their Coordinating Authorities, which must strengthen prevention, designate contact points and operate in a gender-sensitive way.
  • The EU Centre, which must integrate a gender perspective, set up an Advisory Board and ensure gender balance in its structures.

Figures and deadlines

  • 96% of child sexual abuse material is estimated in 2021 to have affected girls.
  • One in ten women has experienced some form of gender-based cyber violence since the age of 15.
  • 58% of girls have experienced online harassment.
  • The Technology Committee, the Children's Rights and Survivors Advisory Board and the European Data Protection Board shall deliver opinions within eight weeks, extendable by six weeks.
  • The Advisory Board members shall be appointed with at least 40% of candidates of each sex.
  • The Management Board shall have at least 40% of candidates of each sex.
  • The Executive Board composition shall have at least 40% of each sex.
  • The Technology Committee shall have at least 40% of candidates of each sex.