Over one-third of sexual image abuse victims are minors, according to the latest statistics provided by the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW).
The MOHW’s Sexual Image Abuse Reporting Center last year received a total of 1,928 complaints, with 1,040 victims.
Thirty-five percent of all reports of sexually explicit images online concerned minors, it said.
Photo: Tien Yu-hua, Taipei Times
Of the victims, 364 were children and teens, with 342 being aged 13 to 17, and 22 under the age of 12, it added.
In the new digital age, the “scrolling generation” is rarely seen without a device in their hands, leading to an increased risk of minors falling for extortion scams as “digital victims.”
The key to enhancing safeguarding measures for minors is education and prevention, as the majority of victims are still in school, Department of Protective Services Director-General Chang Hsiu-yuan (張秀鴛) said today.
Preventative education is now legally mandated in all schools, and the department would continue to work closely with the Ministry of Education to launch awareness campaigns, she said.
With phones, computers and tablets now widespread and easily accessible, child-parent interaction has also declined, leaving children increasingly unsupervised and vulnerable to falling for scams on dating apps or gaming platforms, she added.
Some children may think they are just “playing a game,” when in fact they could be falling for a scam, she said.
“Once a sexually explicit image has been put online, it’s incredibly difficult to completely remove all trace of it,” she said.
The authorities can take action such as removing the images from platforms and tracing the perpetrators, however, these can be considered as “treating the symptoms and not the root cause,” she added.
The most effective way to stop the spread of sexually explicit images of minors is to prevent them from being taken and shared in the first place, she said.
Not all sexually explicit images are taken by the minors themselves — some are secretly recorded in public places, especially public toilets, cram schools and after-school programs, she said.
Those in charge of such high-risk locations should conduct routine checks and install anti-surveillance equipment, she added.
Any recording, forwarding, downloading or viewing of sexually explicit images of minors is illegal, she said.
The Department of Protective Services would continue to collaborate with relevant agencies to strengthen legal enforcement and education, she added.
FUKUOKA SITUATION: Japanese media reported that the pathogen is expected to be identified by the summer, while the CDC downplayed the idea that it was hMPV A “mysterious cold-like illness” reported in Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture does not seem to be a new disease, but Japanese authorities have been asked about the situation, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. The Fukuoka Prefectural Medical Association on Wednesday told a news conference that a “mystery cold” that has become a hot topic on social media is “highly likely to be caused by some kind of viral infection,” Japan’s KBC News reported. “Many people are experiencing symptoms starting with a sore throat, followed by a runny nose, phlegm and a severe cough,” KBC News reported, citing association officials. Health authorities are
Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) arrived in Taiwan yesterday ahead of upcoming AI and technology events, saying he plans to meet with clients and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) during his visit. After landing at Taipei Songshan Airport, Huang posed for photos with fans and handed out Yakult drinks to reporters and supporters waiting at the scene, saying he has “a lot to do” during the trip. Asked about reports that Nvidia’s planned headquarters site in Taipei’s Beitou Shilin Technology Park could break ground on May 27, Huang said that if the company holds an event, he would
The Ministry of Finance this afternoon announced the winning numbers for the March-April uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$318,060) special prize is 19531471, and the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 85941329. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 07225810, 20231230 and 83518781. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers will win the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits will win the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
SIX SUBSIDIES: The monthly allowance for older farmers is to increase to NT$10,000, and NT$5,000 is to be given to homemakers under the national pension system, Lai said The government is to implement major welfare policies for disadvantaged groups, including raising the monthly allowance for older farmers to NT$10,000 and providing homemakers with NT$5,000 per month, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday. Lai made the remarks during a visit to Wangling Temple in Chiayi County, saying that the planned increases were being introduced amid economic growth and an increase in tax revenue. Touting a policy, in which the government plans to provide a monthly allowance of NT$5,000 for every child under the age of 18 in a bid to address Taiwan’s low birthrate, Lai said that if received for the
RSS