AIC - HEUNI Webinar: Enhancing administrative data collection on modern slavery

We are pleased to invite you to webinar co-hosted by the European Institute for Crime Prevention and Control (HEUNI) and the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) that explores the need for accurate and timely data on human trafficking on the 10th of December.

To enhance the collation, dissemination and utility of these data, the Australian Institute of Criminology has recently established a state-of-the-art National Minimum Data Set (NMDS) as a central data repository on human trafficking and modern slavery in Australia.

Time:

8:00-9:30 am (UTC+1, Brussels time)
9:00-10:30 am (UTC+2, Helsinki time)
6:00-7:30 pm (UTC+11, Canberra time)

We look forward to your participation!

This webinar discusses:

the impetus for creating a centralized data base in Australia
the nature and scope of data variables
the outcomes of the pilot phase, and
the pros and cons of having a centralized data set.

Target audience: police, intelligence, policymakers, and researchers

Tentative Agenda

Welcoming words from the Directors of the Institutes (Natalia Ollus & Rick Brown)
The National Minimum Data Set (NMDS): Development and early results
Australian Federal Police (AFP): The utility of the NMDS including increased understanding of how human trafficking presents in Australia and identifying opportunities for prevention, disruption, and additional victim-survivor support.
Finnish perspective/reflections

The webinar will also include time for a Q&A session and discussion.

Register here

website ››

New data released on human trafficking and modern slavery in Australia

Link to: Findings from the Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery National Minimum Dataset pilot, July to December 2022

The Australian Institute of Criminology has released a new Statistical Report describing the findings from the Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery National Minimum Dataset pilot data collection, conducted over a six-month period from July to December 2022.

The Australian Federal Police received 150 reports of alleged human trafficking, slavery and slavery-like practices (modern slavery) between
1 July and 31 December 2022. Reports most commonly related to allegations of forced marriage (31%), followed by sexual servitude
(25%), trafficking of persons out of Australia (21%) and forced labour (12%).
Between 1 July and 31 December 2022, 36 victim-survivors of modern slavery were referred to the Support for Trafficked People Program. Most were female (94%) and 44 percent were aged under 18. The highest proportion of victim-survivors were born in Southern and Central Asia (31%), Oceania and Antarctica (28%) and North Africa and the Middle East (17%).
Between 1 July and 31 December 2022, 15 matters involving human trafficking, slavery and slavery-like offences were either referred to, or continued by, the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions. At 31 December 2022, 20 of the 24 defendants had been charged with a total of 55 human trafficking and modern slavery offences.

Read the AIC media release.

AIC: New research examines which dating app users are most at risk of harm

Link to: Routine online activities and vulnerability to dating app facilitated sexual violence

The Australian Institute of Criminology has released new research examining the routine activities of dating app users that make them more vulnerable to dating app facilitated sexual violence.

Prolific dating platform users and those who share more information, who communicate with people across different platforms, and who paid for an online dating service were more likely to report experiencing dating app facilitated sexual violence.
These activities increased the likelihood of both online and in-person dating app facilitated sexual violence.

Findings provide insight into perpetrators’ decision-making when engaging in dating app facilitated sexual violence, and inform measures to protect users from harm.

Link to: Routine online activities and vulnerability to dating app facilitated sexual violence

The Australian Institute of Criminology has released new research examining the routine activities of dating app users that make them more vulnerable to dating app facilitated sexual violence.

Prolific dating platform users and those who share more information, who communicate with people across different platforms, and who paid for an online dating service were more likely to report experiencing dating app facilitated sexual violence.
These activities increased the likelihood of both online and in-person dating app facilitated sexual violence.

Findings provide insight into perpetrators’ decision-making when engaging in dating app facilitated sexual violence, and inform measures to protect users from harm.

EUCPN: Public-private partnerships in crime prevention

Public-private partnerships are becoming more prevalent within society, partly because they can take on various forms depending on the topic, objectives and level of engagement of the partners. Due to this variety, the creation and continuation of PPPs are associated with a number of challenges. An effective PPP takes the form of a durable collaboration in which all partners take on specific tasks in order to achieving shared and durable goals

Available in EU languages

WHO: Governments worldwide signal that protecting children from violence is a priority

Countries pledge to act on childhood violence affecting some 1 billion children

7 November 2024

Bogotá

More than 100 governments today made historic commitments to end childhood violence, including nine pledging to ban corporal punishment – an issue that affects 3 out of every 5 children regularly in their homes. These commitments were made at a landmark event in Bogotá, Colombia, where government delegations are set to agree on a new global declaration aimed at protecting children from all kinds of violence, exploitation and abuse.

Also at the event, which is hosted by the Governments of Colombia and Sweden together with the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF and the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children, several countries committed to improve services for childhood violence survivors or tackle bullying, while others said they would invest in critical parenting support – one of the most effective interventions for reducing violence risks in the home.

“Despite being highly preventable, violence remains a horrific day to day reality for millions of children around the world – leaving scars that span generations,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “Today countries made critical pledges that, once enacted, could finally turn the tide on childhood violence. From establishing lifechanging support for families to making schools safer places or tackling online abuse, these actions will be fundamental to protecting children from lasting harm and ill health.”

Over half of all children globally – some 1 billion – are estimated to suffer some form of violence, such as child maltreatment (including corporal punishment, the most prevalent form of childhood violence), bullying, physical or emotional abuse, as well as sexual violence. Violence against children is often hidden, mostly occurs behind closed doors, and is vastly underreported. WHO estimates that fewer than half of affected children tell anyone they experienced violence and under 10% receive any help.

AIC report: New research looks at what shapes the behaviour of child sex offenders on the darknet

Link to: Drivers and deterrents of child sexual offending: Analysis of offender interactions on the darknet

A new AIC study examined threads on a darknet forum for undetected online and contact child sexual offenders to identify key drivers and deterrents of offending and to inform intervention approaches.

Online communities and networks of like-minded offenders help shape views about, and alleviate responsibility for, sexual offending against children.
Tor networks, secure storage and erasure programs offer increased opportunities to offend and avoid detection, driving continued offending.

Acknowledgement of the harm to children, feelings of guilt and shame, and concern about being caught by law enforcement or detected by family and friends are reported to act as deterrents of continued offending.

News