Media Release
Virtual Global Taskforce unites for Safer Internet Day
The Virtual Global Taskforce is using today's Safer Internet Day (Tuesday, 11 February) to highlight the importance of partnerships and international collaboration in the fight against global online child sexual exploitation.
This year's theme for Safer Internet Day, 'Together for a better internet', calls on industry partners, stakeholders, and other organisations to help make the internet a safer place for all, especially children and young people.
The Virtual Global Taskforce was established in 2004 as a direct response to the increase in the number of offenders targeting children all over the world through online social interactions and travelling overseas to commit contact sexual abuse.
The growth and expansion of the Virtual Global Taskforce during the past 20 years, highlights the enduring drive and commitment by international law enforcement agencies to create a hostile digital environment for those seeking to commit and profit from crimes against children.
AFP Assistant Commissioner and Taskforce Chair Justine Gough said the AFP would continue to work with international law enforcement partners to identify and disrupt online child sexual abuse and offenders involved in the exploitation of children.
"The Virtual Global Taskforce provides a collaborative and united approach to tackling child sexual abuse, which is becoming more complex and severe with the evolution of technology," Assistant Commissioner Gough said.
"A collaborative approach is essential as technology allows offenders to operate without geographic limits."
An important role for the Taskforce is to identify and respond to evolving global threats and challenges, most recently the advance of End-to-End Encryption and the rapid evolution of Artificial Intelligence.
Assistant Commissioner Gough said the Virtual Global Taskforce would continue to focus on emerging technologies being misused by criminals to facilitate online child sexual abuse.
"Adapting to the rapid pace of ever-changing technology is crucial in the global fight against online child sexual abuse," Assistant Commissioner Gough said.
"Our top priority is the safety and wellbeing of children, and the Virtual Global Taskforce will continue to enhance our capabilities to remain agile to these evolving threats."
The Virtual Global Taskforce is an alliance of 15 international law enforcement agencies, being the Australian Federal Police (Chair), United Kingdom - National Crime Agency, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, National Police of Colombia, Philippine National Police, Philippine National Bureau of Investigations, Netherlands National Police, Ministry of Interior of the United Arab Emirates, New Zealand Police, Kenya National Police Service, Korean National Police Agency, United States Homeland Security Investigations, United States Federal Bureau of Investigation, INTERPOL and EUROPOL.
The AFP assumed the role of Chair of the Virtual Global Taskforce on 1 November, 2024, for a three-year period.
This was through its Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE), which brings together specialist expertise and skills in a central hub, supporting investigations into online child sexual exploitation and developing prevention strategies focused on creating a safer online environment.
In Australia, members of the public who have information about people involved in child abuse are urged to contact the ACCCE. If you know abuse is happening right now or a child is at risk, call police immediately on 000.
If you or someone you know is impacted by child sexual abuse and online exploitation, support services are available.
Research conducted by the ACCCE in 2020 revealed only about half of parents talked to their children about online safety. Advice and support for parents and carers about how they can help protect children online can be found at the ThinkUKnow website, an AFP-led education program designed to prevent online child sexual exploitation.
For more information on the role of the ACCCE, what is online child sexual exploitation and how to report it visit the ACCCE website.
Note to media
Use of term 'CHILD ABUSE' MATERIAL not 'CHILD PORNOGRAPHY'
The correct legal term is Child Abuse Material – the move to this wording was among amendments to Commonwealth legislation in 2019 to more accurately reflect the gravity of the crimes and the harm inflicted on victims.
Use of the phrase 'child pornography' is inaccurate and benefits child sex abusers because it:
- indicates legitimacy and compliance on the part of the victim and therefore legality on the part of the abuser; and
- conjures images of children posing in 'provocative' positions, rather than suffering horrific abuse.
Every photograph or video captures an actual situation where a child has been abused.
