Since 2014, Europol has been regularly bringing together victim identification experts from around the world to focus on unsolved cases of child sexual abuse. Over 695 children have been safeguarded and 228 offenders arrested as a result of operations based on the VIDTF. As the largest recurring operation of its kind in the world, the VIDTF has also inspired a number of similar initiatives at the national and regional levels.Public appeal for helpYou can help us identify the origin of certain objects as part of Europol’s Trace an Object initiative. Visit https://www.europol.europa.eu/stopchildabuse to see if you recognise any identifiable features or individuals in the publicly released images. Europol periodically releases new series of pictures containing non-confrontational details of images extracted from child sexual abuse cold cases in the hope that someone will recognise a detail that will help narrow down the location of the victim. No clue is too small. Note to media:Europol encourages you to use the term ‘child (sexual) abuse material’ as opposed to ‘child pornography’ in your reporting.The use of the term ‘child pornography’ helps child sex abusers as it suggests legitimacy and compliance on the part of the victim and therefore legality on the part of the sex abuser. The use of the term ‘child pornography’ conjures up images of children posing in ‘provocative’ positions, rather than suffering horrific abuse. Every photograph or video captures an actual situation in which a child has been abused. This is not pornography. Participating countries:Australia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Malta, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United StatesParticipating agencies:Europol, Interpol
Europol Victim Identification Taskforce leads to rescue of three sexually abused children
