'Step Up, Speak Up' - Youth-led event in Brussels to tackle online sexual harassment

On 11th April 2019 in Brussels, much-needed and ground-breaking resources will be launched to help tackle online sexual harassment among young people. Experts from the UK, Denmark and Hungary who have been working on this issue for the past two years will be present at the event. The launch will also be an opportunity to meet and talk to young people from these countries and hear them talk about what support they need from professionals.

Date 2019-04-04 Author UK Safer Internet Centre Section awareness, youth

What will the event be about?

Sexual harassment is not a new phenomenon, but the ‘audience' and ‘evidence' provided by digital technology facilitates it and has opened the door for new forms of sexual harassment.

Project deSHAME is a project, co-financed by the EU, seeking to address the issue of the under-reporting of online sexual harassment among young people, as well as promoting a multi-agency response to this issue. The Project is comprised of a partnership between Childnet International, Save the Children Denmark, Kek Vonal (Hungary) and UCLan (the University of Central Lancashire). The project partners have conducted extensive research on this issue which you can be accessed in full here.

As part of this project, various resources to support educators, law enforcement, and young people themselves ahve been created. It is vital this work happens to prevent harmful norms forming as part of young people's online behaviour and expectations, and makes clear to young people that support is available. The project as well as all the resources encourage them to report this behaviour when it happens.

A youth delegation from the UK, Denmark and Hungary, as well as experts who have conducted research and created these resources will be invited to discuss the resources and the wider issues they address.

Details about the event

The 'Step Up, Speak Up' event will take place from 1:45-4pm in central Brussels. Further details will be provided upon registration. The event will cover the following topics:

  • The prevalence of peer on peer online sexual harassment through cross-country comparative research
  • Barriers to reporting among young people
  • Effective strategies to prevent and respond for schools and law enforcement 
  • Implications for policy and practice
  • Impact of the educational resources that have been tested in schools in three EU countries
  • Q&A and discussion about broader involvement from other EU countries

Registration

Registration to the event can be made by contacting sharon@childnet.com*, using the subject line 'Project deSHAME Brussels launch'. Please include: your full name, the name of your organisation, your role in your organisation and any related work or information you are doing. 

*Please note that registrations function on a first come, first served basis.

This article was initially published on the Childnet International website and is reproduced here with permission.

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