Rome, Italy, May 31, 2017 / 10:05 am
An international congress in Rome this autumn will bring together experts to focus on the problem of online sexual abuse of minors and how to better safeguard children on the internet.
The Oct. 3-6 meeting is hosted by the Pontifical Gregorian University's Center for Child Protection and will conclude in an audience with Pope Francis during which he will be presented a "Declaration on Child Dignity in the Digital World."
According to a May 31 statement, there are 3.2 billion internet users worldwide, children making up over one quarter of these – about 800 million users. These children and adolescents "are vulnerable to entirely new forms of harm and abuse such as trolling, cyberbullying, sextortion, and grooming for sexual exploitation."
The international congress "will focus on the latest scientific research and technical understanding in this field, bringing together global experts and decision makers to discuss the risks and challenges of the digital age and its impact on the dignity of children."