Technology and Child Abuse

Some recent studies have been done indicating that there is a serious lack of training in technology for professionals who work with abused children. This includes nurses, child protection workers, and educators. The professionals dealing with these children need to be at least as technologically smart as the pedophile seeking the children online. Computers, tablets and smart phones are here to stay and we need to keep up. We need to know what to look for and how to find it or we aren’t going to be able to provide the service we need to our children.

A study was done in the UK by Plymouth University and University Campus Suffolk showing a serious gap in technological training, but a definite desire by the same workers to get that training. I couldn’t find any study that has been done in the US. I doubt it is because we don’t have the same problem here, but rather that we haven’t even gotten far enough to assess the problem.

Many parents today have already been surpassed by their eleven or twelve-year-old child in their internet savvy. To me that is frightening. Professionals need to keep up. Parents need to keep up. It’s an important and significant way to help in the prevention of child abuse.

Teresa Burrell

Author, Attorney, Advocate

We don’t need everyone’s help to prevent child abuse, just yours.

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