The Quebrar o Silêncio association asks the Government to take a position and vote in favor of the European Commission’s proposal to prevent and combat child sexual abuse.
The Quebrar o Silêncio association, of male victims of sexual violence, regrets that the Government still does not have a position on the European Commission’s proposal on preventing and combating child sexual abuse and asks you to vote in favor.
In statements to the Lusa agency, the president of Quebrar o Silêncio said that, together with other European associations, he will demonstrate this Tuesday, in Brussels, for the approval of the proposal, explaining that the initiatives aim raise awareness and raise awareness about the importance of the proposal being approved.
Ângelo Fernandes explained that the current European legislation on this matter is in force until August 2024, when, if new legislation is not approved, “Europe will be left in the void,” highlighting the importance of all countries making “real and “solids to combat child sexual abuse.”
We, in Europe, have until August 2024 to act and we are really thinking that, because of the way things are going, no, we are not having a favorable path and we are worried about the numbers,” the official highlighted, adding that he is worried about the absence of A program.
He gave as an example the fact that only in 2021 the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, in the United States, has received 29 million complaints59% of the cases correspond to children between the ages of three and puberty.
It is a terrifying reality, we are talking about about 80,000 complaints daily,” he stressed.
Specifically in relation to Portugal, Ângelo Fernandes stated that the Government “has not yet been pronounced and has not yet been pronounced” regarding the European Commission’s proposal.
We think that Portugal has to position itself and, for our part, in favor of the proposal,” he defended.
The president of Quebrar o Silêncio stressed that the European Commission’s proposal is not yet the final document and that, therefore, “there is still room for improvement.”
We also have some questions about this proposal, but it is a proposal that has one of the points that seems fundamental to us, which is the creation of a European Union center that will be responsible and will work with EUROPOL and with the Internet service providers of EUROPOL so that these companies are obliged to comply with technologies for the detection of child sexual abuse material,” he added.
Ângelo Fernandes maintained that it is necessary to create media moments and lobby so that political decision makers “are aware of the importance and potential that this proposal has.”
For Portugal, he said that Several requests to meet with national MEPs have already been submitted.“namely, Paulo Rangel, Nuno Melo and Isabel Santos, who are in the working group and in this proposal.”
Until now We have not received a response yet”, he said.
Regarding the advantages of the proposal, he highlighted the involvement of large companies and the Obligation to have technologies to detect child sexual abuse material online.remembering that “there was a year in which this obligation did not exist and the complaints at the Facebook level decreased about 60%“.
He argued that the measures must be achieved in conjunction with large companies and with the help of digital rights experts, as well as victim support organizations.
Regarding the actions planned for this Tuesday, Ângelo Fernandes said that demonstrations are planned in front of the European Parliament in the morning, as well as meetings with MEPs from several countries in the afternoon.
Source: Observadora
