One in five children in Europe has experienced sexual abuse. This can include receiving sexually explicit messages, inappropriate touching, or rape. Every second, child sexual abuse material is distributed, sold, and viewed online. Most of the children in these images are between 3 and 13 years old. This should not be the reality for any child.
We have the opportunity to change this.
Child sexual abuse can be prevented through sexual education and by providing preventive support services to individuals who have a sexual interest in children. The two-year CSAPE project has been tirelessly working towards this goal, and now we invite you to join us.
This is your chance to learn from experts in the field and gain practical tools for making a difference.
Welcome to the seminar – together we can create a safer future for children!
Date: Wednesday 30th of October, 2024
Time: 9.30–16.00 (CET)
Place: Radisson Red hotel, Rue d’idalie 35, Brussels, 1050, Belgium / Online stream
Seminar language is English (translation not available).
The seminar will not be recorded.
There is space for 50 participants on-site (lunch and coffee included), register soon! Participation in the seminar is free of charge.
Join our seminar and learn more:
The state of sexual education in Europe:
- How can child sexual abuse be prevented through sexual education? How can sexual education be implemented in the context of different countries and cultures?
Young people with a sexual interest in children:
- What does this mean? And how can we support and help young people who recognize a sexual interest in children within themselves?
At the seminar, you will also:
- Hear the voices of young people from the consortium countries as they share their thoughts on how sexual abuse can be prevented and what sexual education should be like.
- See a video interview with an individual talks about their own sexual interest in children, which began in adolescence.
PROGRAM
9.30–10.00 Registration & Coffee
10.00–10.05 Opening Words & Practicalities
10.05–10.20 Opening of the Seminar
Willy Bergogné, Director & EU Representative Save the Children Europe & Floriana Sipala, Director for Internal Security and Commission Counter-Terrorism Coordinator, European Commission’s Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs (DG HOME)
10.20–10.35 KEYNOTE: Child Sexual Abuse – a Global Challenge
Theresa Ryan-Rouger, Senior Project Officer, MissingChildrenEurope
10.35–10.45 Introducing the Project CSAPE
Heidi Näppi, Project Manager, Save the Children Finland
10.45–11.05 KEYNOTE: The State of Sexual Education in Europe
Dr. Olena Ivanova, Senior Researcher, Tropical Institute LMU, Germany
11.05–11.25 Barriers and Opportunities in Providing Sexual Education to Children
Andreas Rentzis, Project Manager, KMOP
11.25–11.45 Unveiling Children’s Online Experiences in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Greece
Veronika Duci, Assoc. Professor, University of Tirana, Save the Children Albania
11.45–12.00 Questions and Discussion
12.00–13.00 Lunch
13.00–13.20 KEYNOTE: Juveniles with a Sexual Preference Towards Younger Children
Dr. Miriam Schuler, M.Sc. Psych & Eliza Schlinzig, Dipl.-Psych., Institute of Sexology and Sexual Medicine, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin
13.20–14.00 Best Practices and Lessons Learned in the Topic of Young People’s Sexual Interest in Children
incl. a Pre-recorded Interview with a Person Who Has Sexual Interest Towards Children
Heidi Näppi, Project Manager, Save the Children Finland
14.00–14.15 Questions and Discussion
14.15–14.50 Coffee Break
14.45–15.00 Fostering Youth Participation in the Project
Sabina Carcani, Program Manager, Save the Children Albania
15.00–15.30 Youth Perspectives on the Prevention of Sexual Abuse against Children – Panel Discussion
Child Advisory Board youth participants & Nihad Sladic, Advocacy and Campaigns Specialist, Save the Children in North West Balkans
15.30–15.45 Questions and Discussion
15.45–16.00 Closing Words & Feedback
Keynote speakers
Theresa Ryan-Rouger (B.A., LL.M) Senior Project officer & Focal Point on Child Sexual Abuse for Missing Children Europe. An international human rights UK qualified lawyer specialising in online and offline Child Protection with extensive experience in Gender Based Violence at international NGO and academic level (International Human Rights Institute (UCly). Nominated rapporteur for the Lanzarote Convention (Council of Europe).
Dr. Olena Ivanova an international researcher and consultant specializing in sexual and reproductive health. She holds a PhD in Health Sciences, a medical degree, and a master’s in public health. Dr. Ivanova is passionate about advancing sexuality education globally, she contributes through evidence generation, program evaluation, capacity building, active engagement in international networks, and advocacy efforts.
Dr. Miriam Schuler (M.Sc. Psych.) works as research associate and clinical psychologist at the Institute of Sexology and Sexual Medicine at the Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin. Miriam wrote her doctoral thesis on empathy in pedophilia and child sexual abuse within the NeMUP research initiative (http://www.nemup.de). She also works sexual therapist and gives lectures about sexual disorders.
Eliza Schlinzig (Dipl.-Psych.) works as research associate and clinical psychologist at the Institute of Sexology and Sexual Medicine at the Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin and coordinates the Prevention Project Juveniles “Just dreaming of them”. She also works as a licensed psychological Psychotherapist for children and adolescents and gives lectures about sexual disorders.
You are welcome to share this invitation with your professional network.
If you have any inquiries regarding the event, please don’t hesitate to contact janita.tasa@pelastakaalapset.fi.
WELCOME!
CSAPE project
This seminar is organised by CSAPE project (Child Sexual Abuse Prevention and Education) 2022-2024, a two-year project funded by the European Internal Security Fund (ISF) in which five European countries collaborate: Finland, Iceland, Greece, Albania and Bosnia-Herzegovina with the overall objective to improve the prevention of child sexual abuse.
