Online Child Safety and the Virtual Global Taskforce

YCWA is working in partnership with the Virtual Global Taskforce to help protect children online.

What is the Virtual Global Taskforce?

The Virtual Global Taskforce unites law enforcement agencies from around the world to combat online child abuse.

The current VGT members include the National Crime Squad in England and Wales, the Australian High Tech Crime Centre, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the US Department of Homeland Security and Interpol. Jim Gamble, Deputy Director General of the National Crime Squad is the Chair.

What does the Virtual Global Taskforce do?

The Taskforce's mission is to make the Internet a safer place for children.

It aims to achieve this by empowering children, for example, by raising awareness of the risks that children and young people face online and by providing tools to help manage those risks.

The Taskforce also aims to prevent and deter paedophiles from committing online child abuse, for example, by working with online providers to make it more difficult for paedophiles to misuse the Internet and by increasing the likelihood that those who go online to commit child abuse will actually be caught.

What is Online Child Abuse?

The term "online child abuse" means using the online environment (e.g. the Internet or mobile phones) to search for, share, download or make indecent images of children. It also includes using the Internet to "groom" children for sex.

What can your Youth Crime Watch do?

We can help raise awareness of the risks that children and youth face online.

• Make sure all of your watch members know and practice online safety guidelines.
• Include an online safety segment in your action project and public education plans for the year.
• Promote the Virtual Global Taskforce website, which includes advice, information and support for children and parents as well a a reporting mechanism.

Visit VGT online at www.virtualglobaltaskforce.com to learn more.

 

In the U.S.A.

VGT works with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Report child abuse on the CYBER TIPLINE!

Visit the VGT online

www.virtualglobaltaskforce.com