AFP warns child abuse offenders could move from online to contact offending overseas – PerthNow

Pedophiles who have used technology to carry out child abuse crimes could travel overseas to commit “grave offences” offshore, the Australian Federal Police has warned.

In the 2021-22 financial year, the AFP charged 221 offenders with 1746 child abuse charges, representatives told a joint committee inquiry into law enforcement capabilities in relation to child exploitation.

Acting Assistant Commissioner Stephen Dametto warned that the rate of child abuse offences was trending upwards, with the risk spilling over from the online space as the Covid-19 impacts lessen.

Acting Assistant Commissioner Stephen Dametto told a joint parliamentary inquiry that rates of child abuse were not declining. NCA NewsWire / James Gourley Credit: News Corp Australia

“Australians are committing grave offences offshore as the impacts of Covid-19 start to lessen and international borders reopen,” Mr Dametto said.

“The AFP expect individuals will travel offshore to contact offend.

“We anticipate this will include a number of Australians whose offending was previously limited to the online world only.”

Law enforcement at times struggles to keep up with technology that continues to present the biggest opportunity for criminals to commit offences.

Live streaming, police say, is a harmful, emerging trend.

“It is very difficult, as it doesn’t necessarily leave an electronic trace,” Mr Dametto said.

Child Sexual Abuse in Australia

Australian Institute of Criminology deputy director Rick Brown said live streaming was a completely different nature of offending.

“It combines both contact and consuming. The way you think of other abuse material is that it is prerecorded, pre-photographed; what you are viewing is essentially historic,” Dr Brown said

“Live streaming by definition is contemporary and guided by a consumer and combines the contact offending as well as (consuming).

Committee chair senator Helen Polley said child exploitation was an increasing crime, and the recent Medibank and Optus hacks would serve as a wake-up call to parents.

“The recent hacking will make all households more aware of the need to monitor what’s happening on their computers,” Senator Polley said.

“It will be a wake-up call for not only parents around the country but also for governments that we have to do more.

“We have to be smarter and we have to have more people working in this area.”

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