Prevention of sexual crimes against children and adolescents on the internet: strategies and challenges in the brazilian context

Abstract

The present study discussed the main strategies and challenges related to the prevention of sexual crimes committed against children and adolescents on the internet. To this end, a bibliographic review was conducted, primarily based on legislation and national and international academic journals. In Brazil, both the 1988 Federal Constitution and the Statute of the Child and Adolescent establish the right of children and adolescents to dignity and full protection against any form of abuse and violence. However, the rapid pace of technological transformation surpasses the ability of legislators and authorities to stay updated, creating gaps that can be exploited by criminals. It was found that the main crimes committed against children and adolescents via the internet include sexual grooming, live-streamed torture, cyberbullying, and sextortion. In this context, practices such as the use of Artificial Intelligence to remove illicit files from the web, facial recognition systems to identify victims, and interagency collaboration in international-level operations to capture criminals have proven successful. Some national public policies related to the issue were identified. Additionally, various programs and strategies were presented to outline similar initiatives in Brazil.