Great reminder about the power of language from ICMEC Australia (1) I'd be interested to hear any views on the term 'child sexual abuse material' - I have personally always preferred the term 'child sexual exploitation material', as images do not always necessary depict sexual abuse but may be exploitative because of the context in which they are taken, stored, viewed. Or maybe they are two separate terms describing two different 'types' of material? (2) The terms 'paedophile' and 'child sex offender' are often used interchangeably, but the reality is that they have two very different meanings. Paedophiles are those that have a sexual attraction/interest in children (usually prepubescent children). They may be child sex offenders if they act on those interests and sexually abuse a child; but not all peadophiles sexually abuse children. Child sex offenders are those who sexually abuse a child, but the motivation behind the offending may not be a sexual interest or attraction (i.e., not a paedophilic interest), they may sexual harm for a range of different motivations (e.g., opportunity rather than an exclusive sexual interest in children). #childsexualabuse #terminology #languageisimportant Bravehearts
Words have the power to do harm and equally, they have the power to do good. How we talk about child sexual exploitation and abuse can make a huge difference. Using victim-centric and trauma-informed language helps us encourage children to report abuse and remove the stigma they feel when they've been impacted by CSE. To learn more about the kind of language we should use, have a read of the Luxembourg Guidelines: https://lnkd.in/eYAY4Zjk
