In Sri Lanka, child protection is at a crucial point due to the country’s economic crisis, which has led to a rise in sexual exploitation and abuse. Due to the crisis, girl children from vulnerable families are dropping out of school and being sexually exploited by their families on an unprecedented scale. Online perpetrators are also seeking to form sexual relationships with vulnerable children. As a result, reports of violence against children are surfacing daily.
The Problem with Existing Data
Currently, there is no centralised national database in Sri Lanka that records all forms of violence against children. While various institutions, such as hospitals, the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA), and the police, maintain their own records, this information is not consolidated into a single, publicly accessible repository for experts, child protection activists, or the general public. This absence of a central database presents a significant obstacle, preventing organisations from effectively planning awareness programmes, training, research and advocacy efforts. As a result, reliable data on violence against children, especially concerning child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA) and online child sexual exploitation and abuse (OCSEA), is scarce.
Furthermore, the statistics released by authorities can be unreliable. For example, a 2022 police report on serious offences against children listed sexual assault and obscene publications under the category of “minor offences”. Additionally, official police reports, such as the annual report on serious crime, only cover a limited number of violent acts like child abuse and statutory rape, excluding others such as trafficking, homicide and negligence. News reports, on the other hand, often offer more immediate and comprehensive information, as they are reported to local police before legal proceedings commence.
PEaCE’s Approach to Media Monitoring
To address this critical data gap, PEaCE/ECPAT Sri Lanka has been monitoring reports of violence against children in media outlets since 2013. This systematic process involves combing through publicly available information from various channels, including national and private television and radio stations, newspapers in all three languages, web media and local media channels. By monitoring the media, PEaCE can identify all reported instances of violence and gain a deeper understanding of the issue nationwide. This information is then used to support awareness programmes that educate children, parents and the broader community.
A key part of PEaCE’s work is its rigorous
fact-checking and verification process. Recognising that information in the public domain, particularly on social media, can be falsified, PEaCE has developed a detailed workflow to ensure accuracy.
The verification process involves:
- Identifying the news outlet and the author of the article.
- Evaluating the evidence and sources used in the report.
- Checking for identical stories across different news outlets and comparing the details to ensure they are consistent.
- Consulting with the authorities cited in the report.
- Assessing the credibility of the source and looking for any signs of bias or sensationalism.
- Investigating the ownership of the media outlet to determine if a personal agenda might be influencing the narrative.
To confirm reports, especially those from preliminary sources like newspapers and web media, PEaCE also conducts in-depth verification by cross-referencing information with key institutions and individuals. These include the Bureau for the Prevention of Abuse of Children and Women of the Sri Lanka Police, the NCPA, Child Rights Promotion Officers and other civil society organisations and hospital officials. PEaCE maintains reliable connections with all these entities to ensure a thorough and accurate investigation.
Data Compilation and Dissemination
Once an incident is verified, it is entered into a comprehensive online database platform. Each entry is categorised using 37 criteria based on reported crimes against children. The information is then compiled into a monthly report, complete with analysis and supporting graphs.
This report is published as a monthly e-Newsletter titled ‘Stop Child Abuse,’ which is distributed to numerous Civil Society Organisations, UN Agencies, researchers, universities and other relevant institutions both in Sri Lanka and internationally. The reports are also used in PEaCE’s awareness-raising sessions and are available as a resource for other organisations to use for their own awareness programmes and grant writing purposes. The data can even be used to initiate public discourse on radio and television.
The Benefits of this Work
This comprehensive media monitoring and verification process provides a crucial resource for organisations that lack access to high-quality data on violence against children. It saves other organisations from having to conduct their own individual monitoring efforts. The data helps prioritise areas of work, allocate resources and focus on the steps needed to reduce violence against children. PEaCE has also been able to obtain critical data from reputable international sources like the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), INTERPOL and the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). Data from NCMEC shows a significant increase in child sexual abuse materials (CSAM) uploaded from Sri Lankan IP addresses, highlighting the growing dangers of the internet for children and why PEaCE has prioritised its work on Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (OCSEA) since 2015.
By providing a centralised source of verified data, PEaCE’s media monitoring project equips civil society organisations and government institutions with the information they need to reduce violence and advocate for the protection of children across the nation.
