Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation through Livestreaming in Indonesia: Unequal Power Relations at the Root of Child Victimization
Date
2023
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Journal of International Women's Studies
Abstract
Child sexual abuse and exploitation through livestreaming is a rising phenomenon of
online child sexual abuse and exploitation in Indonesia. This phenomenon takes place in both
offline and online spaces. Moreover, due to the active involvement of the viewers, these content
viewers can also be considered as offenders. Thus, it is necessary to recognize this phenomenon
as a crime against children, instead of merely a sexual act. By using a criminology perspective,
this research explores the roots of this phenomenon, the impact on survivors, and the child
protection system’s actions against it. This qualitative study used secondary data analysis,
derived from a total of nineteen Indonesian news articles as well as five cases of child sexual
exploitation and abuse through livestreaming. Power relations theory by Michel Foucault is
used to explain the power relations and victimization in this phenomenon. The analysis shows
that unequal power relations between adults and children contribute to the phenomenon. The
unequal power relations include how societies perceive children, victim-blaming, gender
inequality, and the existing situation of the porn industry, which places the children in
vulnerable positions. The child survivors in these case studies were found to experience
multiple victimizations, including sexual abuse in real life and online in conjunction with
economic victimization. These victimization processes are prolonged due to the fact that sexual
content is rapidly shared by the offenders; thus, the situation can be described as chronic
revictimization. Indonesian systems for protecting children against such crimes were found to
be inefficient due to the absence of legal terminology to define child sexual abuse and
exploitation through livestreaming and the lack of laws that can be used to punish the viewers.
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Keywords
child sexual abuse, internet, survivors, child sexual abuse material, livestreaming child sexual abuse, Indonesia, legislation, International Resources
Citation
Prathisthita Tanaya, N. L. T., & Puteri, N. M. M. (2023). Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation through Livestreaming in Indonesia: Unequal Power Relations at the Root of Child Victimization. Journal of International Women's Studies, 25(3), 6.