fesip
“Politics are usually the executive expression of human immaturity.“
Vera Brittain (1964)
The Rebel Passion: A Short History of Some Pioneer Peace-Makers
Meet the EU's alleged fight against Child Sexual Abuse; its proposed regulation against Online Child Sexual Abuse Material, or short CSAM.
journalists, whistleblowers and freedom of speech subject to censoring
The problem has never been more pressing. I've previously talked about how European law limits the reporting of wrongdoing in the 3 part series on the subject of whistleblowers in Europe.
Most journalists have conveyed their views very clearly about the profound problems of the proposed CSAM regulation. They speak up from their perspectives and concerns on privacy and false allegations.
While I do share these concerns, and I find them to be very valid, these concerns do not address the … root of the problem. They do not advocate for tackling offline child sexual abuse, or for tackling the denial by and failure of systems and politicians.
The question is not whether there is child sexual abuse material online.
The question is not whether its heinousness is highly disturbing.
The question is, do we want for child sexual abuse to be catapulted back into the realm of disbelief and ostracisation. Triumphantly backing the ego of adults over the wellbeing of children, victims. Hide again the reality of life-long shattered lives, so the public is no longer compelled to cry against child sexual abuse.
EU commission to the rescue !
On July 27th 2020 the EU strategy for a more effective fight against child sexual abuse was adopted.
The aim of this strategy is to provide an effective response, at EU level, to the fight against child sexual abuse. It provides a framework for developing a strong and comprehensive response to these crimes, both in their online and offline form.
And that's what our European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson claims she is doing:
The ‘why’ I made my proposal is the following: to rescue children from ongoing sexual violence …
Her proposal is adequately titled “Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down rules to prevent and combat child sexual abuse”.
Do not be fooled !
The proposed regulation mentions “offline” child sexual abuse anecdotally, only 3 times in its introductory section. Tackling “offline” child sexual abuse is not included in the regulation at all. It is not without reason it has been dubbed in public language as the regulation against “Online Child Sexual Abuse Material” and acronymed as the CSAM regulation.
Thursday October 26th 2023 the European Commissioner Ylva Johansson finally had to justify herself regarding Danny Mekic's journalistic work detailing evidence of wrongdoing. Her EU Home Affairs department has manipulated public opinion away from the public interest towards a special and narrow interest, and in so doing exacerbated inequalities, undermined democratic values, and trust in government. Such action is defined as corruption in international law.
No online child sexual abuse without its essential offline component
It's no secret I am against this regulation due to it endeavouring to return the subject of child sexual abuse to the catacombs of society, returning to its omerta state. The difference this time is the obligation of silence would no longer be governed by shame or praxis, but by law.
Without offline sexual abuse, there simply can not be online sexual abuse material. Whether it is the consumption of material or its crafting, both happen offline by humans sitting behind facilitating equipment.
Online is merely but a new distribution channel. One which finally makes it unambiguously visible to the masses, triggering knowledge and action.
The CSAM regulation targets exactly that public action triggering knowledge. In so doing, it makes sure child sexual abuse would no longer be noticed, documented, raised awareness about and fought against.
Like with all distribution of crimes, it will innovate and flourish. That's why we need to seize the public momentum to change the paradigm. In our legal systems, in our police force, in our social structures, in our medical systems, … in our homes … in our minds and in our hearts.
One does not abuse children, and we are all responsible for the ongoing failure to tackle the root of the problem.
awareness rather then illusionistic control
If today we are able to credibly raise awareness about the depth and breadth of child sexual abuse in our societies, it is because its heinousness inconveniently disturbs us by unwarranted popping up in our (children's) phones.
Confronted with the evidence in our rat-raced lives, many of us dare still think, hope perhaps, it is negligible or exceptional. Somehow the belief of immunity against a widespread societal issue lingers in the background.
We heartbreakingly and very sadly need the heinous online symptom to raise awareness about the root of the problem. Online no longer allows us to disregard the ugliness of our self comfort fuelled dismissing behaviour.
Documentaries and human rights defenders now have ongoing painfully hard evidence in outrageous numbers. It allows to overturn national and international media CEO's veto to publish about the problem that child sexual abuse is.
Online CSAM is guilty of making the ongoing, centuries old, wrongdoing painfully and unwantedly visible. It sharpens public opinion and outcry to act against all forms of child sexual abuse.
Our “human immaturity” is finally forced to “mature”. The cramp of “politics executive expression” only endeavours to tackle CSAM distribution by unwarranted controlitis over our lives. So much so the department of our European chief in command, Ylva Johansson, in desperation for the public's approval reaches to false and non root targeting measures.
As with any targeting of distribution, it will simply reinvent itself in the dark, hidden spheres of society. Do we want to return to the time before the online canary sentinel? Now that it flies free above ground chirpingly warning us, are we so willing to catapult the canary back to the underground, dark mine of Child Sexual Abuse, to die asphyxiated by its toxic atmosphere?
Vera Brittain
A decade ago a movie called “Testament of Youth” highlighted Vera Brittain's early years. It's based on her autobiographical styled and long acclaimed first world war bestseller.
From the movie … remove the specific “German” reference and see how valid it is, regardless of which “war” we can think of.
Their pain was the same pain. Their blood, the same blood.
Our grief is the grief of hundreds and thousands of German women and men.
I speak to those of us who are left behind! The mothers, sisters, women. We sent our men to war!
I fought my father to let my brother go.
Because we think it's the right thing, the honourable thing.
But all I can do is stand here and ask you...
Is it? Was I right? Can I find the courage to accept there might be another way?
Perhaps their deaths have meaning only if we stand together now and say, “No!”
No to killing. No to war. No to the endless cycle of revenge.
I say no more of it. No more.
Returning to today's fesip:
How close does the full text shine the light of resemblance, of history repeating itself, on our currently unfolding world?
As the world revolves between longing for quiescence and the insanity of action, the claims of lawfully committing lawless actions tick to the rhythm of a carefully nurtured pendulum divulging its astronomically destructive powers.
Vera's quote from 1964 is still current and actual, regardless of subject. Various “wars” are profiled as existential by politicians. Think of the fight against child sexual abuse, the persecution of whistleblowers, … all subject to people in power capturing policies for their personal and constituents comfort and benefit while others suffer. The victims' urge for a perspective of non recurrence squashed.
A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on.
This blog gets the proverbial pants on!
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