Sexual harassment of children and young people has become more common – Helsinki Metropolitan Area schools, upper secondary educational institutions and youth centres help children identify and react to harassment

Every two years, the national School Health Survey produces diverse monitoring data on the health and well-being of children and young people. Pupils in grades 4–5 and 8–9 and students in years 1–2 of upper secondary and vocational education answer the survey. Last year, a total of 47,134 pupils responded to the survey in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area. The cities of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area want to help people identify sexual harassment and prevent it among children and young people.

The survey shows that sexual harassment is experienced in all age groups that responded to the survey. Girls in grades 8–9 and upper secondary education had experienced the most sexual harassment; almost half of them had experienced sexual suggestions and harassment. Sexual harassment seems to be directed at increasingly younger people, as harassment experienced by pupils in grades 4–5 had increased compared to two years ago and now around 10% of respondents reported experiencing it.

Sexual harassment is most common on social media

Sexual harassment can occur in public spaces, at home or online. In social media channels, sexual harassment experienced by young people is typically sexual messages and images sent to them. Face-to-face interaction also involves physical sexual actions.

In recent years, the sending of sexually explicit images, in particular, has become more common among young people, as the taking and sharing of any kind of images and videos has become more commonplace. Sexual harassment on social media has become such a common phenomenon that some young people think it is a normal part of social media.

“The younger a person is, the more difficult it can be for them to realise that they are a victim of sexual abuse. Groomers, that is, adults who persuade minors to engage in sexual activities, can be very skilled at first gaining the trust of a child or young person by asking questions about their daily life and complimenting their appearance, and then gradually manipulating the child or young person into engaging in a sexual activity,” says Annina Lehtonen from the Western Uusimaa Police Department who specialises in assault and sexual offences targeting children.

Teachers and youth workers help young people identify and respond to harassment

This autumn, the Helsinki Metropolitan Area municipalities have produced materials to support teachers and youth workers in discussing sexual harassment with children and young people. The support material for adults includes explanations of concepts, discussion questions and participatory assignments to support discussing the phenomenon. Alongside the support material, you can watch  videos that help identify sexual harassment, produced by Save the Children Finland.

The phenomenon of sexual harassment will be addressed in an age-appropriate manner in schools and youth facilities during this year, from grade 5 to upper secondary education. The themes to be covered include the different concepts of sexual harassment, sexually explicit images, young people being bribed in the context of sexual actions, grooming and groomers’ multiple victims, as well as how to get help and how to file a report. The goal is for young people to learn to identify sexual harassment and to know what to do if they fall victim to it. Another goal is to make sure young people are educated on the topic and do not inadvertently commit acts that meet the characteristics of sexual harassment.

Adults are obligated to report any suspicions to authorities

Every adult is obliged to notify the police and the child welfare authorities if they suspect that a child or young person has been sexually harassed. However, just filing a notification is not enough; the adult must ensure that the child or young person also receives sufficient support for their situation.

“We at the police want people to contact us without hesitation if they have even the slightest suspicion of sexual abuse targeting a child or young person. Only in this way will we be able to intervene and possibly hold the perpetrators accountable for their actions,” Lehtonen say.

How to protect children and young people online:

1. It is important to ask the child or young person in an everyday conversation about what is happening on their social media and how they view social media. 

2. It is also good to ask if something that felt unpleasant or confusing to the child or young person has happened.

3. Be interested in the affairs of your child or young person – this makes it easier to discuss any concerns.

4. Sexual education includes providing children and young people with information about online sexual harassment. This is an important tool for protecting children and young people.

You can contact the police of the Nettivihje hotline of Save the Children Finland (https://www.pelastakaalapset.fi/en/finnish-hotline-nettivihje/) to report any actions or material you suspect to be related to the sexual harassment of a child or young person.