Working meeting in the Region of Crete for the prevention of online abuse of children and teenagers

On the occasion of the week of information and awareness for the prevention of online sexual abuse and harassment of children and teenagers implemented by the Region of Crete, in collaboration with the Electronic Crime Prosecution Division of the Hellenic Police from April 22 to 27 in Crete, a working meeting was held today Monday , in the presence of the Deputy Regional Governor for Culture and Equality, Gogos Milaki. These actions are implemented within the framework of the “Regional Action Plan for Gender Equality 2023-2025”.

The meeting was attended by the Electronic Crime Prosecution Psychologist of EL.A.S., Dr. Giorgos Nakos, the Head of the Domestic Violence Office of Heraklion, Angeliki Bernidaki, the President of the Department of Social Work of the Hellenic Mediterranean University, Associate Professor, Maria Papadakaki and the Head of the Independent Equality Office of the Region of Crete, Meropi Apelidou.

From the Technology and Research Foundation, it was attended by Vivi Fragkopoulou, associate member of the Institute of Informatics of ITE, and Melitini Christodoulaki, legal and communication manager of the Help Line of the Safe Internet Center of ITE.

As stated by the Deputy Regional Governor Mrs. Milaki: “Following the informative activities we implemented last year, which were attended by approximately 700 high school and high school students and more than 500 parents and teachers in Crete, and in response to the requests of schools and parents’ and guardians’ associations, we are holding a second round of updates at the Regional Sections of Heraklion, Rethymno and Lasithi. Recognizing the imperative need to prevent violence, navigate safely on the internet and inform about practices for dealing with online risks, the Region of Crete seeks to network its services with all agencies at the local and national level to achieve the best possible results in terms of protection of the physical and mental health of children and adolescents”.

For his part, Mr. Nakos stated that: “The Electronic Crime Prosecution Directorate has developed a systematic cooperation with the Region of Crete with the aim of informing and raising awareness of children, teachers and parents on safe internet issues throughout Crete.

Our Directorate has received over 91,000 calls for the year 2023 and has managed more than 10,000 cases on the 11188 number of the Internet Risk Management Center cyber alert, which operates on a 24-hour basis. Regarding the implementation of informative activities in 2023, we received 830 requests throughout Greece and held 587 live and distance lectures.

What we ask of children in schools is that, just as everything that happens to them in their real life should be told and not suffered, they should do the same for their online life. We are by their side to protect their health and their very future”.

As mentioned by Mrs. Francopoulou from the ITE: “The Technology and Research Foundation, through the Hellenic Safe Internet Center, has had a very important action in recent years to inform children, teachers and parents, about issues related to violence at school, cyber bullying, excessive occupation and overexposure in social networks. In this context, we are going to create an application that will be used by children so that they can be informed in an experiential way and learn how to deal with and behave when faced with such issues.

We are also working with Interpol, so any complaint regarding this issue, in a very short time of less than 24 hours, is entered into the database that Interpol operates in Lyon, France, and in this way 55 different hotlines are connected not only in Europe, but from all over the world to fight the phenomenon”.

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