Strengthening Moldova’s Capacity to Address Child Online Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse (COSESA)
La Strada Moldova has become a partner in a large-scale project, aimed strengthening the capacity of professionals involved in countering child online sexual exploitation and abuse (COSESA), implemented at the national level. The Project started this April and will continue for at least two years.
After the Republic of Moldova ratified the international and European conventions, aimed at protecting children against abuse, including online sexual exploitation and abuse, the Government also approved an action plan in this regard. However, additional improvements of our country's efforts to identify, investigate and prosecute COSESA cases are necessary.
The project capacity building activities, targeting legal professionals with mandate and interest in countering child online sexual exploitation and abuse, are designed to produce the following specific outputs and outcomes:
- Create a cadre of at least 25 trainers (justice system and academia) with knowledge and adequate preparation to train their peers on countering COSESA cases in Moldova.
- Develop curriculum and pilot, over one academic year, a comprehensive continuous training program for law enforcement and justice sector officials on countering COSESA cases. At the end of this stage at least 50 law enforcement and justice sector officials will participated in pilot trainings.
- Comprehensive materials are developed to guide legal professionals in countering COSESA cases, including a handbook with information about definitions, forms and favoring factors up to a set of recommendations for professionals specialized in the investigation and trial of COSESA cases. The handbook will also include a study on criminal behavioral analysis providing insight into modus operandi of child sexual abuse aggressors, with expert recommendations for those involved in prosecuting/examining COSESA cases.
Project activities will be managed and implemented by La Strada team and will involve collaborations with the National Institute of Justice, General Prosecutor’s Office, Supreme Court of Justice, academia and independent experts, psychologists, in cooperation with ICMEC – International Center for Missing and Exploited Children with sit in USA.
The project is financially supported by the US State Department through the United States Embassy in Chisinau. It is one of the first sustained efforts at the national level, aimed supporting the capacity building of COSESA legal and judicial representatives.