From the 22 to 23 October 2024, the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX), in collaboration with the Council of Europe’s CYBERKOP Action and the Kosovo Police’s Cybercrime Directorate, successfully concluded a two-day training event aimed at enhancing the skills of the first responders in tackling Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (OCSEA).

The training provided 21 police officers with essential tools and knowledge to investigate OCSEA cases, collect electronic evidence, and handle reports from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).

The learning sessions also focused on the psychological impact of sexual crimes on victims, providing officers with the necessary skills required to conduct sensitive, victim-centered interviews and recognize signs of trauma. Additionally, participants received guidance on managing vicarious trauma, which is often experienced by officers dealing with such cases.

The training was part of the European Multidisciplinary Platform Against Criminal Threats (EMPACT) framework, seeking to bolster Kosovo’s ability to combat the growing threat of child sexual exploitation in the digital age, and it reflects EULEX’s commitment to strengthen Kosovo’s law enforcement capacity to tackle cybercrime and protect vulnerable children from online predators.