Around 70 participants from across Latin America and the Caribbean gathered on 26 and 27 November for an online regional conference on cyberviolence and e-evidence organised by the International Association of Women Judges (IAWJ) with the support of the Octopus Project and GLACY+ project of the Council of Europe. Amid a dramatic increase in online abuse and violence during the COVID-19 pandemic, the conference addressed some of the key forms of cyberviolence, including cyberstalking, sexting, and online child sexual exploitation and abuse.
The conference enabled criminal justice practitioners from across the region to share knowledge and experiences, responding to an growing need for judges and prosecutors to understand the nature of these crimes and increase their awareness of the legislation and instruments for international cooperation available to handle cases involving these offences. Participants also increased their knowledge of the benefits and challenges associated with electronic evidence and how to handle it to hold offenders accountable.
Both the Octopus Project and GLACY+ project will continue to provide support to criminal justice authorities in the region to enhance their ability to effectively address cybercrime and make better use of the tools for international cooperation provided by the Budapest Convention and its Additional Protocols.
International Association of Women Judges (IAWJ)
Regional conference dedicated webpage
Budapest Convention on Cybercrime
First Additional Protocol to the Cybercrime Convention
Second Additional Protocol adopted by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe