Hana Hrpka is a psychologist and a president of NGO Brave phone – helpline for abused and neglected children. She is also a Junior Assistant at J.J. Strossmayer University in Osijek at Department of Psychology and Postgraduate student of Psychology in Zagreb.

She joined Brave phone 10 years ago, as a volunteer on the Helpline. Now, she is working as a counselor at Counseling center for parents and children, supervisor and educator of volunteers. As well she is managing the NGO. In her regular work she is engaged in conducting scientific researches among which are researches on children’s experiences on Internet. On the bases of these researches, she was involved in creating preventive program Safer Internet.

ABSTRACT

29 September, Thuesday, 14.45 – 17.00

In 2004 Brave Phone in cooperation with Center for Child Protection Zagreb has conducted a research about children's experience while surfing the Internet. Based of it results, Brave Phone started implementing project Safer Internet – Prevention of Violence Against Children trough Internet.

In 2008 the same two organizations conducted very similar research about children and youth experiences in using modern technologies.

Results of this research indicate that 91% of pupils are users of Internet and also that 49% of them are using Internet every day. 49% of pupils are without supervision of adults while they spent time on Internet, 46% of them declare that their parents are sometimes present. 54% of them encounter on a web site which implicated photos of naked person or person in sexual contact, without pupils wanted to see this type of material.

In 2008 Brave Phone as a Unicef Croatia partner, organized a campaign with purpose of prevention of cyberbullying called "Break the chain". Within this campaign Brave Phone assured telephone counseling for children and adults with problems of cyberbullying. Also, the brochures about Internet safety were provided for every interested individual and organization.

Focus of preventive project Safer Internet is to inform and consult children about safe and positive ways of surfing the Internet. It also involves parents with dilemmas about how to act in cases of exposed child to violence on Internet or how to set up the rules for surfing the Internet. Main goal of the project is to provide adequate and practical information for children and parents about safe ways and methods for surfing the Internet and efficient ways of protection from violence on Internet, using the group work and individual counseling.

Project also includes a distribution of brochures (especially brochure "Child on Internet" and flyer "Internet") which are intended for children, parents and professionals who work with children.

The results of these activities are awareness of children and their parents about available resources, improved protection of children from abuse, modified children's behaviors towards using contemporary medias, especially Internet, increasing number of revealed and registered cases of violence through Internet and increasing number of children who are feeling protected and safe. Children and parents are also informed about points where they can obtain expert's help and support.