Since the advent and boom of social media, online grooming has been on the increase. Paedophiles have found a new way to get their victims. Oftentimes, individuals who are vulnerable to the risks associated with social media are minors. And particularly minors who have not been educated about online dangers. Nor received guidance on how to engage with strangers online.
Online child abuse is becoming rampant as young children and teenagers are being waylaid by Paedophiles who are sometimes also murderers. According to the UN, Adults posing as young people are using chat apps and social networks to befriend children with the goal of sexually exploiting them – a concept known as grooming.
Mr. Neil Walsh, head of global cybercrime for the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC); gives tips for keeping children safe online. He said this abuse can be limited by educating children and their caregivers about the threats online. You don’t give out your real name, you don’t give out your date of birth, you don’t give out where you live, who you go to school with; Mr. Walsh advises in the podcast.
You don’t give out your real name, you don’t give out your date of birth, you don’t give out where you live, or who you go to school with. #OnlineSafety Click To Tweet
Check your Profile
If you have your own social media, objectively have a look at what information are you giving out there. Is your photo on the profile, your location or your date of birth? Also, do you have pictures of your family, friends or your children online? If someone wanted to do anything against you, what could they learn about you by looking at that profile? Because when it comes to online grooming the perpetrator uses the information they find about you online to try and commit their crimes.
Mr. Walsh, a former police officer who has fought paedophilia for decades shared that criminals are increasingly using newer technologies to evade police. As a result, he advises that children need to be empowered to understand the risks.
In the video below, Mr Walsh gives advice to caregivers on what they can do to keep children safe online.
Real Dangers of Online Grooming
Before a paedophile is detected and arrested; he or she has typically been active for an average of 13 years. This insight was shared by Mr Walsh citing figures from the United States Department of Justice. When arrested, an average offender is in the process of grooming or abusing up to 70 children.
According to Sonya Ryan, a mother whose 15-year-old daughter was killed by a man who groomed her for 18 months. Parents need to know what their children are doing online and understand the media they are using.
Speaking on a podcast, she shared that Connection, communication and discussion are important. As well as being up to date with what children are doing, and who they’re talking to. It’s getting them to understand that not everyone online is who they say they are. Finally, she shared that it is important to get the children to understand your motivation is love and you care for them. It’s never about being nosey.
Since her daughter’s murder in 2007, Ms Ryan set up The Carly Ryan Foundation in her daughter’s name and pushed through a new law in Australia that makes it a crime for people to use the internet to prepare to hurt a child.
Not everyone online is who they say they are. According to Mr Walsh cyber-enabled crime and especially online child abuse, is one of the most preventable types of crime. He says it is about education, understanding what that risk is and being conscious of our decisions.
As parents, you need to be more vigilant than ever when it comes to social media. Protecting your children on social media is of utmost importance. Educate yourself on how the various social media apps/sites work, so you can have a better knowledge of their use and how to protect yourself.
See [Top Five Apps Children Use And How To Protect Them]
