Current events II.

                Nowadays, children have easy access to the internet. One of the main issues is that many parents do not control their social media presence, especially during pandemic, when they have many other issues to take care of. Many parents might think that their child is being safe in their bedroom, but the reality might be different. Lockdowns contributed to children spending more time online, the lack of socialization, and going through a difficult time such as a pandemic might result in children looking for online friends. Not only the pandemic, but the lack of parental love, time, strict boundaries that are often set by parents contribute to children trying to find a trusted person online. This is the main reason, why it is easy for a predator to find a child and take advantage of them.

               Often, predators have a friendly approach, trying to make the child feel safe and create a bond. Children are easily manipulated, especially if they are going through a rough patch in life. Some of the reasons why a child is going through a rough patch might be bullying, lack of self-esteem, problems at home or school. Predators tend to use fake pictures, name, age and create a story to become more appealing to children. They often compliment the child, listen to their problems, tell them they are mature for their age and how lucky they are to be able to get to know them. After establishing a connection, they move to more serious topics such as sex, sending nude pictures, asking for personal information, or meeting in person.

               Sending pictures or sharing personal information often leads to blackmailing like showing the pictures to their parents or to their school. The child feels hopeless because they are afraid to tell their parents or a trusted adult the truth which leads to sharing more explicit pictures or videos or eventually meeting up. The only way to stop this is to teach children about talking to strangers online, showing them real-life examples of the consequences that will follow, and making sure they know, that no matter what they sent to someone, there is always a solution.

               ** I found a great video based on true events of online grooming. This video is an example of how the predator creates a connection with the victim and the following consequences. While watching, please turn on subtitles, as a part of the video is in Norwegian. **  

Aktiv Skola. (2018, February 23). I think I have a crush on you – A film about grooming [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRQlMriBqiQ

Oppenheim, M. (2021, April 21). Girls aged 11-12 ‘more at risk of online grooming than ever before’. Independent. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/stalkerware-spyware-apps-coronavirus-domestic-abuse-b1835237.html

Turban, J. (2020, April 28). The coronavirus pandemic puts children at risk of online sexual exploitation. Scientific American, https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/coronavirus-pandemic-puts-children-at-risk-online/docview/2407604188/se-2