Online grooming crimes against children have reached a record high, with Snapchat being the most popular platform for offenders. Learn how to keep your child safe online and what to do if they’re being groomed or blackmailed.
Data from the United Kingdom’s National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) shows that online grooming crimes against children have increased by 89% over the past six years.
In 2023/24 alone, police recorded over 7,062 offences of Sexual Communication with a Child, with nearly half of these incidents occurring on Snapchat (48%). Other platforms frequently used by offenders include:
- WhatsApp (12%)
- Facebook and Messenger (10%)
- Instagram (6%)
- Kik (5%)
Girls and Younger Children Most at Risk
The figures, which were provided by 45 UK police forces, reveal a worrying rise in online grooming, known legally as “Sexual Communication with a Child,” cases, with girls making up 81% of the victims. What’s worse, primary school-aged children are also being targeted with the youngest victim recorded was just five years old.
It is worth noting that predators are using mainstream social media platforms, including Snapchat, WhatsApp, and Facebook, to target children, before encouraging them to continue communication on private and encrypted messaging platforms where abuse can proceed undetected.
One victim, Thomas, who was groomed online at the age of 14, shared his experience: “At first, it felt like I was chatting with the most supportive person ever. But after a month, the pressure started. He sent explicit pictures and demanded I send some back. I didn’t want to, but I felt trapped because he threatened to share the images with everyone if I didn’t continue.” Thankfully, Thomas found the courage to block the predator, but the fear and anxiety he experienced stayed with him long afterwards,” revealed NSPCC’s report.
The NSPCC is urging Ofcom to strengthen its approach to child sexual abuse and for the UK government to ensure the regulator can tackle grooming in private messaging. The charity is calling for social media platforms to be proactive in preventing abuse, rather than just reacting after harm has taken place.
The charity is also pushing the UK government to strengthen laws around private messaging platforms like Snapchat and WhatsApp, where much of the abuse occurs. Although the new Online Safety Act will impose duties on social media companies to protect children, many of these regulations won’t take effect until 2025 or later.
Mark Jones, a partner at law firm Payne Hicks Beach, commented, “Snapchat’s disappearing messages feature makes it incredibly difficult to take action against abusers. While the platform claims it can recover some user data, the images themselves are often lost. With the Online Safety Act still not fully in force, Snapchat and similar platforms need to reassess how they are addressing the risks to children and find ways to better protect them.”
What Can Parents Do?
As online grooming and cybercrime against children are increasing, parents need to stay alert about their children’s online activities. Here are five steps parents can take to keep their kids safe:
- Talk Regularly About Online Safety: Have open conversations with your children about the dangers of talking to strangers online and encourage them to come to you if they ever feel uncomfortable.
- Set Up Parental Controls: Use parental control settings on devices, apps, and games to monitor what your child is doing online and limit access to risky platforms.
- Monitor Social Media Usage: Keep an eye on which apps your child is using, and regularly check privacy settings to ensure their personal information is protected.
- Encourage Safe Online Habits: Teach your children never to share personal information or photos with people they don’t know and to be cautious when accepting friend requests.
- Create a Safe Space for Communication: Let your child know they can talk to you without fear of punishment if something goes wrong online. Encourage them to report any inappropriate behaviour or messages.
What to Do If You’re Being Blackmailed by a Groomer or Predator
If a child finds themselves being blackmailed or groomed by an online predator, here’s what they should do:
- Tell a Trusted Adult Immediately: Whether it’s a parent, teacher, or another trusted person, the most important step is to seek help right away.
- BLOCK THEM – Stop All Communication: Block the person on all platforms and do not respond to any further messages.
- Do Not Share Any More Information or Images: Even if the predator threatens to expose private information, it’s crucial not to give in to their demands.
- Report the Situation: Contact the platform where the abuse is happening and report the user. You can also report the incident to the police or a child protection organisation like the NSPCC.
- Seek Professional Support: Talking to a professional, such as a counsellor or therapist, can help children work through the emotional impact of the situation.
Nevertheless, by staying informed and maintaining open communication, parents can help protect their children from the growing threat of online grooming. And with stronger laws and platform regulations, we can all work toward a safer digital world for our kids.
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