Grooming Argentina is one of the two newest members welcomed to the INHOPE network. Find out more about why they decided to join INHOPE, what challenges they overcame to become a member and what plans are for the future of their hotline.

How did you find out about INHOPE?

We found out about the INHOPE network through social media and partner organisations.

Why did you decide to apply for a membership?

The reason we were inspired to join the network was the absence of an official reporting line in our country. This was especially concerning considering Argentina is among the ten countries with the highest child sexual abuse material (CSAM) hosting numbers. Establishing ourselves as the first global organisation to fight against grooming and online child abuse and protecting children from exploitation online was our biggest motivator.

What are the most valuable aspects of being part of a network?

One of the greatest benefits of belonging to the network is the interoperability and direct global communication through the network. The access to member hotlines around the world supports us in taking immediate action in getting material removed as fast as possible.

What are some of the more challenging parts of establishing a hotline?

The most challenging part was the information and awareness raising among the general public to inform them about the existence of our reporting mechanism. Another challenge is to appropriately train all hotline analysts to deal with the rapid advancements of organised crime in sexual exploitation and abuse. We believe that the support of INHOPE will be instrumental in providing capacity-building and training resources.

Tell us more about your hotline. What is your primary mission?

In 2018, Grooming Argentina developed their reporting system, allowing immediate victims (the children affected by abuse) or indirect victims (their partners, family, and surrounding network) to report suspicious activity with the click of a button. Over time, our technical teams have been gathering experience in processing and analysing these incoming reports. The fundamental mission behind our reporting line is to prevent and interfere with situations of online sexual exploitation, grooming, and abuse of children and adolescents.

What type of reports do your analysts handle?

Online sexual grooming of minors and any type of material created as a result of the sexual abuse or exploitation of children.

What are your plans for the future?

As we are still in the first initial stages of our membership, we are looking forward to fine-tuning our hotline mechanisms and adjusting our hotline to the needs of the Latin American area over time.


Visit Grooming Argentina's website here.