Children’s increasing presence in online spaces, specifically amplified due to the pandemic, has led to a significant increase in online grooming cases. Technological developments have made it easy for offenders to exchange expertise across platforms and share knowledge on how to solicit children online.
Due to the rapid development of new social media platforms, regulation of children's online safety is becoming more difficult. This is why it has become increasingly important to identify and prevent grooming in its early stages.
Grooming is typically a gradual process that develops over a longer period. This makes it especially dangerous and difficult to detect early on. Perpetrators often target children within their close circle or contact children online by creating fake profiles. After establishing trust through consistent attention and creating the appearance of a friendly or even romantic relationship, perpetrators begin to sexualise the interaction, often by encouraging the child to create and share self-generated intimate content. These images are then used by the groomer to extort additional content or to blackmail the child into continuing the abusive relationship. In some cases, the self-generated content is distributed by the perpetrator on Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) hosting sites or shared with other offenders to create fake profiles and solicit other children online.
Children who have been victimised through grooming are likely to suffer serious long-term mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress, and suicidal thoughts. Children who have been coerced into creating and sharing intimate content often experience intense feelings of shame and may blame themselves for the abuse. It does not matter whether the abuse occurred offline or entirely online. Children can be severely impacted by grooming regardless of whether or not personal contact has taken place, which is why early intervention is crucial.
While all children, regardless of social, religious, or ethnic background, can be targeted by online grooming, certain groups are statistically more likely to be solicited. Girls between the ages of 13 and 17, LGBTQ children, and children with increased vulnerabilities such as mental or physical disabilities are more frequently targeted.
As grooming increasingly occurs in digital spaces, it is essential to educate children on how to navigate online environments safely. Since platforms are mostly accessed from home, using the internet can feel like a safe space for children. It is important to emphasise that online interactions can carry risks and children need to proceed with caution. Educators, caregivers, and parental groups must also be aware of the tools and techniques used by perpetrators to spot warning signs early and intervene as soon as inappropriate contact is suspected.
Additionally, online platforms that host children should be held accountable for creating and maintaining child-focused, safety-oriented environments. Measures can include implementing identity and age verification for all users, automatically setting children’s profiles to private, or restricting communication between children and adults.
