Child Exploitation through online grooming is one of the rarest topics which parents often fail to
discuss with their children. Offender Behaviour of children today makes them more exposed to
social media and the internet at a very tender age. It becomes extremely essential for us to
spread awareness about Cyber Grooming to all children.
Online Predators often find it easier to make an emotional connection with children via social
media or other messaging platforms to gain their trust by creating a bonding only to sexually
exploit or abuse them later. As we guide and prepare our children for the practical world outside,
it is also our duty to guard our children against online grooming.
Due to the outbreak of Covid19, major lockdown happened in the year 2020 wherein the
possibilities of criminals taking advantage of it. We are in a similar situation now with the
government announcing night curfew and lockdown again in some cities. Here, as schools &
colleges are shut down, and learning is done through the internet, children become more
vulnerable due to isolation of studies and lesser supervision.
● What can parents do in such situations?
Firstly, talk regularly to your kid about his/her interest in social media/internet.
● How do you explain cyber grooming to your child?
Build trust with them, take benefits of parental control, check if their social accounts are private,
report and block if you find any weird messages from strangers.
● How does online grooming affect a childs mind?
Children might often show the offender behaviour as they become anxious, have difficulty in
concentration or coping up with other regular activities or sleeping.
● How can you suspect if a child is being groomed?
Online Predators can try these probable ways of Child Exploitation.
Phase 1: They first seek out to look for a victim.
Phase 2: They may try to befriend them, gaining trust by being overly interested in a child.
Phase 3: Flattering a child by asking their non-sexual pictures in a private chat room.
Phase 4: Asking the child about their location to know who else might have access to them at
the moment and their devices.
Phase 5: They build up a sympathetic bond of mutual love portraying that the child can share
anything with them
Phase 6: Starts explicit talks with the child by cracking dirty jokes or show them pornography
when found alone.
Phase 7: The paedophile may at this stage try to contact the child in person by arranging a
meeting with them.
As parents, we must not ignore our childs Offender Behaviour if they are suddenly getting
angry or upset, uncommunicative or feel withdrawn. Talk to them, educate them and protect
them from Online Predators.