In recent years the Internet has become more and more available for everyone. In today's world, it is normal that children own a smartphone from a very young age and have access to a lot of applications without any limits. During their time on the Internet, not only children but adults encounter online predators and experienced forms of online grooming. Online grooming can negatively impact one's mental health as it not only puts children at risk but adults as well, therefore we should raise more awareness. Grooming can have negative effects on a child's or an individual's mental health. According to a UK children charity called NSPCC who are working with children for over one hundred and thirty years grooming can have short and long-term effects no matter if it happens in person or online(2020). As they state it can be difficult for a child or person to sleep, focus, or deal with classwork. They can become uncommunicative, distant, or angry (NSPCC,2020). According to NSPCC the victims may experience and deal with self-harm, depression and anxiety, post-traumatic stress, eating disorders, suicidal thoughts, drug and alcohol problems, relationship problems with family or friends, and experience shame and guilt (2020). Another study researching the impacts of online grooming and sexual abuse was done by Hellen C. Whittle, Catherine Hamilton-Giachristis, and Anthony R. Beach in 2013. During their study, they interviewed six females and two males who had been victims of either abuse online or in person. The victims have reported negative psychological impact and long term memory of this experience. Three of the victims reported issues with embarrassment due to their parents knowing the details of their abuse. Two victims reported self-harm and as well aggression and lack of confidence. Panic attacks, difficulties trusting others, and experiencing a sense of lost innocence were additional themes mentioned during these interviews (Whittle et.al. 2013). Overall, according to the evidence provided, online grooming does affect children but can as well happen to adults as elaborated below.
Children are not the only target of online predators. There have been romance scams in which the predators intentionally targeted middle-aged, divorced, or single women to retrieve the money. They use and manipulate their victims to persuade them to send money and share personal financial information. This exact case has happened in the Czech Republic when an unknown fraudster claimed to be an engineer from Norway and has deprived a forty-three-year-old woman of Hradec Králové of 1.3 million CZK (ČTK,2019). This is why it's important to be cautious about dating websites and the people you talk to. The Federal Trade Commission which works to prevent fraud advises you to never send or wire any money to an online love interest. If you have sent any money or provided your personal information contact the bank right away and report your experience to the police and online dating site (Federal Trade Commission, 2019). As we see online predators are dangerous for all age groups and that's why it is important to raise awareness.
Firstly we can raise awareness by including more cyber safety lessons and topics in schools through presentations and case studies. Secondly, parents should talk about cyber safety before giving the child access to the Internet. Nowadays a lot of apps created versions of their original app directly for kids to provide a safe environment on the Internet. As an example, Youtube came up with an app called Youtube kids on which parents can control what the child views, block channels that they consider inappropriate, see the history of the content they viewed, and control their screen time. Also, Apple created family-friendly software where parents can manage and control their children's screen time and restrict app and internet access to pages with adult content or select particular websites that they can visit to keep them safe on the Internet. Parents can set age restrictions for apps the children wish to download so only appropriate apps would be available in the Kid's App Store. Nevertheless, it is more difficult to restrict or help adults with their internet experience, however, it is upon each individual to be cautious and safe during their online activities. The only source of awareness for the love scams can be previous stories that happened to others from which the potential new victims may see the connection in predator tactics.
Overall, showcased grooming can have negative effects on individuals' mental health. The once at risk are not only children but adolescents as well. The Internet is a space that allows us to explore, research, and learn from many things but as well creates a big risk of meeting dangerous individuals and that is why it is always important to be careful. If you or your friends are in danger don't hesitate to reach for help from either your parents or the line of safety. We can raise awareness by increasing more cyber safety lessons in schools, talking about cyber safety with our children, and by reviewing previous cases that happened to others to detect any signs of grooming in our messages. Don't get in contact with people you don't know and be aware of the fact that an unknown individual on your social media can be potentially dangerous.
References:
Commission, F. T. (2020, October 16). What You Need to Know About Romance Scams. Retrieved November 30, 2020, from https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-you-need-know-about-romance-scams
Y. (n.d.). YouTube Kids - An App Made Just For Kids. Retrieved November 30, 2020, from https://www.youtube.com/kids/
A. (n.d.). Families. Retrieved November 30, 2020, from https://www.apple.com/families/
Whittle, H. C., Hamilton-Giachritsis, C., & Beech, A. R. (2013). Victims’ Voices: The Impact of Online Grooming and Sexual Abuse. Retrieved November 30, 2020, from http://www.hrpub.org/download/201308/ujp.2013.010206.pdf
Nspcc. (2020). Grooming. Retrieved November 30, 2020, from https://www.nspcc.org.uk/what-is-child-abuse/types-of-abuse/grooming/
Pictures retrieved from https://www.freepressjournal.in/lifestyle/lockdown-effect-be-careful-while-using-dating-apps-as-online-romance-scams-are-on-the-rise
Hi Zuzana, I totally agree with your view on this subject. Usually children are the main target, because their young and very naive, this why their the most popular target for online predators. You did a really good job explaining it in your blog. Great job, thank you for your blog I've learned a lot from it.
Hello, Zuzana! I really liked your blog and how you made it open for viewers. Hope, someday the problem of cyber attacks on media will be solved and children will not be traumatized anymore. Because people usually don't understand who is online predator and don't know how react and behave themselves. Great job!
Hi Zuzana,
You mentioned the topic of Online Predators very well.
I would like to note that, sadly, we mostly meet children who do not feel well emotionally. In comparison, it is often children who suffer from their extended families. We are concerned with incidents of physical and emotional assault as well as sexual harassment against girls.
For eg, recently, I'm going to recall the story of a 13-year-old girl with whom a guy who pretends to be a 15-year-old has made contact via social networks. He had been talking to her very intensely and respectfully for about a month. But then he confronted her very coercively and rudely with the technique of blackmail and forced a personal meeting.
It…
I really agree with your view. People often don't realize that not only children are the victims of online abusers, mainly people that are experiencing it themselves and don't want to admit it. You've provided very interesting and relevant citations, especially the research by Hellen C. Whittle, Catherine Hamilton-Giachristis, and Anthony R. Beach. I agree that children should have more cyber safety lessons in school, in order to prevent them from danger.