Queensland Police are warning parents and guardians to increase online supervision during the upcoming school holidays which is a primetime for predators to target children through their devices.
While online sexual offending can come in many forms, perpetrators are increasingly gaining access to children online through popular apps, games and social media sites.
Detective Acting Inspector Cory Schmidt, from QPS’s specialist unit Argos, said that there was no better time than school holidays to talk to children about online risks including being exposed to harmful content or being targeted by an online predator.
“These school holidays parents and guardians need to realise that they may think they are keeping their children safe by locking up the front door, but the danger could already be inside the house on their children’s devices,’’ Detective Acting Inspector Schmidt said.
“Now is the time for parents and carers to consider where in the house their children are allowed to use internet-connected devices as online offenders can go to extraordinary lengths to exploit children.
“Personal safety education means having important conversations to equip children with the knowledge they need to recognise potentially unsafe situations or people and to know how to respond including when there’s online ‘friends’ who they’ve never met face-to-face.’’
According to the latest eSafety research report, released in July by the eSafety commissioner, one in four young people have been contacted online by someone they don’t know.
The report titled ‘Digital use and risk: Online platform engagement among children aged 10 to 15’ analysed responses from more than 2,600 children and found 1 in 7 reported experiencing online grooming-type behaviour from adults or other children at least 4 years older.
This included being asked questions about their private parts or to share nude images.
“Reporting suspected child abuse is a shared responsibility, and we cannot underestimate the valuable contribution the community plays in helping us stop, solve and prevent crimes against children.
“These school holidays are also a good time to talk aboutkeeping passwords and logins private, being respectful to others online, thinking about how words and actions can affect others and how you can take a stand against cyber bullying,’’ Detective Acting Inspector Schmidt said.
Tips to protect your child against online grooming:
Talk openly: Have regular conversations with your child. Try to remain non-judgemental.
Share their online world: Reinforce the many positives to technology and the online world. Be a ‘friend’ or ‘follower’ on your child’s social media accounts.
Report any concerns: Call the police immediately on Triple Zero if you think your child is at risk.
For more information: www.police.qld.gov.au/policelink-reporting/reporting-cybercrime/children-and-the-internet
If you have information for police, contact Policelink by providing information using the online suspicious activity form 24hrs per day at www.police.qld.gov.au/reporting.
Report crime information anonymously via Crime Stoppers. Call 1800 333 000 or report online at www.crimestoppersqld.com.au.
