In 2021 there were 5,316 cases of child pornography processed by the Postal Police. Compared to the previous year they were 47% more. The number of minors approached on the web by abusive adults is also growing: they are mostly 531, 64%, are under 13 years old, but there are also 32 cases of online solicitation of children in the 0 – 9 age range.
These are the data published by Save the Children and State Police on the occasion of the National Day against Pedophilia and Child Pornography on May 5th. They are only a part of the whole phenomenon which is mostly submerged.
Pedophiles or groomer, that is, the adult enticeers interested in minors, who use the network to get in touch with boys and girls, were 208. They are 15% of the total suspects for the exchange of child pornography material. These adults have a modus operandi based on a thorough knowledge of the languages, the habits of use and the frailties of the victims.
The pandemic has forced children and adults to change many habits and to use the web more widely to continue their daily activities, from work to study. The overall effects have also affected the world of online deviance, increasing the presence of pedophiles, child pornographers and lureers. For this reason, an increasing number of boys, girls and adolescents have been approached on the web by adults who ask for pictures from boys, they get to commit abuse online and ask for sexual encounters.
Males and females are almost equally at the center of online grooming cases intercepted by the Police post. In general, children and young people who use the network seem to be more exposed to the risk of enticement when they use social networks and messaging.
“To spread the culture of prevention, it is essential to enhance the educational role of parents, who must be supported in accompanying their children in the most informed, competent and safe use of the Internet and digital technologies” said Raffaella Milano, Director of Programs Italy-Europe from Save the Children.
This is why the guide was created Online grooming. Know and preventdrawn up by the Cybercrime Analysis Unit of the Postal Police (UACI,) e Save the Children. The guide contains three sections, each dedicated to parents of different age groups: boys and girls aged 0-6; of 6-10 years; pre-adolescents aged 11-13, each with the description of some specific experiences of each age, with the educational challenges for the reference adults and with general and specific advice regarding the main problems.
For children, parents must check the times of use: not before the age of two and not at times such as meals, maximum one hour a day and not in the evening. There are also questions you should ask yourself before posting photos of your children: “In 10 years, will you be happy to find this image or video of yourself online?”
For those with children aged 6 to 10, sharing is the key word: sharing passwords or PINs for accessing your smartphones and social profiles, choosing the apps to download together, paying attention to the age limits. For the older ones, i priming mechanisms online, so as to be aware of what is happening online.
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Source: Vanity Fair
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