Online Grooming and Predation

According to Cybertip, Law Enforcement, and the UN:

• Over 90% of sexual exploitation is first facilitated online
• At any given time, 750,000 individuals are estimated to be looking to connect with children online for sexual purposes
• Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat are still the most common apps used by exploiters
• The average age of an exploiter online is 18-30
• Around 40% of online predators target children under 14, while almost 60% target youth
• There has been a rise of males being sexually exploited online through sextortion tactics

What should you do if you suspect grooming?

• Keep screenshots and details of the account information and conversations
• Report it!
• Reach out to sexualexploitationeducation.com if you have any questions

Yes, stop. Pause. Take a 5 second break. Social media pressures for immediate responses, and that is exactly what exploiters count on. When talking to someone online and being asked something you are not comfortable with, take a 5 second break before continuing to respond. Those 5 seconds can give you different ideas for responding to a potentially risky situation.

Another thing exploiters count on is shame. They hope you will feel too ashamed to reach out for help, to tell someone you trust, or that you will feel partially responsible for what has happened. Do not give exploiters this satisfaction. Exploitation is always the fault of the perpetrator. It is never your fault.