Online+Grooming

=**Online Grooming**=

The notes below will explain what this means and how you can protect yourself __online__.

"Online grooming is where someone makes contact with a child with the motive of preparing them for sexual abuse either online or offline." ( []). You've probably heard plenty of stories about this happening on the news, most probably: an older person who has tricked a younger person into meeting up with them alone, where the younger person is sexually abused. It all starts online.

Many kids and teens use chat rooms often, and probably meet someone new every time. But there is that not-so-rare-any-more occasion where that "someone new" will be in that chat room **pretending** to be someone just like them to gain friendship and trust, so they can get them alone somewhere. They will probably ask for personal information after some time and sometimes, the child or teen trusts their new "online friend" enough to give it away. " More than four in ten youth say they have met someone new on the Internet who asked for [|information] , such as their photo, phone number, street address or school." ( []) If they then ask the child or teen to meet up somewhere, and the child or teen decides to go, they have reached their goal, and will most probably sexually abuse the child or teen, and in rare cases, even cause death.

You can protect yourself by keeping well away from **anyone** who asks for your personal information (phone number, address etc...). Never trust **anyone** you don't know online. If someone is talking to you this way, asking for your personal info or talking sexually towards you, don't be afraid to tell your parents/caregivers or anyone you know and trust. The internet can be a dangerous thing.

- Kyla



Online grooming

Online grooming is when someone contacts a child online generally with the motive of preparing him or her for online or offline sexual abuse. This is a criminal activity as per the Australian Criminal Code Act 1995, section 474.26 and 474.27.

Grooming can look quite different in each situation such as:


 * Just taking intense interest in a child
 * Giving gifts such as mobile phone (often with a camera)
 * Showing the child pornographic material
 * Talking about sexual topics or even just adult topics which are adult related
 * Trying to get personal information from the child
 * Trying to arrange a meeting with the child

For most parents the thought that this could happen to their child doesn’t even enter their mind and while its unlikely it’s still something that parents should be aware of.

For kids they should remember that if chatting to someone on line does not feel right then it probably is not. If it feels creepy ask a friend and see if they agree. Never reveal any personal information and NEVER arrange to meet someone unless you take a good friend or adult. It is best not to respond to messages otherwise it just encourages more contact. Always keep evidence, so keep the dates, times and contacts, so if you want to make a complaint you have evidence. Let someone else know what is happening and let the Internet provider know, they can block the messages.

The problem with online grooming is that it gives the Internet a bad name because it means the internet is only thought of as a place for pedophiles to stalk victims.

This video is a good example of online grooming and what can become of it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGF146WJ22M#!

-Sam Harding