The Höxter district police authority gives tips on what you should look out for to protect children and young people from cybergrooming.
What is cybergrooming?
Grooming is the initiation of sexual contact by young people or adults with children or young people. Adults or adolescents pretend to be children, adolescents or young adults online and try to gain the trust of children or adolescents. An alleged friendship is established with the aim of sexual abuse, the production and distribution of child pornography and other criminal offenses.
Where does cybergrooming take place?
Cyber grooming can take place wherever children and young people come into contact with other people they do not know from "real life" via digital media.
The perpetrators take a very deliberate approach, initiating contact not only via messengers such as WhatsApp or social networks such as Facebook or Instagram. Communication and cybergrooming can also take place in gaming networks (online games) and even via games consoles.
How can children and young people recognize cybergrooming?
Is the chat partner asking intrusive questions? Does he ask if the tablet or cell phone is used alone, without supervision? Does he want to be sent special photos? Then caution is definitely advised.
Children and young people are manipulated by the perpetrators by
-giving lots of compliments
-having understanding for all problems
-offering to take great model photos
Later, the perpetrators demand that the webcam be switched on, but do not switch on their own. They demand personal data and pictures and demand not to tell anyone about this contact, try to switch from a platform to a messenger and often force a secret meeting.
Important to know for parents and children:
Children are never to blame if they are harassed online. The person seeking contact is responsible for cybergrooming. The fact that a person on Instagram is a follower of your friend does not mean that the friend really knows this person and that this person is trustworthy.
What can adults do to protect themselves from cybergrooming?
Guide children in their use of the internet, agree on safety rules. "Knowledge protects!" Have an open ear for "online problems" such as hostility, harassment or incriminating content. Agree with your child that they can count on your help even if the safety rules have not been followed and the child is already in a difficult situation. This will nip attempts at blackmail (demands for nude photos etc.) in the bud!
For personal advice or presentations for groups, please contact our prevention advisor, Detective Chief Inspector Judith Fabeck, on 05271/962-1350. Further information material on this topic is available free of charge from the police in Höxter, for example small brochures or short information films on CD.