UNSUPERVISED online activity makes children more vulnerable to the tactics of sexual predators.
In a recent report, the police revealed that it takes just an hour of acquaintance for children to become influenced and deceived into engaging in sexual relations with individuals they meet online.
Bukit Aman Sexual, Women and Child Investigations Division (D11) principal assistant director Assistant Commissioner Siti Kamsiah Hassan had said that in that small window of time, victims were open to sharing their home locations with predators, leading to sexual crimes.
We live in an era where every generation uses the internet extensively and this means each person is susceptible to being a victim on an online platform.
However, studies have shown that children with both parents who are busy working have a higher probability of being a victim, says Federation of Reproductive Health Associations of Malaysia (FRHAM) chairperson, Associate Professor Dr Kamal Kenny.
"These children are left at home and they find themselves being able to connect with strangers they meet online, not realising that the stranger could be a predator."
Children who have been subjected to online grooming or have come under the influence of sexual predators will be psychologically impacted.
Dr Kamal says there will be a shift in the personality of the child. If the child used to be an extrovert, he or she will gradually become completely introverted, choosing to spend time in the confines of their room.
The level of this psychological damage would depend on the magnitude of the grooming.
"The threshold differs for each child. Some children may come out of the pain while others may experience post traumatic stress disorder for a longer time and find themselves having serious trust issues in future relationships."
It is for this reason that parents need to always keep track of their child's internet usage. Installing firewalls as a preventive mechanism is good as it prevents children from having access to the underground cyber world, says Dr Kamal.
Instead of completely removing access to the internet, it's best to set limitations on usage and always monitor the child's online activities.
Last year, a global study revealed that it only takes a mere 19 seconds for children to be exposed to high-risk grooming situations on social gaming platforms.
The report, by WeProtect Global Alliance, also indicated a 360 per cent increase in children aged 7-10 sharing explicit images of themselves with sexual predators between 2020 to 2022.
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