Is your child safe online?
That’s a question Crime Stoppers and the eSafety Commissioner want every parent or guardian to ask themselves.
During National Child Protection Week (5 to 11 September) they are creating awareness of the dangers of the “online playground” and how to create a safe cyber environment for your children.
It comes as new research shows many guardians do believe it is unlikely their child is at risk of being contacted by a stranger online.
“Unwanted contact, grooming and child sexual abuse online continues to be a devastating issue, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic,” NSW Crime Stoppers chief executive Peter Price AM said.
“Many parents would not leave their child alone in a playground and we want parents to think the same about the online playground.
“The internet is not ‘fenced off’ like in a community playground and even with parental controls, sexual predators can still find ways to connect with children online.
“Until we can build a safe [environment] for our children, we just ask parents to be vigilant around their child’s online activity and report anything you see, hear or suspect.”
During 2020, 21,000 public reports were submitted to the eSafety Comissioner, the majority of which involved child sexual abuse material.
This was the most in the scheme’s 20-year history and a 90% increase compared to 2019.
Commissioner Julie Inman Grant says parents should be aware, not alarmed.
“We’ve all turned to the internet during this pandemic to help us continue to work, learn, communicate and be entertained but with all this extra time we are spending online, often unsupervised, the risk that something can go wrong increases too,” she said.
“Parents and guardians have a role to play in keeping children safe online and we encourage them to be actively involved in their children’s online lives.
“This can include ensuring children use devices in open areas of the home, talking regularly with children about the potential dangers online and helping them build the critical reasoning skills they need to make good decisions.”
NSW Police Force Youth Sponsor Assistant Commissioner Gelina Talbot added it was important for people to reach out if they need assistance.
“We acknowledge it has been another difficult year for children, families and communities dealing with COVID-19 and being isolated can leave many of our children more susceptible and vulnerable to victimisation,” she said.
“Children are spending more time online and this can place them at a higher risk of being targeted by online predators; and some may also be subjected to domestic and family violence or feel vulnerable in terms of mental health.
“We all have a responsibility to ensure children and young people in the community are safe, protected and supported, and are able to succeed in life without fear of harm and exploitation.”
To help parents, Crime Stoppers and the eSafety Commissioner have put together a fact sheet that includes information and strategies to help keep your children safe.
It can be downloaded on the Crime Stoppers website.
Child sexual abuse material can be reported anonymously to the eSafety Commissioner at esafety.gov.au/reportillegalcontent
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