Contents |
Online sexual predators are individuals who use Internet chat rooms and websites to prey on, and develop relationships with victims. In particular, online sexual predators concentrate on children (University of Central Lancashire, 2004: p4). These relationships can start off one-way (by the predator learning about the individual through the reading of personal weblogs) or two-way (in chat-rooms) but always strive to eventually meet with the child for sexual purposes. The anonymity of the Internet makes it an ideal forum for sexual predators to develop ongoing relationships with minors before arranging to meet, often offenders gain trust by posing as children who share similar interests, this practice is called “online grooming�? (University of Central Lancashire, 2004: p24)
Under new Australian legislation, online grooming is defined as “exploiting the anonymity of telecommunications services such as the internet to win the trust of a child as a first step towards the future sexual abuse of that child.�? (Sydney Morning Herald, 2005)
Grooming often involves targeting children who are vulnerable, depressed or lonely. The groomer uses this lack of confidence to develop a relationship with the individual, often the groomer makes promises of true love; and despite the apparent depth of these relationships, and the groomer insists that it is kept secret. Online grooming can take place over a long period of time and a relationship can be developed over months or years before a meeting is arranged. (University of Central Lancashire, 2004: p24) The relationship is not always of a sexual nature but the motivation behind this relationship is to eventually attain sexual gratification through the exploitation of the child.
Groomer’s sometimes show pornographic images to children to “desensitise�? (Stanley, 2001: p4)sexual activity and develop a sexualised relationship.
To combat such activities, the Australian Federal Government has established new legislation in combination with other preventative measures against such criminal offenses.
OCSET is the Online Child Sex Exploitation Team. Established in March 2005, by the Australian Federal Police, it is designed to combat sexual predators exploiting the Internet, (in particular chat rooms) to meet and “groom�? victims for sexual contact. The team includes specialists in areas such as investigations, forensic analysis, psychology and IT (information technology) who have received special training in the field of online sexual predator behaviour and activities. (Ellison, 2005: p1)
OCSET will investigate areas such as pornography, abuse, grooming and procurement of children by monitoring chat rooms and websites for criminal activity. (Ellison, 2005: p1)
Another preventative measure is to ensure chat rooms have adequate safety measures in place for the reporting of sexual predators. This measure is used in combination with user training and awareness of sexual predator activities and behaviour. (Johns, 2003: p34-35)
In the past, chat rooms have been shut down due to the risk of sexual predators. In October 2003, Microsoft shut down MSNChat in many countries, including Australia, or made the service subscription based to infiltrate user’s details and increase accountability. A spokesperson from NineMSN stated: “We’ve made that decision [to close the chat rooms] because we think it will help protect users from unsolicited information and inappropriate communication, in particular towards children. […] Child safety and creating a safe and enjoyable environment is one of the key focuses for NineMSN�?. (Johns, 2003: p33)
(2005, Sept. 9) “Man charged with online grooming,�? Sydney Morning Herald retrieved September 15, 2005, from http://smh.com.au/articles/2005/09/09/1125772669603.html
Ellison, C. (2005) “New AFP team to fight online child sex exploitation,�? media release by the Minister for Justice and Customs, 1 March, retrieved September 15, 2005, from http://www.afp.gov.au/afp/page/Media/2005/010305ocsetlaunch.pdf
Johns, R. (2003) “Child Sexual Offences: An Update on Initiatives in the Criminal Justice System,�? briefing paper for the Parliament of New South Wales, retrieved September 15, 2005, from http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/publications.nsf/0/9A466D78D50EC630CA256ECF0009F0C5
Krone, T. (2005) “Does Thinking Make It So? Defining Online Child Pornography Possession Offences,�? Trends and Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, no.299, retrieved September 15, 2005, from http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/tandi2/tandi299.pdf
Stanley, J. (2001) “Child Abuse and the Internet,�? Child Abuse Prevention Issues, no.15, pp. 1-20.
University of Central Lancashire: Cyberspace Research Unit (2004) “Cyber Stalking, Abusive Cyber Sex and Online Grooming: A Programme of Education for Teenagers,�? retrieved September 15, 2005, from http://www.uclan.ac.uk/host/cru/docs/NewCyberStalking.pdf
--Lisa Hitchcock 22:32, 26 Oct 2005 (EST)
