Sexual abuse in childhood is a topic that puts the creeps on who we are parents. Just thinking that a stranger could contact my daughters to harm them causes me to get chills.
Taking into account that half of the eleven-year-old Spanish children have a smartphone and make use of social networks at an earlier age, it is very important to educate them in the responsible use of them. We as parents have an obligation to control their use of them. If you have older children, pre-teens, I recommend you see This viral video released by Movistar Mexico to prevent grooming with a worrying message: "Thousands of adults pose as children to harass others".
In the video, titled 'Love Story' we see what, apparently, the prelude to a meeting between a couple of teenagers who are only known by online messages. But the reality is much harder than that.
In an interview that we did a while ago in Babies and more to Carlos Igual, Captain of the Civil Guard of the Group of Crimes Against Minors belonging to the Technical Unit of Judicial Police, he told us precisely that: that pedophiles use social networks to contact with children, what is known as grooming or cyber-child pedophile, what certain adults do to gain the trust of the minor by pretending empathy, affection, for the purpose of sexual satisfaction, which is sometimes the prelude to sexual abuse.
While the legislation in Spain indicates the fourteen years as a minimum age to be part of social networksThe truth is that since there is no sure way to guarantee age when accessing, there are many children under that age present in Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and other networks.
There are children who with eight or nine years insist and want to be active users of some. If that is the case with your child, and you agree to have a profile made, It is your responsibility to control the use of social networks very well.
Remind him that it is very dangerous to spread and share photos with people they do not know, as well as to give information about their tastes, hobbies and lifestyle. This gives pedophiles clues to get closer to your children.
It is also essential to control the followers they have on social networks. Any stranger can ask for a friend or follow-up request, and they accept it. Do not let them accept people with whom they do not maintain regular contact, or better that do not accept anyone without your prior consent.
