Campaign launched Cyber sexual offenses against children are on the rise - what to watch out for
On Monday, the organization Child Protection Switzerland launched a campaign against sexual offences against children and young people in the virtual world. According to the organization, one in two young people in Switzerland say they have already been sexually harassed online.
On average, it only takes three minutes before a child has to endure sexually explicit advances in chat or game forums. The figures published by Child Protection Switzerland in a press release are alarming. According to the latest police crime statistics, 85% of those affected by cybersexual offenses are under the age of 20.
However, it's not just about advances. Children and young people are now also often blackmailed. Using artificial intelligence, criminals take nude photos of the victims and then demand money so that they won't publish them.
How to prevent sextortion
- Do not accept friend requests and invitations on social networks if you cannot identify the person beyond doubt or have already met them in real life.
- Always be aware that you could be filmed during a video chat and therefore refrain from actions that you could be ashamed of afterwards.
- Always deactivate and cover your webcam when you are not talking to someone via video chat.
- Inform those around you about this method of blackmail.
Parents upload pictures without hesitation
As a rule, the perpetrators don't need much. Normal everyday photos are enough to create deepfake images that look deceptively real.
"We advise parents and young people not to post easily accessible images on the internet," says Regula Bernhard Hug, Head of the Swiss Child Protection Agency, to Blick. You never know who might save, steal or distribute an image. "But some parents still upload photos of their children without restraint." There is a lack of knowledge about what could happen to these photos.
Campaign launched against sextortion
For this reason, the organization has also launched an awareness and prevention campaign. This is designed to run for three years and is supported by many partners, including the "Youth and Media" platform of the Federal Social Insurance Office. The focus for 2024 is the fight against "sextortion", i.e. dealing with attempts to extort intimate photos or videos.
Anyone who has already become a victim of sextortion should not comply with the perpetrators' demands under any circumstances. Contact should be broken off immediately and it is best to collect all possible evidence. As this is an official offense, the prosecuting authority must prosecute ex officio. As soon as the police become aware of a sextortion case, they will therefore start an investigation.
SDA
