Children are sexually abused by people they meet on social media. Here’s how to prevent it

Editor’s note: Kara Alaimo is an associate professor of communication at Fairleigh Dickinson University. Your book “About the influence: “Why social media is toxic for women and girls – and how we can take it back” was recently published by Alcove Press. Follow her on Instagram, Facebook and X.

Most parents probably wouldn’t let their children go to bars and nightclubs where they could meet adults who could harm them. But many parents allow them to use social media, where some children come into contact with predators who then sexually attack them, say researchers who will speak about these findings Sunday at the American Academy of Pediatrics 2024 National Conference and Exhibition in Orlando become.

The new study, to be presented at the conference, found that about 7% of children ages 10 to 18 who were treated for sexual assault in a California hospital between 2018 and 2023 said social media influenced their communication had made things easier with their perpetrator. When researchers only looked at cases of sexual assault by perpetrators who were not related to their victims, the number was even higher: Twelve percent of children said their communication with their perpetrator led to their sexual assault.

The average age of the victims in the study was 13 years, 89% of them were female, while about 80% of the perpetrators were adult men.

The lead author of the study, Dr. Shalon Nienow, said follow-up research she is conducting with more recent data suggests the percentage of child sexual assaults by acquaintances connected to social media apps is now significantly higher.

“Social media is a pervasive form of communication for children and adolescents that can create a false sense of security and ‘friendship’ in those they meet online,” said Nienow, medical director of the Chadwick Center for Children and Families at Rady Children’s Hospital -San Diego.

“In our experience, in acquaintance sexual assault cases, social media plays an important role in facilitating communication and connection between victims and their perpetrators.”

Talk to children about online safety and consent

The threat of social media has changed the way parents need to protect their children.

“It used to be that knowing where your children were was usually enough, but now sexual harassment and molestation can happen in our homes without the parents knowing,” said Anna Akerman, an associate professor in Adelphi’s communications department University of New York. who examines the effect of media on children. “Sexually victimized youth are often reluctant to share their experiences because of feelings of guilt, fear and shame.” She was not involved in the new study.

Because of these feelings, it is important for parents to talk to their children about these risks. Parents need to explain to their children how criminals can contact them online, why they should get parental permission before meeting someone offline for the first time online, and why they should say no if from they are asked to do something that makes them uncomfortable.

“Early and open communication regarding body autonomy, safety and consent issues is essential to create a sense of mutual trust and understanding between parents and children and to enable children to discuss concerns that may arise,” said Nienow, who He is also a clinical associate professor of pediatrics at the University of California, San Diego.

Keep an eye on the accounts children use to message

It’s also important to keep track of who your kids are talking to on social media. “Many parents assume that this is a violation of their child’s privacy,” Nienow said. “However, using phones and social media is a privilege that comes with responsibility.”

This month, Instagram introduced new security features that allow parents to see which accounts their children have recently sent messages. These safeguards are a promising way for parents to keep track of who their children are in contact with without having to read the content of their messages.

Instagram’s new settings for users under 18 will allow them to only receive messages from people they are already connected to. However, 16 to 17 year olds have the opportunity to change their settings. Therefore, it is important that parents ensure that they do not do this and that children have correctly provided their age so that their accounts are marked as youth accounts.

Teach children appropriate content

It’s also important for parents to pay attention to the content their children post on social media, Akerman said.

“Research suggests that teens often inadvertently put themselves at risk by posting images and/or words that could be interpreted as provocative,” she said. “Unfortunately, they are often unaware of the impact of their communication because they are naive, still developing judgment, and have more limited personal experiences compared to adults.”

One way teens put themselves at risk is by posting sexualized images of themselves. In my research, I found that girls often try to make themselves look “hot” for pictures because they find it one of the easiest ways to garner likes on social platforms. Therefore, it is important to talk to children about how posting such images could lead to them being targeted by predators. Parents should also keep track of what their children post.

Of course, children often find ways to get around their parents’ rules and protections. A girl I interviewed for my book told me that her mother wouldn’t let her post pictures of herself in a bikini. Her mother followed her on Instagram to make sure she followed the rule. When she was 14, she shared her bikini pictures on another platform instead. She then realized that the photos had been reposted on another social media platform – an account that she believed appeared to be used for girl trafficking.

“I was afraid they would find me and take me,” said the girl.

Luckily, she went to her mother for help. But as I’ve warned before, many children are afraid to turn to their parents when they find themselves in scary situations because they fear their phones will be taken away. That’s why the most important thing parents can tell their children is that even if they mess up, they can turn to them for help.

The ability for sex offenders to connect with children through social media poses a serious threat.

But as Akerman said, there are common-sense ways parents can teach their children to protect themselves and keep track of what they do on social media.

“To the extent that we can monitor what youth are doing on these platforms and have healthy, open dialogues about their risks, we can certainly mitigate this very real and ever-evolving risk,” Akerman said.

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