Online groomers are reaching children in their bedrooms

Online groomers can now reach children and young people through smartphones, games and social media, Erling Fles of KRIS warns, according to KVF.

Fles said the digital world has made it easier for people to contact young people, often using false identities. In the past, children were warned about strangers on playgrounds or in cars; now, he said, the threat is in their pockets and bedrooms.

Groomers may first build a child’s trust by showing care or offering help. Later, they can exploit the relationship, leaving the child feeling deceived or threatened into silence. The consequences can be serious and affect victims for years.

Shame and guilt can make it difficult for children to speak up, including when images shared in confidence are later misused. Fles said parents should talk openly with their children about life online and guide them when they get their first phone.

“The best way to prevent this is to talk to the child and teach them that communication is not judgmental, but open, so we try to help each other,” he said.

KRIS will hold a conference titled “The groomer in new clothes” at the Nordic House on Tuesday, October 27. A new nationwide survey on sexual abuse in the Faroe Islands will be presented. The conference is sold out.