Branton Matondo
Gweru– Zimbabwean children continue to be at an alarming risk of becoming obsessed and victimized by online sexual abuse as there has been a sharp rise in sexting and online grooming according to a recent field based study carried out by African Watch Trust (AWF).
The new millennium of digital communication has all of a sudden led to the rise of an unfortunate trend of Online Children Sexual Abuse (OCSA) that has chiefly been propelled by a rise in sexting and online grooming.
AWT Executive Director Clive Makumbe pointed out that urban domains where children easily have access to internet and the World Wide Web (www) are hotspots for this unfortunate trend.
He said Gweru, Harare and Bulawayo are major hotspots.
“80 out of 100 parents from Gweru, Harare, Masvingo, Bulawayo and Chinhoyi shared that children are involved in sexting to the extent that some children consider it normal. Sexting happens between children and their social media friends as well as with strangers met on the various social media platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram,” said Makumbe.
The watchdog warns of a great rise and risk of online grooming which are exploitative and affecting teens from as early as 12 and 13 years. The virtuality of social media sites and an influx of children on Twitter, Snapchat, WhatsApp and Facebook on a daily basis have caused continued manipulation of more and more teens.
“So sexual grooming is understood as the process by which an offender prepares a child for sexual abuse or exploitation and involves the organization and utilization of various opportunities aimed at gaining the trust of a child. Online grooming in Zimbabwe involves individuals but in some instances, it also involves organized groups that utilize social media platforms to groom children. The members communicate mostly online using social media platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Snapchat, Instagram and mostly share stories and photos of socialising, including sexual experiences,” added Makumbe.
An inquiry into the online sexual content traffic indicated that 30 out 250 children in Zimbabwe are currently watching pornographic material with an adult.
The domination of sex appeasing apparatus like sex toys has infiltrated the online domain with children becoming chief customers and users.
In an official report emanating from on-field studies from June to July, the trust highlighted that teens in Zimbabwe have become admirers and addicts of sex appeasing products as confirmed by a recent case study.
“One of the recent confirmed reports is that of a 13 year old child in Harare who bought sex toys via a WhatsApp platform. The minor was supplied with sex toys by a 23 year-old adult. Out of 250 children interviewed all reported of receiving sexual comments to posts on social media, and all had received requests to share more intimate photos and organise face-to-face meetings. Moreover, 176 out of 250 children noted that they are hesitating to confide in their parents because they doubt their level of technical sophistication or fear to lose access to their personal devices,” read the report.
Parental guidance on such cases of sexual manipulation and threats has proven difficult considering high technological illiteracy rates on the side of most parents.
An investigation carried out indicated that children consistently direct their spare time towards sexting and online grooming.
“80 out 100 parents said children access the Internet from their bedrooms and 60 per cent of children use smartphone devices. 40 out of 100 parents noted that online perpetrators are convincing children to share a compromising image and then threaten to send it to them or to upload it to a public website in order to extort more graphic content or in-person meeting,” added the report.
Postal Telecommunication Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) as mandated by statutes of the POTRAZ Chapter 12:05 enacted in 2001 has from 2020 worked closely with Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) and Childline Zimbabwe in removing and barring sexually explicit content that is harmful to children but recent reports indicate a surge in cases which is a downside for civil protection units and private entities.
In response to the sky rocket of OCSA Makumbe called for the civil society world in conjunction with children and parents to work in unison to combat online children sexual abuse.
“Parents, guardians, child educators and civil society are a vital component in combating Online Child Sexual Abuse, including supporting children in understanding and handling online risks, the creation of a dedicated hotline for reporting with the need for active involvement of parents or guardians in children’s use of the Internet and other ICTs, supported by adequate access to information, is a key priority identified by such material. In particular, open and frequent dialogue about expectations and actions to take if children encounter something or someone troubling online, is commonly viewed as one of the key
steps towards the prevention of Online Child Sexual Abuse,” he said.
In addition to the aforementioned remedy AWT called for intervention of the private sector, assessment of technology services and the intensification of online campaigns.
“There is need to strengthen the technical capacity of key stakeholders, including government authorities and child rights CSOs, to better prevent and respond to OCSA. Partnering with the private sector to develop and implement industry-led commitments to combating OCSA in Zimbabwe and creation of Internet Hotline in Zimbabwe with dedicated analysts will go a worthwhile in fighting OCSA. Another pertinent recommendation is that of preparing and implementing training programmes and information campaigns to increase awareness of online/digital safety aimed at children, young people, parents, teachers and the public at large,” added Makumbe.
