SAN ANTONIO – During the holidays, children have a lot of free time to be on social media or playing video games. Others will be given their first devices.
Experts say that technology access should come with age-appropriate conversations with trusted adults about people who might try to talk to them online, in order to protect them from scary realities.
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Alex Doran, Assistant Special Agent in Charge at the FBI’s San Antonio office, said there is a concerning trend of predators exploiting children online.
“What we’ve seen an alarming increase in them trying to get children to commit self-harm and or harm animals,” Doran said in February. “We call it torture.”
On Thursday, 19-year-old Alexis Chavez from San Antonio pleaded guilty to three felony charges, admitting he was a part of the international criminal organization “764”.
Members of 764 are known to groom children and teens online worldwide, coercing them to create images of sexual acts and harming themselves, their siblings or animals.
Experts said there are conversations parents can have that may help kids avoid these criminals:
- From a young age, you should make sure children know that you are a safe space to share things. Assure them if something bad happens to them, they can tell you and they won’t get in trouble.
- Explain to kids that if someone shows them a picture that makes them feel icky, if someone is asking them to keep secrets, or if someone online is trying to make them do bad things, that it’s not the child’s fault.
- Tell them adults can help them get out of scary situations, even if they have already sent someone pictures or videos. They are not alone.
Parents can also look for signs that grooming may already be happening:
- Kids having gifts or money that they cannot explain
- Being secretive about their phone, internet or social media use
- Changes in mood or behavior
- Withdrawing from friends and family
- Dressing inappropriately for their age
Experts want parents to know they have the right to check their child’s devices and monitor who they’re talking to, and that those boundaries are key to safety.
For more information for caregivers on how to have conversations or identify signs of exploitation, visit the following resources:
- The Child Rescue Coalition’s guide to the “seven P’s” to recognize the signs of grooming.
- Shared Hope International’s guide to signs of child grooming trafficking
- Empowered Homes’ guide to “Seven Questions to Get Your Kid Talking”
- Ransomed Life’s guide includes steps to take if your child has been groomed.
Many organizations also present at schools, churches or businesses, including trafficking survivor and advocate Karla Solomon, the nonprofit organization Ransomed Life, or the Crime Stoppers Million for Million campaign.
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