Study reveals that 4 out of 10 Latino minors talk online with strangers

At least 4 out of 10 children and adolescents in Latin America have conversations with strangers on the internet and 3 out of 4 are unaware of the risks to which they are exposed in space digitalsaid a study carried out by the organization Grooming Latam.

The work, carried out in 11 countries in the region and disseminated this Friday in Lima by the CHS Alternative NGOindicated that in the case of Peru More than 80% of children and adolescents do not know what grooming is and 5 out of 10 talk to strangers online.

The study was prepared from more than 16,000 anonymous surveys administered by the 22 organizations that make up Grooming Latam in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Mexico, Paraguay, Ecuador, Nicaragua and Peru.

“The results were impressive: 15% of the minors surveyed were asked, via the Internet, for naked or semi-naked images of themselves, and 26% were asked to have a virtual courtship,” he noted. CHS Alternative.

Also, he drew attention to “the widespread lack of knowledge” about this problem, because although 65% of minors claim to know more about technology than their parents and guardians or caregivers, “in 3 out of 4 cases it is unknown what the term ‘ grooming’ and the risks of this practice in the digital space”.

About, Hernan Navarroexecutive director of Grooming Latam, pointed out that the report reveals that “hyperconnectivity has turned girls, boys and adolescents into hypervulnerable people due to the lack of digital education in schools and the lack of dialogue at home.”

“That is why it is important for citizens to know that grooming is a type of sexual exploitation without physical contact, which can occur from anywhere in the world and cause the same damage as suffering from physical sexual violence,” he said.

He also stated that given this evidence, it is imperative to work on uniform regulations so that the countries of the region unify their criteria regarding crimes that occur online.

The case of Peru

The investigation was implemented by CHS Alternativo in Peru, where it was revealed that 53% of the minors surveyed communicated with people they do not know onlinein 41% of cases these virtual “friends” asked them to be “something more,” and in 21% they requested images or videos with intimate content.

Of this last group, he added, 86% of the requests were made by unknown people and 39% of the minors did not tell what happened and preferred to face the situation alone.

The study also revealed that digital platforms are the most used by adults to contact minors.

In this regard, the director of Policies and Strategies of CHS Alternativo, Luis Enrique Aguilarrecalled that in Peru there are regulations that sanction sexual exploitation of minors and force internet providers to implement parental filters.

He noted that, however, there is no control over what happens on digital platforms, such as social networks and video games.

“CHS Alternativo has carried out patrols on these two platforms and has shown that it is very easy for exploiters to contact minors and take advantage of their vulnerabilities. Therefore, it is necessary to reinforce prevention in these spaces and for this to be part of a State policy,” he added.

Grooming Latamwhich celebrates its first anniversary this May 17, is a network that brings together 22 organizations from 11 countries in Latin America with the aim of fighting against this form of online sexual exploitation and extending its actions to the promotion, prevention and protection of the rights of girls, boys and adolescents in the digital environment.