COVID-19: CHILD SEXUAL EXPLOITATION
The global impact of COVID-19 means people are spending more time online. This includes both children and adults. Adults working remotely are less able to spend time with their children, who are allowed greater unsupervised internet access. As a result, children are: more exposed to offenders through online gaming, the use of chat groups in apps, phishing attempts via email, unsolicited contact in social media and through less secure online educational applications; more inclined towards making explicit material to exchange with peers, eventually reaching child sex offenders; in some cases, becoming lonely and isolated, which offenders try to benefit from, connecting with them to produce explicit material or to arrange a meeting in real life.
