BEWARE: The Alarming Social Media Predation
Are you aware of the alarming social media predation? Predators are using social media platforms to hunt, meet, groom and abuse their victims sexually.
Sexual abuse or harassment and exploitation online are increasing rapidly at an alarming rate both in Kenya and globally as indicated in a study case. The rate at which online sexual harassment is wanting and all the online users should tread with a lot of vigilance.
A research that was carried out showed that in particular the women and girls are the vulnerable lots as the predators take advantage of the inherent discrimination of structure, sex and gender according to our societal patriarch.
The predators have turned to social media and online games and are using them to meet their victims as per the report from the research that was conducted just recently.
In the Kenya population of forty-seven million-plus, approximately forty-one million have access to online platforms with the majority being subscribers. It is therefore easy for the predators to meet the victims through these platforms. The ready access has made Kenya a network of human trafficking.
From the report, it is indicated that there are new forms of Online Sexual Exploitation and Abuse. These forms are online grooming, live streaming of the abuses and exploitation, extortion e.t.c.
Many people who undergo sexual abuse and harassment do not report these issues to the authorities hence there is no clear data. Addressing the issue and eradicating it has become difficult.
Despite the alarming rate at which these issues are escalating the magnitude of the problem is not exactly known because most cases are not reported due to fear of prosecution by perpetrators, being shamed and blamed by the society as reported among other reasons.
According to you, is it true that online sexual harassment is alarmingly increasing? Share your thoughts.
