April 1, 2020 9:30 a.m.
Due to school closings as a result of COVID-19, children will potentially have an increased online presence thatcould put them at inadvertent risk of being exploited.
A release from the Portland office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation said the agency is warning parents, educators, caregivers and children about the dangers of online sexual exploitation and signs of child abuse.
The release said individuals may coerce victims into providing sexually explicit images or videos of themselves, often in compliance with offender’s threats to post the images publicly or send the images to victim’s friends and families.
Other offenders may make casual contact with children online, gain their trust, and introduce sexual conversation that increases over time. Ultimately this may result in physically meeting the child in person.
In order for the victimization to stop, children typically have to come forward to someone they trust. That’s typically a parent, teacher, caregiver or law enforcement.
The release said during these uncertain conditions, where time with other adults and caregivers has increased immensely, parents and guardians should communicate with their children regarding what is appropriate contact with adults, and watch for any changes in behavior.
Suspected child sexual exploitation should be reported to law enforcement immediately, according to the FBI release.