Increase in Online Grooming Crimes Targeting Teens
Psychological Control Makes Victims Hard to Recognize
Experts "Need Awareness of Crime Severity... Legal Measures and Education Required"
A recent controversy has erupted after an internet BJ committed a sex crime against a minor. It is reported that the perpetrator used a so-called "online grooming" method, pretending to be friendly to carry out the crime. [Image source=Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy reporters Seunggon Han and Juhee Kang] As a case emerged where an internet BJ lured and repeatedly sexually assaulted a minor he met online, concerns are growing over 'online grooming sexual crimes' targeting minors.
Online grooming refers to perpetrators psychologically dominating victims through conversations and other means online before committing sexual crimes. Especially as crimes targeting children and adolescents are increasing, there are calls for urgent measures to prevent such crimes.
Experts have suggested the need to establish legal regulations to punish online grooming crimes. They also emphasized that both quantitative and qualitative improvements in violence prevention education for children and adolescents should be pursued simultaneously.
According to media reports, BJ A is accused of sexually harassing and assaulting minor B three times between October and November after meeting her during a broadcast.
B was a viewer who enjoyed A's online broadcasts, and A reportedly invited B to a specific location through messenger after proposing a meeting, where he sexually assaulted her. The crime was uncovered after B's parents reported suspicious behavior by their daughter.
Recently, such 'online grooming' crimes have been on the rise. Earlier last month, a controversy arose when an elementary school student transferred 130 million won to a BJ on the live streaming app 'Hakuna Live,' raising concerns about the possibility of sexual exploitation crimes occurring during interactions between BJs and viewers.
The elementary student's father said in an interview with CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show' on the 3rd of last month, "My daughter got curious and started watching broadcasts and became close to a BJ. She said the BJ called the biggest supporters 'Chairman,' 'Vice Chairman,' and 'President,' treating them specially." He added, "There are 'private rooms' where the BJ sets a password and invites only selected people. Sometimes, the BJ demands things like 'Give me 10 diamonds (donations) and live as my slave' with certain intentions."
Unlike general sexual crimes, online grooming involves gradually building relationships over a long period, making it difficult for victims to recognize the harm.
Especially with the significant increase in smartphone use and non-face-to-face activities compared to the past, there are urgent calls for measures to prevent grooming crimes targeting minors in online spaces.
The crime of 'online grooming' is more severe because victims cannot properly recognize when and how they become victims. Photo by Yonhap News
The severity of grooming sexual crimes targeting minors is also reflected in statistics.
According to a report released on the 11th of last month by the Korea Cyber Sexual Violence Response Center, among 452 sexual violence counseling cases (299 victims) in 2019, 42 cases (9.3%) involved online grooming, more than 1.5 times the 26 cases in 2018. Notably, 78.6% of online grooming victims were teenagers (33 cases), the highest proportion.
According to the '2019 Survey on the Actual Condition of Prostitution' released by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family in April, 11.1% of 6,423 middle and high school students nationwide reported experiencing unwanted sexual solicitation online in the past three years. Among all respondents, 2.7% experienced being induced to meet in person.
Experts suggest that social interest in online grooming crimes and detailed legal regulations for these crimes should be established, and based on this, more proactive measures are urgently needed.
Seo Seung-hee, director of the Korea Cyber Sexual Violence Response Center, said, "As children and adolescents use smartphones from a young age and have increased online contact, grooming crimes are also increasing. Especially, children and adolescents are more easily exploited than adults, and there are still people who sexually target adolescents. If awareness of the seriousness of these crimes is not strengthened, related crimes will continue to rise."
Seo pointed out, "Under current law, if offline meetings arranged through grooming lead to sexual violence or the production and distribution of recordings, offenders can be punished under the Act on the Protection of Children and Juveniles from Sexual Abuse. However, there is no law to punish the grooming process leading up to offline meetings. Specifically defining forming intimate relationships online as a crime raises concerns about human rights and freedom infringement. It requires in-depth discussion on where to draw the line and how to legally define it."
She added, "Education is also needed to inform children and adolescents, who could be victims, about what harms they may face in online spaces, what kinds of offenses occur, and how to respond if harmed. Education related to gender issues is still very insufficient in schools and other institutions. Improvements in both the quantity and quality of violence prevention education must be simultaneously strengthened," she emphasized.
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