P064. Increasing awareness and prevention of online sexual crimes against minors: Insights from parental knowledge and attitudes

• In Event: Poster Session & Ice Cream Social

Abstract

With the advancement of technology, there has been a significant increase in sexual crimes against minors during and after the pandemic. This presentation addresses these crimes in online gaming, with a focus on raising parental awareness regarding the dangers of the internet. A quantitative, descriptive, and cross-sectional study was conducted with 200 participants who responded to an online questionnaire about parental knowledge concerning the risks of sexual abuse in online games. The data revealed that the majority of children play online games daily, primarily using mobile phones in their bedrooms. Despite many parents possessing good digital skills and knowledge of safety programs, there remains occasional concern regarding the dangers of online gaming. Data analysis indicated that 59.5% of participants' children frequently engage in online gaming (47.1%), primarily using mobile devices (43.7%), and mostly in their bedrooms (48.7%). Additionally, 57.1% of participants reported possessing good digital competencies, with 68.9% being aware of safety programs to monitor children’s online activities. While 32.8% expressed occasional concern about online gaming dangers, only 34.5% deemed interaction with strangers a crucial topic to address. Nevertheless, 67.2% maintain open communication with their children regarding internet risks. Notably, 48.7% of participants had never heard of online grooming, although 43.7% had discussed it with their children; 79% consider this crime to be very serious. Furthermore, 6.7% of participants were unsure of how to respond to an incident of online grooming. Ultimately, 84.9% believe that educational institutions should take a more active role in raising awareness and preventing these crimes, suggesting awareness-raising initiatives. Open communication about internet risks has been highlighted as an important preventive measure, although some participants still lack knowledge on how to address online grooming. The majority of participants advocate for schools to play a more active role in awareness and prevention of such crimes.

Authors

• Mariana Monteiro, University Fernando Pessoa

• Ana Isabel Sani, University Fernando Pessoa (UFP); OPVC-UFP; CIEC-UM