Sexual harassment of children on social media is a serious problem where adults attempt to initiate sexual contact with children via social media or get them to share sexually explicit images or videos. In this guide, we'll explain what it is, how it works, and what kids and parents can do about it.

What is child sexual harassment on social media?

Sexual harassment of children on social media refers to inappropriate behavior by adults towards children on social media. This can be in the form of messages, images, videos or even live chats. Perpetrators often use the Internet to find their victims and may disguise their identities to hide their true intentions.

How does sexual harassment of children work on social media?

Perpetrators can pose as someone who wants to meet children online by impersonating a child or even creating a fake identity. They may try to build trust and relationships with their victims by giving gifts or compliments. Once they have gained the child's trust, they can try to get them to share sexually explicit images or videos or even arrange a meeting in real life.

What can children do about it?

It is important for children to understand that it is not their fault if they are sexually harassed and that they should not be afraid to talk about it. Here are some steps children can take to protect themselves:

  1. Be careful when accepting friend requests from strangers on social media.
  2. Avoid sharing personal information such as address, phone number or school.
  3. Tell a trusted adult if you receive inappropriate messages or images.
  4. Immediately block the sender if they engage in inappropriate behavior.
  5. Use strong passwords and report suspicious activity on your account.

What can parents do about it?

Parents can play an important role in protecting their children from sexual harassment on social media. Here are some steps parents can take:

  1. Talk to your child about safe online practices and encourage them to let you know if they feel uncomfortable or threatened.
  2. Monitor your child's online behavior and check their social media regularly.
  3. Install security and filtering programs on your child's computer or mobile device to block inappropriate content.
  4. Establishes clear rules and boundaries for social media use and enforces them consistently.
  5. If you are concerned that your child is being sexually molested, contact the police or a child support organization.

Children and parents alike can take steps to prevent sexual harassment of children on social media.

It is important that children are educated about safe online practices and are aware of how to protect themselves. Parents should monitor their children, set clear rules and limits around social media use, and watch for suspicious activity. In the event of sexual harassment, children should immediately inform a trusted adult and parents should take the necessary steps to protect their child. It is vital that we all commit to keeping children safe on social media and do everything we can to prevent sexual harassment.

Which offices in Germany and Austria can those affected contact?

In Germany and Austria there are various places where those affected by sexual harassment can turn. Here are some of them:

Germany:

  • Number against Kummer eV: Telephone hotline for children, young people and parents in need, including sexual abuse: 116 111
  • “Violence against women” helpline: Telephone advice and help for women in crisis situations and violence: 08000 116 016
  • Central contact point for help for those affected by sexual abuse: Advice and support services for those affected by sexual abuse and their relatives: 0800 22 55 530
  • Police: In acute cases of sexual harassment, those affected can contact the police and file a report.

Austria:

  • Advice on the wire: Telephone hotline for children and young people in crisis situations, including sexual abuse: 147
  • Women's helpline against violence: Telephone advice and help for women in crisis situations and violence: 0800 222 555
  • Vienna intervention center against violence in the family: Support and advice on domestic violence and violence in close relationships: 01 4000 8400
  • Police: In acute cases of sexual harassment, those affected can contact the police and file a report.

It is important that those affected by sexual harassment seek support and help and contact appropriate authorities. The above-mentioned bodies offer advice and support to help those affected cope with the situation and offer them help.

Complete research on this topic by jugendschutz.net as well as information on how the services reacted to reported content can be found here: Sexually harassing communication in social media – forms and gateways on TikTok and Instagram

Also read why children's pictures don't belong on the internet


If you enjoyed this post and value the importance of well-founded information, become part of the exclusive Mimikama Club! Support our work and help us promote awareness and combat misinformation. As a club member you receive:

📬 Special Weekly Newsletter: Get exclusive content straight to your inbox.
🎥 Exclusive video* “Fact Checker Basic Course”: Learn from Andre Wolf how to recognize and combat misinformation.
📅 Early access to in-depth articles and fact checks: always be one step ahead.
📄 Bonus articles, just for you: Discover content you won't find anywhere else.
📝 Participation in webinars and workshops : Join us live or watch the recordings.
✔️ Quality exchange: Discuss safely in our comment function without trolls and bots.

Join us and become part of a community that stands for truth and clarity. Together we can make the world a little better!

* In this special course, Andre Wolf will teach you how to recognize and effectively combat misinformation. After completing the video, you have the opportunity to join our research team and actively participate in the education - an opportunity that is exclusively reserved for our club members!


Notes:
1) This content reflects the current state of affairs at the time of publication. The reproduction of individual images, screenshots, embeds or video sequences serves to discuss the topic. 2) Individual contributions were created through the use of machine assistance and were carefully checked by the Mimikama editorial team before publication. ( Reason )