Australia: Rise in sexual assault of children groomed online

 A study conducted by two forensic doctors in Australia reveal a jump in sexual assault of children groomed online in 2019 when compared to 2013. The two doctors have stated this based on their study of  70 child sexual assaults facilitated by technology. They found an increase of perpetrators using social media platforms, such as Snapchat and dating sites, to communicate with children aged between 12 and 17 before meeting and assaulting them. Most of the victims groomed, were girls aged 14 to 15 years while the perpetrators were male who were mostly 25 years older than the victim.

Dr Tully, deputy director of the Victorian Forensic Paediatric Medical Service at the Royal Children’s and Monash hospitals, shared that between 2007 and 2013, 450 children were assaulted sexually of which  one in 25 were assaulted where technology was used to find them. In contrast between 2014 and 2020, one in five of 515 children were  assault victims where technology was used.