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New Indian Express
14-06-2025
- New Indian Express
More children falling prey to online sexual abuse in Karnataka
BENGALURU: A growing number of children in Karnataka are falling prey to online sexual exploitation and abuse, but most parents, teachers, and even government officials remain unequipped to handle or prevent such threats, a state-level study has found. Released by the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KSCPCR) in partnership with ChildFund India, the study, focused on online sexual exploitation and abuse of children, raises red flags about children's online safety, especially following the Covid pandemic, which, as per the findings, saw increased screen time and unsupervised internet use among children. The report was released on Friday by Basavaraj Horatti, Chairman of the Karnataka Legislative Council. The study covered 903 school-going children aged 8–18 years across five Karnataka districts Bengaluru, Chamarajanagar, Raichur, Chikkamagaluru and Belagavi using multi-stage random sampling. Six schools from each district were selected, and 30 students from each school were interviewed, spanning three age groups - 8–11, 12–14, and 15–18 years.
Deccan Herald
14-06-2025
- Deccan Herald
'77% of online threat cases kids reported involved Insta'
The pilot study 'Online Risks of Children in Karnataka, OSEAC (Focus on online sexual exploitation and abuse of children)' was conducted by ChildFund India in association with the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KCPCR).
Time of India
13-06-2025
- Time of India
Karnataka parents raise alarm over rampant online child exposure & abuse
Bengaluru: Unchecked and unregulated online exposure has put the lives of children at peril, with online abuse, exploitation, bullying and forging forced online friendships emerging as tools of blackmailing children into submission. These were some of the takeaways from a study report launched by Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights and child-focused development organisation ChildFund India, which examined online risks faced by children in five districts of Karnataka. At a state-level consultation on child safety here Friday, a class 10 student from Mysuru said, "We can't tell our friends or parents when morphed videos are used to blackmail us because of the stigma. We need counsellors in schools." The study, covering 900 children aged 8 to 18 years and conducted from Dec 2024 to March 2025, revealed alarming trends. For instance, 80% of parents interviewed said police must respond more promptly to cases of online abuse, especially when it involves coercion or exploitation. Among the children surveyed, 31 said they met online strangers in person, several connected with people online in the hope of forming friendships. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Buy Brass Idols - Handmade Brass Statues for Home & Gifting Luxeartisanship Buy Now Undo In cases of online sexual exploitation and abuse, the report found that 19 of 44 affected students were bullied, 18 were sexually coerced, and in 22 cases, parents responded by deleting social media accounts. However, only 15 informed law-enforcement authorities. Despite existing structures such as special juvenile police units (SJPUs), stakeholders at the discussion admitted that child-friendly stations remain on paper. Child-friendly stations have not been implemented, said a police officer, adding, "There are SOPs in place and helplines like 1930, but awareness has to come from other departments too." Legislative council chairman Basavaraj Horatti asked police personnel to share with the public the Pocso case data and action taken. Education department officials proposed printing remedial measures on textbook covers, while IT-BT officials called for app bans and awareness campaigns through state media like Doordarshan. One official from the science and technology department said even conferences on topics like quantum computing that the govt hosts could be used to spread awareness about cybercrimes affecting children. Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
The Hindu
13-06-2025
- The Hindu
Study on online child sexual abuse recommends inclusion of digital literacy in school curriculum
A pilot study on online sexual exploitation and abuse of children in Karnataka has recommended that digital literacy and online safety should be a compulsory part of the school curriculum, starting from the primary level. Protecting children from online risks requires the concerted efforts of parents, educators, policymakers, and communities, said the study jointly conducted by ChildFund India and Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KSCPCR). A report on the study titled 'Online Risks of Children: Focus on Online Sexual Exploitation and Abuse of Children' was released by Legislative Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti in Bengaluru on Friday. 'This report is a comprehensive effort to understand the digital experiences of children in Karnataka, capturing insights from children themselves, as well as from parents, teachers, and child protection stakeholders. It provides a holistic view of children's vulnerabilities in the digital realm,' said KSCPCR chairperson K. Naganna Gowda. Objectives of study The major objectives of this study were to investigate the nature and prevalence of 'Online Sexual Exploitation and Abuse of Children' (OSEAC) in Karnataka by estimating the prevalence of OSEAC among children aged 8 to 18 years. In the first stage, five districts from Karnataka (Chamarajanagar, Raichur, Chikkamagaluru, Belagavi and Bengaluru) were selected. In the next stage, schools of various types were sampled from the rural and urban areas, which constituted the Second-stage Sampling Units (SSUs). Subsequently, individual respondents were sampled, who constituted the Ultimate Sampling Units (USUs) in the study. Six schools were selected from each of the five districts and 30 students (10 each from 8-11 years, 12-14 years and 15-18 years categories) were sampled from each of these schools. Two out of school children from the vicinity of the sampled schools were also included for interviews. Overall, 903 school going children were covered under the study. Key recommendations The study noted that the COVID-19 pandemic significantly increased children's exposure to online risks, underscoring the urgent need for corrective measures. Parental supervision, teacher training, and digital literacy emerged as critical areas for prevention and mitigating risks. However, underreporting and societal stigma continue to pose significant challenges, discouraging victims and families from seeking help. Addressing OSEAC comprehensively requires a collaborative effort involving schools, parents, NGOs, and law enforcement, with a focus on awareness, support services, and stricter enforcement of child protection measures, the study recommended. Open communication between parents and children about online risks and safe behavior should be encouraged and community awareness programmes should be conducted, it added. Digital literacy and online safety should be included in school curriculum, and age-appropriate toolkits should be developed. Peer-led education and workshops should be used to teach parents, especially in rural areas, about monitoring children's internet use. Children should be involved in designing safer online spaces and creating community and 'Digital Safety Champions' for first-response support. The other recommendations included setting up a Karnataka OSEAC Task Force to oversee prevention and rehabilitation.
