Gaming Platforms Are a Dangerous Playground for Predators
55 THINGS PARENTS & GRANDPARENTS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT HUMAN TRAFFICKING: #9
Editor’s Note:
Despite the relative sophistication of the gaming environment, these platforms are ripe for grooming and luring your child offline. #9: Online gaming with interactive features is a popular place for predators to operate.
In this issue of Traffic Report, Dottie alerts you to the dangers of gaming and most importantly how not to be a victim (or your child a victim) of predators looking for their next child to groom.
Gaming Culture
Are your kids into the gaming culture? Do they dive into their computer, Gameboy, Xbox, as soon as they get home from school? Unfortunately, we live in perilous times and even something as innocuous as playing games is ripe for grooming your children. Now, we do not just want to create an environment of fear, which is not our intention. What we want to do is safeguard your progeny and provide them with the tools they need to survive.
The Grooming Process
Despite their precociousness, and an Internet created worldliness, children are just not fully equipped to discern friend from enemy and that is where you come in. You must set an example and not only educate but monitor their time online. Yes, even while playing games. Think of their gaming environment just as you would taking your kids to a playground. You look out for people who should not be there or who are paying attention to the kids that set off an alarm. So, it is with the gaming platforms your child is on. Watch, observe and listen!
They groom him by being the highest scoring person, they do not let him win and they do not let him win and then one day they let him win. This initiates the grooming process as they praise the winner and tell them how amazing they are. From there the conversation dives deeper. They learn their hopes, their fears, their dreams, what would embarrass them, what they aspire to be and who's the most important parent in their life or who's the weakest family member. Then then they start this pattern of grooming and luring and the next thing you know, he or she is walking out the door unbeknownst to you.
Precaution
Remember predators like to use online gaming as a platform to reach out and find people to target and groom! Precaution is the key term; we do not want your child or young adult to walk out the door and not come back. Yes, most often they are found, hopefully not too damaged but unfortunately ofttimes very damaged, sometimes even not alive. So, take heart, you have the information and the steps to take to prevent this from happening.
Number 9 of 55 Things: Online gaming with interactive features is a popular place for predators to operate.
And here’s Dottie!