Any child with a mobile phone can be an easy target for groomers, sexual predators who trick and blackmail teenagers online to get their photos and videos of sexual content. They pose as boys their age and use apps like Tik Tok and video games to gain their trust and get them to send them compromising images with nudity or explicit sexual attitudes. The Superior Police Headquarters of Madrid has the first territorial group of technological researchers that was created to pursue this type of cybercriminals. They are mostly police trained in engineering, computer science and technological careers and train the rest of the staff in Madrid. Both districts and municipalities.
Jesus is one of the most veteran agents of group VIII in the fight against these pedophiles who take advantage of any loophole to commit their misdeeds on the internet. He says many of the grommers are seniors, retirees, teachers and parents. "From the moment a minor has access to the internet, pedophile networks already have access to it," says this specialized agent.
There is no single profile in which pedophiles and pedophiles are included. The experience of these seasoned agents has led them to locate cases of "very young" people and even elderly people over 70 years old. To reach these criminals, the police have two ways: the tracking of "any source of information" or the complaints of the victims.
One of the most shocking cases they have faced is that of a girl who wanted to commit suicide because her older sister took nude photos of her. Then they discovered that the sister was being coerced by a groomer to whom he sent the portraits of the 10-year-old girl. They have recently arrested another 25-year-old who solicited videos of sexual content to minors through social networks. The analysis of his mobile phone has made it possible to identify ten victims.
Predators prey on the most vulnerable children and almost always pose as teenage girls. Through compliments and games they can get images. Once the images are obtained, they can be used for their own consumption or to distribute them to third parties. The agents have had a case in which one of the pedophiles managed in an hour photos of a naked 14-year-old girl.
In addition, the groomer does not choose only one victim at random through an application or a video game, he tries with as many minors as possible that he can find online. Once they get the first photo comes the coercion. "They tell them that if they don't send them more images or more videos, they will publish the images they already have on social networks," explains the experienced policeman, with more than 17 years of work in this group.
These officers in addition to police are parents. And in their investigations they have to see harsh and unbearable images. "You have to separate private life from the professional and isolate it, because otherwise you could not work," says Jesus. "It is key, according to the police, to constantly talk to their children, have access to their devices and make them aware about not talking to strangers," he adds.
This type of crime has risen by 410% in recent years. The damage that the groomer causes to the child has a moral impact, characterized by the total absence of empathy (which prevents him from taking charge of the victim's suffering), low self-esteem, need to be accepted, social immaturity, distorted vision of reality, obsession or personality imbalances. Because of his personal insecurity and disregard for the individual rights of others, the relationship with the child makes him feel powerful and more secure than in relationships with adults. For their part, victims will be exposed to psychological and physical risks and will have their self-esteem greatly affected.
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