Online Abuse: Introduction

The internet has provided us with a world of new possibilities and opportunities, but it has also created a tidal wave of new risks and dangers.

Round-the-clock access to the Internet has meant children forego any ‘safe space’ from their abuser.  They can face relentless cyber-bullying, harassment, sexism, racism and homophobic bullying. Many parents fail to appreciate the severity of the threat faced by their children, largely because they don’t understand everything their children are doing or experiencing online.

Parents need to be supported to apply their offline child protection strategies to their children’s experiences online.

What practical steps can parents and young people take to protect themselves from this abuse? How do they stop the signs and respond when they think the abuse is occurring?