Over 300 participants took part in an online forum on cyber grooming.

Cyber grooming is when someone – often an adult – befriends a child online and builds an emotional connection with future intentions of sexual abuse.

Held yesterday for Child Abuse Awareness Month, the forum provided insights, information, and resources to educate children, parents, guardians, child protection professionals and community members on the issue.

Specifically, it examined how to recognize manipulation tactics and red flags, how to set boundaries, the psychological impact of online grooming, how to report grooming and laws related to child pornography.

Speaking at the event were Renelle White – Assistant Director of the Gender Affairs Division, Amrita Sohun – Psychologist with the Children’s Authority of T&T, and Woman Police Constable Sraddha Jeffers-Harry – Digital Intelligence Analyst in the TTPS’ Social Media Department, Cyber and Social Media Unit.