How Online Grooming Can Escalate Into Blackmail, Abuse and Serious Criminal Offending
Sky News’ The Com investigation into child grooming online leads to stark warning to parents.
A major Sky News investigation has exposed the activities of an international online network known as “the Com”, where children and vulnerable young people are reportedly groomed and coerced into sexual activity, self-harm and other extreme behaviour.
The investigation provides a disturbing insight into how apparently ordinary online relationships can develop into blackmail, exploitation and serious criminal offending.
What Is the Com?
“The Com” is short for “community” and is the name used to describe a loose international online network associated with the exploitation of children and vulnerable young people.
Rather than being a single organisation operating from one website or social media platform, the network encompasses different online groups and communities. According to an eight-month investigation by Sky News, members have used gaming platforms, social media, messaging services and online chat groups to find, communicate with and exploit victims.
The investigation found evidence of vulnerable people being pressured into sending sexual images, self-harming and carrying out humiliating or dangerous acts on camera. In some parts of the network, increasingly extreme material can apparently bring status and notoriety among other members.
That makes the motivation particularly disturbing. This is not necessarily conventional financially motivated cybercrime. The suffering and humiliation of victims can itself become the material being sought and shared.
A Sky News Investigation Into a Growing Online Threat
The issue has been brought into focus by Sky News following an eight-month investigation for its documentary The Com: Online, Sadistic and Deadly.
Journalists investigated activity across several major online platforms and spoke to victims, families and those involved in investigating the network.
Sky News reported finding pathways into harmful communities across platforms including Roblox, Discord, TikTok and Telegram. The investigation identified accounts and groups containing or directing users towards material involving self-harm, sexual exploitation, extortion and violence.
The scale of the law enforcement response indicates that this is not simply an isolated internet phenomenon.
According to the national police coordinator quoted by Sky News, there is now some element of a sadistic online exploitation investigation within every UK police force.
The National Crime Agency reportedly received just under 1,500 Com-related referrals during the previous year, with between 35 and 50 referrals being received each week.
Online Grooming Can Begin in Familiar Places
Perhaps one of the most important warnings for parents is where contact can begin.
The investigation identified activity and pathways across gaming, messaging and social platforms used by millions of people every day. A child does not necessarily have to deliberately enter an obviously dangerous corner of the internet to encounter somebody capable of exploiting them.
The process may initially resemble an ordinary online friendship. An offender can build trust, discover a young person’s vulnerabilities and gradually obtain photographs, private conversations and personal information.
That information can subsequently become a means of control.
How We Can Help.
If you have any questions relating to online crime and would like advice or legal representation – then don’t hesitate to call us now on 0161 477 1121 or email us.
