FIGHT BACK! Against sexualized violence on the netNew cybergrooming campaign by klicksafe and JUUUPORT

Social media, messenger, games - when children and young people use the Internet, they quickly come into contact with people they don't really know. This is where cybergrooming is becoming increasingly common. Especially in the pandemic, the numbers have increased significantly: the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) records an increase of 17.6% in 2020 compared to the previous year.

According to a representative survey conducted in 2021 by the Media Authority of North Rhine-Westphalia , 24%, every fourth child or adolescent between the ages of 8 and 18, have already come into contact with adults who wanted to meet in real life. One in six children or adolescents (16%) state that they have been promised consideration for intimate recordings online by an adult contact.

Adolescents need early education and media literacy to protect themselves from sexualized violence online. Our campaign therefore focuses on empowering children and young people so that they can defend themselves if sexualized contact is initiated online.

Over the next few weeks, klicksafe and JUUUPORT will be using the hashtags #WehrDICH #GegenCybergrooming to draw attention to the issue of cybergrooming in social media. The focus is on the question of how children and young people can protect themselves from cybergrooming and defend themselves against it. We explain how they can recognize cybergrooming in good time and raise awareness for the cautious handling of strangers' online contacts. We provide information about technical protection functions in social media or messengers and about contact points for seeking help.

As part of the campaign, klicksafe and JUUUPORT are offering a web seminar on cybergrooming. The event will take place on Thursday, September 29, 2022 from 16:30-18:00. In addition to an overview around the topic of cybergrooming and how children and young people can protect and defend themselves, there will be the opportunity to get to know the work of the JUUUPORT scouts in more detail. The JUUUPORT scouts are young volunteers who advise their peers on online problems such as cyberbullying, stress in social media or cybergrooming.

→ Here you can find more information (unfortunately, registration is no longer possible).

1. JUUUPORT is a nationwide online counseling platform aimed directly at young people who have encountered problems such as cyberbullying or cybergrooming. Those affected can contact the JUUUPORT scouts free of charge and confidentially via an online form and WhatsApp.
2. JUUUPORT offers a comprehensive online guide for young people on the subject of cybergrooming .
3. School classes as well as non-school groups can attend the 60-minute seminar "Das geht zu weit! - Preventing cybergrooming".

In the new information video "What to do about cybergrooming" JUUUPORT explains to children and young people what cybergrooming is and how they can protect themselves:

Support our campaign "WEHR DICH! Against sexualized violence online" and draw attention to the issue of cybergrooming and our information and educational materials. ­ ­Use our key visuals for digital media, print materials or social media.

The press release on the campaign launch can befound here. All materials for the campaign (press release, brochure, poster, webcam sticker, video series, key visuals, explanatory video) as well as a video and audio statement by klicksafe leader Deborah Woldemichael, are also available as a complete download at www.klicksafe.de/wehr-dich-pressekit. The zip file is 387 MB in size and you will need a program such as 7-Zip to unzip it.