Children in Kenya are more vulnerable to online sexual abuse and exploitation due to increased penetration of the internet through mobile phones, a new report says.
The report by the United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) says technological advances have allowed offenders to remain anonymous, cover their tracks, create false identities and pursue many at ago.
It listed broadcasting of live sex abuse videos, made-to-order sexual abuse material and self-generated content.
In Kenya, 80 per cent of youths use mobile phones to access the internet. Between 40 and 60 per cent of the population has access to internet.
“Offenders often groom their victims on these platforms, where they gain a child’s attention or trust before moving the communication to video and photo-sharing platforms. These lead to content-driven or financially driven extortion or meeting offline,” says the Global Kids Online Partner Countries report of 2016–2017. Global Kids is a department of Unicef.
Internet access has made it easy for child sex offenders to contact potential victims around the world, share images of their abuse and encourage others to commit the crimes, the report says.
The report says the online world did not create crimes of child sexual abuse and exploitation but has changed them in two significant ways.
"It has facilitated existing common forms and created wholly new forms,” the report says.
In March, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) released a report in which it says advancements in technology can increase access to victims and to child sexual abuse material and reduce risk of identification and prosecution of perpetrators.
The study examined the sexual exploitation of children, specifically trafficking of children for purposes of sexual exploitation and the sexual exploitation of children in travel and tourism.
It said technology has lowered the costs of trafficking operations.
“Traffickers are able to recruit, advertise, organise and communicate primarily, or even exclusively, via mobile phone or devices such as tablets which allow them to effectively streamline their activities and expand their networks. This creates a new digital marketplace for modern-day slavery,” the report reads.