NGO reveals new trick that criminals are using to sexually exploit children in Kenya

gloria mari

April 10, 2018 10:41 AM

Children from poor and marginalised communities are especially vulnerable to commercial sexual exploitation.

A Dutch NGO, Terre des Hommes Netherlands, has revealed alarming information about the increased cases of sexual exploitation of children in Kenya.

The human rights group in its report, The Dark Side of the Internet for Children – Online Sexual Exploitation in Kenya, revealed how criminals are managing to perform these heinous acts.

The report revealed that children are coerced into live-streaming sexual acts where adults pay to watch the content.

This has been enabled by an unregulated cybercafe industry, rapid development in internet and technology coupled with cheap smartphones.

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"Children from poor and marginalised communities are especially vulnerable to commercial sexual exploitation,” Terre des Hommes Netherlands country manager Angela Nyamu said, as reported by The Star.

"Cybercafés and cell phones offer access to public chat rooms, social media, video chatting and other file sharing software," she said.

The daily reports that, Nyamu said some cybercafés in Kenya provide private back rooms that are not restricted and anyone, including children, can enter as long as they can pay.

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"We will launch an intensively researched report. We believe the report will be key in augmenting discussion relating to OCSE in the Kenya Computer and Cybercrimes Bill of 2017 currently before The House," she added.

During the launch of the report, Terre des Hommes Netherlands will show how sexual predators take advantage of the vulnerability of children via live chat sessions.

gloria mari