A GNA Feature by Mildred Siabi-Mensah
Takoradi, June 24, GNA — It all started on a one sunny afternoon during vacation when Ama took her mother’s phone to surf the internet. Â
“Oh! I had a good laugh on TikTok, Instagram and x, then FB where I clicked on this friend request, he was awesome in words and our acquaintance grew stronger and better,
“Later, he said he wants to marry me, and began asking for my real pictures, when he received the first portrait of me, he requested for a full size, then said I should strip naked for a good view of me.
“Mummy, this how it began, everyday he is asking for one sex offer, money or will splash my photos on the Internet. I’m depressed: I want to end it all.”
Online grooming is a predatory process in which an adult manipulates a minor over the internet to gain trust, exploit them or arrange sexual abuse.
Operating primarily through private messaging apps, predators exploit anonymity and shared interests to isolate children, using fear and secrecy to evade detection by parents or caregivers.
In this high-speed world, the “stranger danger” of the past no longer lurks in dark alleys; it resides comfortably in living rooms where predators bypass locked front doors to reach children in the privacy of their bedrooms.
These predators are armed with fake profiles and have a calculated understanding of adolescent vulnerabilities, thus preying on their universal human desire to feel seen and understood.
It starts with a friend request, casual comment on a shared interest, unassuming compliments, but behind the glowing screens of smartphones and gaming consoles, a silent predator is doing exactly what they do best, to build trust to “shatter lives and dreams of their prey.”
Reports from global child-safety organisations show a sharp rise in online child sexual exploitation and a new, faster grooming techniques that put children at increased risk.
Grooming is a relational tool used by these perpetrators to establish trust among children online, then ask them to send nude pictures which are later used as weapons for sexual and financial exploitation.
The We Protect Global Alliance’s Global, a child centered organisation in a survey on Threat Assessment in 2023 recorded an 87 percent increase in reported child sexual abuse material (CSAM) cases since 2019 with more than 32 million reports globally in 2023.
The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), a UK based civil society organisation, also documented a steep rise in selfgenerated sexual imagery of very young children, reporting a 360 percent increase in images of 7–10yearolds between 2020 and 2022.
Specialists say the online environment is increasingly dangerous because conversations on social gaming platforms could escalate into high‑risk grooming situations quickly.
Grooming can begin in as little as 19 seconds after contact, with an average grooming time of only 45 minutes.
Child-protection practitioners attributed this speed to the manipulative, addictive dynamics that abusers exploit during online interactions.
The reports also highlight a dramatic surge in financial sexual extortion, “sextortion.”
Madam Joy Anima Danquah, a senior officer with Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) has noted the need to reduce screen time for children.
She urged parents to educate their children on the vulnerabilities in the digital space and how they could save themselves.
Madam Eva Ankrah, the Executive Director of the Human Rights and Development Services, has also called for intensified public education, stronger parental controls, improved reporting channels, and closer cooperation between technology companies and law-enforcement agencies to protect children.
They urge parents and caregivers to talk openly with children about online risks, monitor app use and contacts, and ensure privacy settings are enabled on devices and platforms.
The Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation and the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection have previously expressed commitment to tackling online child abuse.
Stakeholders say the new global data underscores the need to accelerate local prevention and response measures, expand training for frontline responders, and increase resources for investigations and victim support.
Meanwhile, child-protection groups in Ghana are also pressing for mandatory age verification and safer default settings on social platforms, along with clear, easy-to-use reporting mechanisms that connect victims to timely support services.
Nana Kofi Abuna, the Chief of Essipong, therefore, called for families to fully support victims and provide the needed social and psychological help.
Madam Nana Adjoa Assifuah, a lay counsellor, added that cognitive behavioural approaches and therapies must be employed to safe affected children from suicidal thoughts and bring back their self-esteem.
As international agencies continue to gather and publish data, local advocates stress that immediate, community-level action—awareness campaigns in schools, parental workshops, and improved cooperation with internet service providers—can reduce risks while longer‑term legal and technological measures are strengthened.
GNA
Edited by Justina Hilda Paaga/Benjamin Mensah
Writer: Mildred Siabi-MensahÂ
[email protected]Â