Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Madhya Pradesh registered 4800% increase in cyber crime committed against children in five years, stated a report released by Child Rights and You (CRY) on Monday. The CRY analysis is based on the figures released by Nat6ional Crime Record Bureau (NCRB).

Growing usage of the internet is one of the major reasons behind the surge. According to study, 99% of parents are unaware of online content their children are watching.

Regional director, CRY (NGO), Soha Moitra, said only 3 cases of cyber crime against children were registered in MP (according to NCRB) in 2018, which increased to 147 in 2022. “The fear that Covid pandemic may have left children more exposed to online education and other entertainment platforms, which in effect tended to increase risks for children manifested at multiple levels, has been vindicated by current NCRB data,” Moitra added.

The analysis also revealed that 93% of registered cyber crimes committed against children included publishing or transmitting of material depicting children in sexually explicit act.

Over 90 per cent of these cases involve the publishing or transmitting of material depicting children in sexually explicit acts. According to analysis, Madhya Pradesh reported 147 out of 1360 cases reported across the country, where children have been victims of cyber crime in 2022. It is the third highest in the country after Karnataka and Rajasthan, reporting 239 and 161 cases of cybercrime against children, respectively.

Findings of study

A study jointly conducted by CRY and CNLU (Chanakya National Law University) in Patna to understand the nature and extent of online threats during Covid revealed that 78% of teachers from Madhya Pradesh who participated in the study reportedly witnessed some behavioural changes in children indicating the possibility of having been exploited and abused.

About 98% of parents refused to report if their children were subjected to online sexual exploitation and abuse. Only 2 % said yes for lodging complaint with the police. Worse, none of the parents reported being aware of any laws related to online child sexual exploitation and abuse.