Omegle May Put Children at Risk
Omegle is an online site that allows strangers to virtually meet and chat anonymously through texting or video calls. It requires no registration or verification, so parties can begin to communicate after stating they are ‘18 years old' or ‘under guardians' supervision between 13 and 18 years old.' The site gained popularity during the pandemic as people wanted to interact with others outside their homes while the lockdowns were in place. Omegle has an adult section that is accessed by confirming that you are 18 years or older by a simple prompt. Omegle does not seek to verify the information the user provides. With this lack of verification, predators can hurt children by sending sexually explicit pictures, texts and even pressuring the child to send similar messages back to them.Signs Your Child May be a Victim of Abuse
As a parent, it's important to be aware of your child's emotional and physical health. Watching for signs in their daily mood is the fastest way to tell if your child is okay and to try to understand what could be bothering them. Some signs that your child may be in danger include:- Secluding themselves from the family
- Sudden secretiveness
- Sudden creation of password boundaries
- Unease and being defensive
The Guardian's Role
As a guardian, it is imperative to protect your child. For online threats like Omegle, it can be quite challenging to watch over your child and monitor every site they visit at all times. Cyber security experts agree that access limitations is the safest way to protect our children from online sexual harassment. If our children have no access to these websites, online predators cannot reach them. Make it a point to educate your children on safety while using the internet. As a parent, ensure your child knows the following:- They should not access sites containing adult content
- They should know any dangers they risk by accessing mature websites
- They should not share personal information with anyone, especially strangers online
Helping Your Child to Overcome Sexual Abuse
Child sexual abuse constitutes any form of sexual activity with a minor. According to the law, children cannot consent to any sexual activity. The law convicts anyone who engages a child in sexual activity. Some of the damages that guardians can pursue on behalf of their children include:- Exploitation
- Personal injury
- Sexual dysfunction
- Depression and anxiety
- Sleep disorders
- Trauma
Marsy's Law
There are laws to protect children from predators like those in Omegle, such as Marsy's Law, which protects victims of crimes Once we take your case, we begin by conducting investigations to prove that the accused committed the federal crime of exploiting a child or children. Having established that they have, we move to prove that their actions caused personal injury to the child or children involved. We understand that wounds caused by sexual predators have adverse effects and can continue to haunt a family and the victim. We believe that these predators should be punished. Pretending they did not hurt your family does not mean they did not, and silence empowers them. You should know the following:- The statute of limitations (or the time limit for filing a lawsuit) on this offense can go as far as 10 years after the child turns 18 years old. Do not let these Omegle predators go free by delaying your suit.
- If we can prove they are guilty of the offense, we can sue for damages. While we know it does not change what happened or heal the trauma, this money could be used to seek the help your child needs to overcome the ordeal..