Man charged with child grooming offence
This is a joint media release between the Australian Federal Police and the Victorian Police.
A 28-year-old man from Niddrie (Victoria) has been charged with a child grooming offence and is expected to appear before the Melbourne Magistrates Court today (Friday, 15 April 2016).
On Tuesday 12 April 2016, an investigation involving the Victorian Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team (JACET) led to the execution of search warrants on the man’s vehicle and home.
The man was charged with one count of using a carriage service to procure persons under 16 years of age contrary to Section 474.26 of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth). The maximum penalty for this offence is 15 years imprisonment.
The Victoria JACET encompasses a co-located team of Australian Federal Police and Victoria Police officers working together to combat child sexual exploitation on the internet. The team is committed to identifying and prosecuting any activity that involves online child exploitation.
There are a number of programs available to assist in education and awareness of safety online for young people.
The AFP operates the national ThinkUKnow cyber safety education program, which is focused on preventing children from being groomed or mistreated online. For more information, and to book a free cyber safety presentation, visit www.thinkuknow.org.au.
Victoria Police Youth Resources Officers deliver a Cyber Safety program to schools to help ensure young people are safe online.
Parents and children should be mindful of posting information online when using social media and various apps, and be cautious around direct approaches from people they don’t know online.
If you have any information relating to child abuse or exploitation, contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
For information on safety online visit www.police.vic.gov.au and www.afp.gov.au
Media enquiries
Victoria Police Media (03) 9247 5205
AFP Media (Canberra) (02) 6131 6333
Note for media
CHILD EXPLOITATION IMAGES, NOT ‘CHILD PORNOGRAPHY’
Use of the phrase ‘child pornography’ actually benefits child sex abusers:
- It indicates legitimacy and compliance on the part of the victim and therefore legality on the part of the abuser.
- It conjures up images of children posing in ‘provocative’ positions, rather than suffering horrific abuse.
Every photograph captures an actual situation where a child has been sexually abused is not voluntary and is therefore a crime scene. This is not pornography.