Online Predators Target Children: Roxy’s Story Highlights the Urgent Need for Safer Schools and Digital Spaces
Roxy Longworth’s harrowing experience at just 13 shows how dangerously easy it is for children to fall prey to online predators — and how quickly the systems meant to protect them can fail. From coercion to the circulation of intimate images, Roxy’s ordeal underscores the urgent need for robust child protection policies, both online and offline, and stronger parental and school safeguards to ensure children’s rights to safety, dignity, and development.
Roxy’s story is a chilling reminder: children can be groomed in seconds, often by peers, yet the institutional response still often targets victims rather than perpetrators. When schools punished Roxy instead of protecting her, it revealed a systemic failure that worsened her mental health, leading to self-harm, isolation, and hospitalization.
Child-rights frameworks around the world recognize that every child has the right to protection from exploitation, abuse, and violence, but stories like Roxy’s show that these rights remain under threat. Online platforms, social media companies, and educational institutions must be proactive, not reactive: stronger device-level protections, age-appropriate restrictions, and educational programs about consent and online safety are critical.
Parents and guardians also need resources and guidance to monitor digital risks and maintain open conversations about online boundaries. Meanwhile, schools must adopt clear protocols that prioritize child protection over blame, ensuring children never feel penalized for being exploited.
Roxy’s advocacy, including the creation of Behind Our Screens, demonstrates the transformative power of centering children’s voices. Preventing abuse requires focusing on those causing harm — educating perpetrators, regulating technology, and empowering children to seek help safely.
This story is a wake-up call for governments worldwide. Policies to prevent grooming, image-based abuse, and harmful AI tools are not optional; they are essential for safeguarding children’s rights. As nations adopt stronger safeguards, Roxy’s experience should remind us: a child’s life, dignity, and safety must always come first.
