This morning the Minister for Police and Corrective Services Mark Ryan MP joined the Queensland Police Service to deliver an important message to all parents, caregivers and educators as part of Safer Internet Day.
"The investigators within Queensland Police Service's Argos and child protection officers across the state do a job not many of us could. They investigate internet facilitated crimes against children," Minister Ryan said.
"Over the years, the team has seen the worst crimes and witnessed these atrocities captured across hundreds and thousands of images and videos. They have seen the pain, the trauma and the suffering. They have seen it all.
"But that's their job and I would be joined by many people in suggesting the world is a better place because of people like them. It is because of their sheer hard work and dedication that so many children across the world have been removed from harm and saved from the hands of those who commit these most horrible acts," Minister Ryan said.
Detective Inspector Jon Rouse, head of operations at State Crime Command's Argos said too many crimes started with a stranger requesting images or videos from a child online.
"A simple friend request on an app that facilitates communication can lead to a child chatting to strangers, the production and distribution of images and potentially, the child meeting up with their new 'friend'.
"Despite all that we are doing at the front line to investigate and stop the sexual exploitation of children we are encountering spiralling volumes of self-produced images and videos in our digital seizures," Detective Inspector Rouse said.
Safer Internet Day is a day that means many things to many people. It is about raising awareness and educating anyone who uses the internet – from those at risk of identity theft and romance scams to the heartless scammers who use the internet to target our most vulnerable.
Minister Ryan said Safer Internet Day was also about raising awareness amongst parents, caregivers, educators and anyone in the community who has the important job of caring for, raising or educating a child.
"For us today, the message is clear and it is direct from the investigators who have seen it all."
To find out more about Safer Internet Day visit the Office of the the eSafety Commissioner.
