3 days Ago By Sandra Malone
Students at Archbishop McHale College in Tuam, County Galway will be the first in the country to test a new computer game designed to inform young people about online grooming. The multi-level quiz-based computer game called GroSafe, is aimed at teaching young people to identify online grooming. Science Foundation Ireland has funded the research project led by TU Dublin in collaboration with the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (ISPCC) and Trinity College Dublin.
The 400 students taking part in the testing will provide crucial feedback as to what they liked and disliked about the game, offering suggestions on how it can be improved. READ NEXT: Possible farmer's tans at this years National Ploughing Championships? Met Éireann's latest forecast suggests so Later this week, students from Educate Together Secondary School in Stepaside, Dublin will also try out the computer game. Head of Cybersecurity at TU Dublin and one of the team leaders, Dr Christina Thorpe, said the game "can prevent manipulation, exploitation, and abuse".
Dr Thorpe said this can be achieved "by actively combatting grooming through increasing awareness and encouraging reporting, thereby safeguarding children and empowering them to recognise and resist grooming tactics." She added: "Addressing grooming fosters a safer environment for children's growth and education." Head of Policy and Public Affairs at ISPCC, Fiona Jennings, said: "The lack of reporting on child grooming hampers our understanding of its true extent and impedes effective resource allocation.
"We want to empower students to recognise and resist grooming tactics." The computer game is still in development. GroSafe will potentially be including lessons on the role of pornography in young people's lives in the future.
The team also wants to include the provision of supports to teachers and educators in delivering Relationships and Sexuality Education lessons in school..
