Online Violence Targeting Children On The Rise – DPP

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Lino Anguzu, says Uganda is facing a rapidly growing wave of online and digital violence, especially targeting children.   He urged parents to be extremely vigilant about their children’s exposure to the internet, gadgets, and social spaces.

Speaking during his first public appearance at the commemoration of 16 Days of Activism against Violence on Women and Girls on Thursday, Anguzu said technology, while useful for development and investigations, has become one of the newest and most dangerous fronts for gender-based violence.

Anguzu said recent research shows that 68 per cent of children with disabilities and 59 per cent of other children have experienced some form of online abuse. The attacks range from cyberbullying and cyberstalking, child pornography, and predatory behaviour by adults operating under false identities.

He said many rape and defilement cases in Uganda now begin online, with perpetrators using fake social media accounts to lure unsuspecting minors before setting up physical meetings that result in sexual abuse.

He cautioned that parents may unintentionally expose their children to danger by giving them unrestricted access to smartphones, tablets, computers, and social media platforms. He urged families to monitor conversations, online friendships, and the websites their children visit.



Beyond internet dangers, Anguzu also issued a warning about emerging tactics used to target teenagers during social events. Security teams, he said, have recently uncovered cases of drug-laced snacks such as spiked cookies and cakes distributed at house parties to incapacitate youths

The DPP emphasised that although technology has enhanced the ability to investigate crimes, it must be carefully monitored because offenders are exploiting it to harm women and children with ease and anonymity.

He urged the public to treat digital abuse with the same seriousness as physical attacks, warning that the psychological and emotional trauma can be just as severe.    

Anguzu revealed that 70 percent of all criminal cases reported to police and later handled by the DPP’s office are related to gender-based violence.   He noted that most incidents still go unreported and that only ten percent are reported to the police.

 He revealed that 16 percent are reported to local councils, and 72 percent are never reported at all due to fear, stigma, retaliation, or negative experiences with justice actors.

During the same event, forensic experts urged the public to safeguard evidence to enable strong prosecutions of sexual and gender-based violence.

ASP Magumba Muzamiru, a DNA analyst with the Uganda Police Forensic Laboratory, explained that DNA profiling plays a crucial role in placing suspects at crime scenes and exonerating the innocent.

Magumba said the laboratory typically receives three categories of samples: items from the crime scene, such as clothing, alongside blood samples from both the victim and the suspect. These are analysed to obtain DNA profiles.

He added that trained Scenes of Crime Officers or Investigating Officers are always available to collect and package evidence properly to ensure its integrity from the crime scene all the way to court.