In a one-year period, 1 in 5 youth experience at least one online sexual solicitation.  Youth are more knowledgeable in using the Internet, using cell phones, and using e-mail to communicate with friends.  Forty percent of those that are found and charged of child pornography are also found to sexually abuse children.  The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the Polly Klaas Foundation have found that 71% of teens reported receiving online messages from a stranger, 27% have talked to a stranger about sex, and 42% said they have posted personal information online.  A study done by Pew Internet & American Life project determined that teen girls use networking sites in order to reinforce online relationships and teen boys use the sites to make new friends and flirt.  More than 55% of teens use social networking sites, and 82% of those use them to keep in touch with friends they rarely see.  Almost all solicitation from unknown predators can be limited with the supervision of parents.

How can I keep my child safe?

The most common cause of predators and sexual solicitation online is due to the lack of firewalls or parental supervision.  Of the 1 in 5 children sexually solicited online, 29% will give out their home address when asked.  Parents need to teach their children the 3 keeps:

1. I keep safe all my personal information

2. I keep away from online strangers

3. I keep telling my parents or a trusted adult what I see on the Internet

Placing a block on specific websites and search engines can only limit the child’s access, but cannot limit the access of pedophiles to your child.  The use of chatrooms has increased dramatically among younger children and the person on the other end of the chat is not always truthful in disclosing who they are.  Parents need to monitor the use of the internet, making sure their children can identify who they are talking to, and to limit the information they are giving that person.

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children has made 6 steps for parents to know how to talk to their kids about protecting them online.

1. Prepare your children for the online world just as you would for the real world.

2. Learn about the Internet.

3. Place the family’s computer in a common room where supervision and guidelines are met.

4. Limiting your children’s computer time is not enough to safeguard them on the Internet.

5. Explain to your children that Instant Messenger (IM) is only for chatting with school and family friends who they know by face and are approved by you.

6. 65% of incidents happen in chatrooms.

The Girl Scouts and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children have also made an Internet pledge for children to read and sign to be notified of the dangers of online predators.  The Internet pledge is found here: http://www.girlscouts.org/internet_safety_pledge.asp

The Ad Council, The U.S. Department of Justice, and The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children have a new campaign for children called “Think Before You Post,” showing children that posting pictures and information online cannot be hidden from anyone once it is posted.  Commercials are being made and here is an example of what to show your children: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwBz-hxjSLU

What should children know about online safety?

Children should be taught about strangers online.  Not everyone can be their friend in a chatroom, and if they have never seen their face, they should not be talking to them.  One in three teens say they have online friends they have never met in person.  Using a computer may give you more freedom to express yourself, but make sure you are talking to the right kinds of people that are your true friends and not to disclose too much information about yourself.  If you cannot tell your friends this information in private, it should not be told online to ‘friends’ either.

What to do if your child is solicited.

If your child is solicited, contact the police immediately and also contact the website: http://www.cybertipline.com/

Where to get help and more information

Help Delete Online Predators

http://www.missingkids.com/adcouncil/

iKeepSafe Internet Safety Coalition

http://www.ikeepsafe.org/

Ad Council: Online Sexual Exploitation

http://www.adcouncil.org/default.aspx?id=56