Teens At Risk for Internet Predators
According to current research, only 1/3 of households with Internet access are actively protecting their children with filtering or blocking software. The statistics, from watch groups such as the Crimes Against Children Research center and the Kaiser Family Foundation, are alarming:
- One in five U.S. teenagers who regularly logs on to the Internet say they have received an unwanted sexual solicitation via the Web. Solicitations were defined as requests to engage in sexual activities or sexual talk, or to give personal sexual information.
- 25% of children have been exposed to unwanted pornographic material online.
- 75% of children are willing to share personal information online about themselves and their family in exchange for goods and services.
- Only approximately 25% of children who encountered a sexual approach or solicitation told a parent or adult.
- One in 33 youth received an aggressive sexual solicitation in the past year. This means a predator asked a young person to meet somewhere, called a young person on the phone, and/or sent the young person correspondence, money, or gifts through the U.S. Postal Service.
- 77% of the targets for online predators were age 14 or older. Another 22% were users ages 10 to 13.
Education and communication are the best tools for protecting kids. Talk to kids about what they are doing on the internet and how they can protect themselves.
Is Your Child at Risk?
Few children are exempt from internet predators. Usually with the right ploy and enough patience, any child can become the next victim to a sexual predator. Howevery, victims’ characteristics often include the following:
- Are between 11 and 15 years old
- Live in the suburbs or rural areas
- Are loners, with few offline friends
- Are sheltered and naïve
- Are looking for attention and love
- Have divorced parents.
- Believe they are communicating with someone their own age
- For girls: They beleive they will someday marry the predator.
- For boys: They are either tricked into or curious about exploring homosexuality.
Other warning signs include:
- Spending a lot of time online everyday (more than1 hour of fun time such as Instant messaging, or on MySpace.com)
- Being secretive about internet activities (does the screen go blank when you walk by?).
- Having strangers on their buddy list.
- Making or receiving calls you do not recognize.
- Sending or receiving packages from people you do not know.
- Distracted behavior and more secretive demeanor.
Internet Slang Indicates Inappropriate Internet Behavior
Sometimes predators use cryptic slang to both shield guardians from knowing what their kids are doing and to create a closer connection to their victim. There is a comprehensive listing of Internet slang.
Think Your Child May Be an Internet Predator Victim?
See Keep Teens Safe Online: Tips for Protecting Teens from Internet Predators for what to do if your child has more than one of these warning signs and for guidelines to keep your kids from being the next victim.
Sources and Further Reading
Risk Factors for and Impact of Online Sexual Solicitation of Youth by Kimberly Mitchel et al, published in the American Medical Journal (c) 2001
Online Predators: what Do We Know and What Can We Do by Lora Long and Diana Zuckerman, published in the National Research for Women and Families database, July 2006
