Child Predators: A Click Away? By Synithia Williams, Regional Extension Agent, St. Clair County

Most adults can recall the familiar childhood warning of "don't take candy from strangers." The message is still important, but the situation has gotten a little more complex with the addition of the Internet and the ever increasing dangers of the world today.

National statistics show that 1 in 5 children are sexually solicited on the Internet; every ten minutes a child is kidnapped by a stranger; and, every 2 minutes a child is molested. Frighteningly, it is becoming natural to watch the news or open the newspaper to find yet another story in which a child has become the victim of a crime. It seems our society has become increasingly bombarded with scenarios that are the makings of a parent's worst nightmare. Supermarket bulletin boards continue to be filled with missing and exploited children; teachers to preachers are being convicted of child crimes; and, it seems to be getting closer and closer to home. It's definitely time for parents to make sure they arm themselves with the facts, so they can in turn arm their children.

Note to Parents

Some of the most dangerous places your child can go are now reachable without even leaving your home. Parents who own a computer are probably aware of its ability to be a great source of enrichment and entertainment for their entire family. Yet, they may be amazed at what their child can find on the Internet or more importantly, what can find their child! Scary but true, predators can become even more intensified online with the vastness and anonymity associated with it. Thanks to the Web, a predator can morph into anything the imagination conjures and attempt to deceive and manipulate children from every corner of the world, including the corner your home computer occupies. Although the Internet still suits its name as the incredible "super information highway," parents, as always, will need to impart a few rules for the road.

Tips for the Information Highway

The Federal Bureau of Investigation offers these suggestions to minimize the chances of an online predator victimizing your child.

• Talk to your child about sexual victimization and potential online danger.
• Spend time with your children online and allow them to show you their favorite destinations.
• Keep the computer in a common room in the house, not in your child's bedroom. It is much more difficult for a computer-sex offender to communicate with a child when the computer screen is visible to a parent or another member of the household.
• Utilize parental controls provided by your Internet service provider and/or blocking software. While electronic chat can be a great place for children to make new friends and discuss various topics of interest, it is also prowled by computer-sex offenders. Use of chat rooms, in particular, should be heavily monitored. While parents should utilize these mechanisms, they should not totally rely on them.
• Always maintain access to your child's online account and randomly check his/her e-mail. Be aware that your child could be contacted through the United States mail. Be up front with your child about your access and the reasons why.
• Teach your child to responsibly use online resources. There is much more to Internet experiences than chat rooms.
• Find out what computer safeguards are utilized by your child's school, the public library, and at the homes of your child's friends. These places are outside your normal supervision where your child could encounter an online predator.
• Instruct your children to:
  • Avoid face-to-face meetings with someone they met online
  • Avoid uploading (posting) pictures of themselves onto the Internet or to an online service
  • Avoid giving out identifying information, such as their name, home address, school name, or telephone number
  • Avoid downloading pictures from an unknown source because they could be sexually explicit images
  • Avoid responding to messages or bulletin board postings that are suggestive, obscene, belligerent, or harassing
  • Realize that whatever they are told online may or may not be true

Speaking with kids about these and similar subject matters may be difficult for a parent; however, sincere and upfront conversations coupled with a parent's innate intuition and involvement, may be critical keys to keep a child from becoming a predator's next victim.

National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. (June 2000). Online victimization: A report on the nation's youth. Featured Publications. Retrieved September 14, 2006.

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