I don't know about how everybody feels about certain issues but one in particular really stands out in my mind--and that's Internet predators, minors reading and/or watching things they should not be viewing.
In today's life, too many children are getting onto the Net without his/her parents knowing therefore, read very elicit topic OR talking with someone that could possibly be a sexual predator coning his way to your child's mind by means of pretending to be in 'so and so' same interest. Even more so, is that the realization of befriending a child that the they might be willing to meet up with him/her in public, where finally, your child won't probably ever be seen again.
Statistics show nationally on average that children between the ages of 10 to 17, who uses the Internet regularly, defines “Regular use” as using the Internet at least once a month for the past 6 months on a computer at home, at school, in a library, at someone else’s home, or in some other place.
Even more alarming are these statistics:
1. One in 5 youth received a sexual approach or solicitation over the Internet in the past year.
2. 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.
3. One in 4 youth had an unwanted exposure in the past year to pictures of naked people or people having sex.
4. One in 17 youth was threatened or harassed in the past year.
5. Most young people who reported these incidents were not very disturbed about them, but a few found them distressing.
6. Only a fraction of all episodes was reported to authorities such as the police, an Internet service provider, or a hot-line.
7. About 25 percent of the youth who encountered a sexual approach or solicitation told a parent. Almost 40 percent of those reporting an unwanted exposure to sexual material told a parent.
8. Only 17 percent of youth and 11 percent of parents could name a specific authority, such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), CyberTipline, or an Internet service provider, to which they could report an Internet crime, although more indicated they were vaguely aware of such authorities.
9. In households with home Internet access, one-third of parents said they had filtering or blocking software on their computers.
One Dr. David Finkelhor, Director of the Crimes Against Children Research Center at the University of New Hampshire, has categorized FOUR different types of on-line victimization as:
1. Sexual solicitation and approaches: Requests to engage in sexual activities or sexual talk or to give personal sexual information that were unwanted or, whether wanted or not, made by an adult.
2. Aggressive sexual solicitation: Sexual solicitations involving offline contact with the perpetrator through mail, by telephone, or in person, or attempts or requests for offline contact.
3. Unwanted exposure to sexual material: When on-line, opening e-mail, or opening e-mail links, and not seeking or expecting sexual material, being exposed to pictures of naked people or people having sex.
4.Harassment: Threats or other offensive content (not sexual solicitation) sent on-line to the youth or posted on-line for others to see.
As alarming as this is, imagine what is going through that criminal's mind as he/she talks with your child.
Moreover, as an adult, and being a member of Allpoetry and its affiliates, I find that I'm responsible for blocking out minors from reading my adult contented writes, minors should not have that unwelcoming privilege to read such items, and more importantly, if under-aged children are reading materials not suited for their age, then as adults what are we really saying(or setting as an example) that, 'Well Bobby or Meagan it's okay by me if you're reading that.'
I may not be a parent but I come in a close second -and that's an aunt. I also know for a fact that here on AP, there are mothers, fathers, aunts as well as uncles(in real life...not the Internet), that it's our responsibility to place blocks on any and everything that is not accessible to kids. The last thing any adult needs, is to hold that overwhelming guilt because their child met up with a stranger from the Net...
...and never came home.
If AP is a community of poets/poetesses and writers, should it not be only considerably reasonable enough that the proper age of reading adult-contented material be set at eighteen instead of fifteen or sixteen?
Again, with a final summary, a child(even if they are of early to mid-teen age) should apply themselves in education; write as many poems they like, but don't allow them to read elicit material. It's just plain wrongPicture credit: TyMax Web Promotions & Designs
Note: If you say that you are 'mature', then act like it.
Sidenote: Yes, what I say is very true AND very realistic. If featured, please try to leave a comment
*I don't know about how everybody feels about certain issues but one in particular really stands out in my mind--and that's Internet predators, minors reading a
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I know how close to your heart this subject is and seeing this is no surprise to me at all my dear sister. I like the way you included facts and figures and statistics to back up your beliefs. You go girl!
♥ Touchof1der -
so that's a yes?!
thank you so much!
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I have something to say about this, but first (and by all means, im not trying to be rude) I wana say, this is a poetry website.. and this isn't poetry. Its sort of the wrong medium for this. Besides, its the child and parents job to teach their kid how to use the internet properley, though simply informing people is good.
But all in all, the blame lies between both parties, the victimizer and the victim. If your not interested in being exposed to certain content or getting yourself raped, then you will NOT do the kind of things that will get you into trouble. In a way, you have to be looking for something to find the trouble on the internet. So yea. Maybe the sort of people who get themselves into trouble like that are looking for it, and asking for it. What do you say to that?
For Example: Some sexual predator finds some random young girl that lives in the same town and IM's her. He can make up all the lies he wants, but its the fault of the girl for one, believing them, and two, departing any personal information (like address, phone number) or even arranging a meeting with someone they dont know. So a sexual predator can find anyone, lie about anything, but in the end, its the victims fault for allowing themselves to fall into such a trap. Survival of the fittest?
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I totally agree and I'm a little shocked at the stats but I know I shouldn't be really. I have noticed that some underage people just say they're older when they register. And they openly admit this so I don't know how they would get around that sometimes it's impossible to police such things. Educating them about the dangers is possibly the only thing we can do.
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ty
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wow such grim details of real life you did a good service with this write and i commend you for that pARENTS AND CHILDREN NEED TO BE MADE AWARE OS THESE THINGS GOD BLESS YOU FOR DOING THIS
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wow .. I had no idea the statistics were so high .. but then again, you just need type an innocent search into google and you seem to get flooded with sites of a sexual nature .. plus the whole predator thing is really scary .. I don't have kids, but if I did, I don't think I'd like them to be exposed to the internet .. it's too dangerous .. our police have only just set up a special task force to try and 'catch out' internet paedophiles .. I'm in Australia .. I know there are many out there, but hopefully this will stop a few .. it's a shame when there is so much useful information on the net, that you have to worry about that side of it too .. it kind of spoils it for kids
.. thanks for this informative column .. I think it's wonderful, and well overdue for something like this to be written here .. 
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I feel honored that you'd want this column write in your next spindication...Thank you
Rae -
James this is only part one but if you feel that if you want to do a secondary collaboration with me about this matter, let me know and we'll get started on
Rae -
an excellent read but needs some editing tweeks
i'd like to edit it a tash and then run it in the next spindicated -
I echo your concerns,I am going to donate 100 points to you to feature this further in the hopes that more people are aware and that maybe between us all we may protect our own and everyone elses children.This is a valid forum for a vital issue.I hope the predators are able to be monitored,disconnected and prosecuted and the links broken in the chain of abuse via mail and images and indeed grooming to meet.I applaud your opinions.
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yeah it's true.I mean i was exposed to such things when i was 13.And it surely had a deep impact on me.But here i would like to say that children today(majority of them) are quite smart and mature.They know which things to learn and what to leave.I am not denying that fact that children ARE vulnerable to these freaks.parents no question should watch their kids closely but we should not constantly bother them.
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I appreciate your concern... However, I do wonder whether Allpoetry is the appropriate milieu for such campaigning.
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I do also agree with you. I am the mother of 3 under the age of 14 and I try and monitor the music they are listening to as well as what they watch on telivision. How do I monitor what they read? I do believe we should change the explicit works to a more mature audience. Thank you for putting this out there for others to consider.
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I completely agree with you. I cannot believe I just read all of that. However it was very interesting. I am pleased that you have looked into all this and are spreading awareness. Exspecially since you are not a mother. I am a mother of four and my oldest is nine. The only time they have computer time is maybe three times a month and it is always supervised. I am scared to death of it. I watched a show on Dateline where they set up a sting. They arrested over 50 men in just two days from just one city that were agreeing to meet chidren for sex. It is absolutly astonishing. Keep spreading the word because I don't think enough people understand how real it is. Most think it could never happen to their child but not one is immune. I am sorry to have gone on but I think what you are doing is a great thing....Thank you, Trina.
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BURY THE SCUM!
I have an article about the predators and sites as well, if anyone doesn't believe these numbers.
Thank you Ayizan---I believe a disclaimer to parents should be placed in all poetry before anyone signs up, and I believe anyone under 18 needs parental permission, and I know that's rough, but many kids in here are not 18 and playing 18.
Request a credit card, and send a certified mail to the parent.
Then the search for pedophile, stalker and other sick behaviours should be taken SERIOUSLY as I know several on this sight soliciting teens- and nothing is being done.
Bravo- TREMENDOUS educational tool!
-James.
Edited on May 22, 1:02 because ''. -
I agree with your cause, I am the mother of a 15 year old and believe me, I could not beliece the material being sent via email and IM and the number of people trying to arrange meetings, unbelievable. I like a great many others always viewed chatting in the security of your home, safe, but have found out that without proper guidance and secrutiny the internet can be a dangerous place for our children and they are totally unprepared to deal with such predators. I applaud your effort in getting the word out through this post and your contest to which I have already written a piece and entered. That piece has garnered tremoundous response and the majority of it was positive but there were one or two who refused to recognize the dangers that can be associated with the internet and actually made reference that I was scare mongering in fact, by alerting people to these dangers. Although the dangers may be less than the usual crimes, it still exists and as long as it does we should try to prepare ourselves and our children. Forewarned is forearmed! Bunny
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