krazelyricks
11-26-2003, 07:05 PM
Recently, I was given a scare about the internet that came too close to home. Although, I was aware that I should not give any personal information, I didn't know that even without the personal info that a person could still get attached. So, I decided that I would write a article on "Internet Safety" so this problem will not happen to neither of us in this family again.
Much has been written about dangers on the Internet, but if we are going to get in trouble online, chances are that it will be because of something that was said in a chat room.
Millions of teens engage in chat and e- mail every day and the majority are not victimized
Most of these cases, involve similar methods of getting to the victim. The perpetrator lurks in public chat rooms looking teens/ children he thinks is very vulnerable. I use ``he'' because in my case the person was male; however, there have been cases of adult women using the Internet to get underage boys and girls as well. When he finds the person who seems vulnerable, he invites the teen into a private area of the chat room to get better acquainted. Next comes private chat message followed by e-mail, phone conversation, and, finally, a face-to-face meeting. (Fortunately, in my case it didn't go this far. I didn't recieve any messages or anything from this brother. I won't lie, I think if I did I would have given a response. I don't think I would have wanted to see him face to face but I still would have responded. )
Teens who are very quiet in online chats are especially targeted. Predators like to go after those who tend to express agreement in chat rooms but not say a lot because they know that these teens are vulnerable. It's like the children who are on the outskirts of a playgrounds. The ones playing the game are already getting a lot recognition. The ones that aren't are more likely to be to themselves and happy for whatever attention they can get.
And, of course, the predator doesn't start by sexually propositioning a teen. His first tactic is to create a comfort level.Early in the process, the predator might even send the person a photograph of ``himself'' to reassure the child that he is a honest man. Then within a month period he makes his move to become more personal with the child. ( In my case, I didn't know him like that.)
Predators, are often very skilled at their crimes. They know how to manipulate us. They know their likes and dislikes and they know which buttons to push. And they're very patient with the victim.It sometimes takes months to turn a contact from a chat room into a sexually victimize person. And, even though these online relationships typically begin with the teen believing that he or she is talking with another teen, it's not uncommon for the predator to eventually let the teen know that he is ``a lil' older'' than he might have first told them.Using phrases like, ``how do you feel about a `big brother' or an `uncle,' '' the adult prepares the teen for the eventual meeting where his age will become obvious. ( These are some of the phases this brother approached me with.) Some people will cut off the relationship the moment they realize they're talking with an adult, but others will be flattered by it. It's not uncommon for the predators to attempt to seduce several teens at a time so even if that one goes away, they have other victims lined up.
In some cases, the teen continues to believe that the person they're dealing with in chat and e-mail is a teen up until the meeting. The adult might tell the unsuspecting teen, ``My dad will pick you up,'' so the will feels safe getting into the his/her car.
I caution you all that the chat itself is only a meeting point. In many cases, teens and the perpetrator are together in the chat room for a very short time and continue the conversation by via e-mail and other venues, including mobile phones.
It is very popular for them to exchange messages by mobile phone ( text messages). Another problem with cell phones is that the teen use them away from home where the parent has no clue as to who they're talking with.
I write this to you to say, that this is a very dangerous time we're all living in. There are predators everywhere we look. If we are not wise we might be the next victim who mother gets the call saying we have been raped or molested.
SO, LOOK OUT!!!!!!! IT'S A DANGEROUS WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Much has been written about dangers on the Internet, but if we are going to get in trouble online, chances are that it will be because of something that was said in a chat room.
Millions of teens engage in chat and e- mail every day and the majority are not victimized
Most of these cases, involve similar methods of getting to the victim. The perpetrator lurks in public chat rooms looking teens/ children he thinks is very vulnerable. I use ``he'' because in my case the person was male; however, there have been cases of adult women using the Internet to get underage boys and girls as well. When he finds the person who seems vulnerable, he invites the teen into a private area of the chat room to get better acquainted. Next comes private chat message followed by e-mail, phone conversation, and, finally, a face-to-face meeting. (Fortunately, in my case it didn't go this far. I didn't recieve any messages or anything from this brother. I won't lie, I think if I did I would have given a response. I don't think I would have wanted to see him face to face but I still would have responded. )
Teens who are very quiet in online chats are especially targeted. Predators like to go after those who tend to express agreement in chat rooms but not say a lot because they know that these teens are vulnerable. It's like the children who are on the outskirts of a playgrounds. The ones playing the game are already getting a lot recognition. The ones that aren't are more likely to be to themselves and happy for whatever attention they can get.
And, of course, the predator doesn't start by sexually propositioning a teen. His first tactic is to create a comfort level.Early in the process, the predator might even send the person a photograph of ``himself'' to reassure the child that he is a honest man. Then within a month period he makes his move to become more personal with the child. ( In my case, I didn't know him like that.)
Predators, are often very skilled at their crimes. They know how to manipulate us. They know their likes and dislikes and they know which buttons to push. And they're very patient with the victim.It sometimes takes months to turn a contact from a chat room into a sexually victimize person. And, even though these online relationships typically begin with the teen believing that he or she is talking with another teen, it's not uncommon for the predator to eventually let the teen know that he is ``a lil' older'' than he might have first told them.Using phrases like, ``how do you feel about a `big brother' or an `uncle,' '' the adult prepares the teen for the eventual meeting where his age will become obvious. ( These are some of the phases this brother approached me with.) Some people will cut off the relationship the moment they realize they're talking with an adult, but others will be flattered by it. It's not uncommon for the predators to attempt to seduce several teens at a time so even if that one goes away, they have other victims lined up.
In some cases, the teen continues to believe that the person they're dealing with in chat and e-mail is a teen up until the meeting. The adult might tell the unsuspecting teen, ``My dad will pick you up,'' so the will feels safe getting into the his/her car.
I caution you all that the chat itself is only a meeting point. In many cases, teens and the perpetrator are together in the chat room for a very short time and continue the conversation by via e-mail and other venues, including mobile phones.
It is very popular for them to exchange messages by mobile phone ( text messages). Another problem with cell phones is that the teen use them away from home where the parent has no clue as to who they're talking with.
I write this to you to say, that this is a very dangerous time we're all living in. There are predators everywhere we look. If we are not wise we might be the next victim who mother gets the call saying we have been raped or molested.
SO, LOOK OUT!!!!!!! IT'S A DANGEROUS WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!