Online Victimization

Contact the Midland Police Department (685-7110) or the CyberTipline (www.missingkids.com / cybertip 1-800-843-5678) if any of the following occurs:

1. Your child or any household member receives child pornography.
2. Your child is sexually solicited by anyone who knows he/she is under 18 years old.
3. Your child receives sexually explicit images from anyone who knows he/she is under 18 years old.

Keep the computer turned on to preserve evidence for law enforcement.

On-line computer exploration opens new horizons for children, but adults responsible for children should be aware of the possible dangers. Computer sex offenders attempt to sexually exploit children through the internet and on-line services. It’s important to remember that computer sex offenders can be ANY age or sex, and usually seduce their targets through attention, affection, kindness and even gifts.

Visit the the NetSmartz Workshop at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. This website is dedicated to internet safety and features:

• Information for parents and educators
• Activities and information for grade school children
• Activities and information for teens
• Amy’s Choice, the true story of a 15-year old girl who ran away from home to meet in person with a man she first met online

SIGNS THAT YOUR CHILD MIGHT BE AT RISK ON-LINE

• Your child spends large amounts of time on-line, especially at night.
• You find pornography on your child’s computer.
• Your child receives phone calls from adults you don’t know or is making calls to numbers you don’t recognize.
• Your child receives mail, gifts or packages from someone you don’t know.
• Your child turns the computer monitor off or quickly changes the screen on the monitor when you walk in the room.
• Your child becomes withdrawn from the family.
• Your child is using on-line services at someone else’s home.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU SUSPECT YOUR CHILD IS INVOLVED WITH A SEXUAL PREDATOR ONLINE

• Consider talking openly with your child about your suspicions and about the danger of computer sex offenders.
• Review what is on your child’s computer.
• Use the Caller ID services to determine who is calling your child.
• Devices can be purchased that show phone numbers that have been called from your home.
• Monitor your child’s access to all types of electronic communication (i.e. e-mail, chat rooms, Internet Relay Chat, instant messages).
• Contact the Midland Police Department (685-7110) or the CyberTipline (www.missingkids.com/cybertip 1-800-843-5678) if any of the following occurs:

1. Your child or any household member receives child pornography.
2. Your child is sexually solicited by anyone who knows he/she is under 18 years old.
3. Your child receives sexually explicit images from anyone who knows he/she is under 18 years old.

• Keep the computer turned on to preserve evidence for law enforcement.

HOW TO MINIMIZE THE CHANCE OF YOUR CHILD BEING VICTIMIZED ONLINE

• Talk to your child about potential online danger
• Spend time with your child online.
• Keep the computer in a common room in the house so the screen is available to a parent or other household members.
• Use parental controls available from your service provider and/or blocking software, but it’s still a good idea to heavily monitor your child’s use of chat rooms.
• Keep access to your child’s online account and check his/her email. Be ware that your child can also be contacted through the US Mail. Explain to him/her why it’s important for you to do these things.
• Teach your child the responsible use of online resources. There is much more to it than chat rooms.
• Find out what computer safeguards are used in your child’s school, public library, and friend’s homes. These are places outside your supervision where he/she could encounter an online predator.
• Understand, even if your child was willingly participating in any form of sexual exploitation, that he/she is the victim and not to blame. The offender bears total responsibility for his/her actions.
• Instruct your child to NEVER:
  
  
  1. Arrange a face-to-face meeting with someone they met online.
  2. Upload (post) pictures of themselves in the computer.
  3. Give out any identifying information such as name, address, school or phone number.
  4. Download pictures from an unknown source.
  5. Respond to messages or postings that are suggestive, obscene or harassing.
  6. Believe everything they are told online, it may or may not be true.
     
     
• Sign a Family Internet Online Contract with your child. This document clearly spells out the rules your child will follow when online. A sample Contract looks like this:

FAMILY INTERNET ONLINE CONTRACT

1. I, _________________________________, agree that I will never give out personal information about myself. Personal information will include: my name, telephone number, location of my home and birth date.
   
   
2. I agree to alert my parents immediately if I receive information that makes me feel uncomfortable.
   
   
3. I agree to never arrange to meet someone I met on the internet before discussing it with my parents and obtaining their permission. If I receive permission to meet with someone that I have met while on the internet, I will agree to bring my parent along.
   
   
4. I will never send my pictures to someone online without obtaining parental permission.
   
   
5. I will never respond to uncomfortable messages I may receive on the internet.
   
   
6. I agree to meet with my parents to learn about our household rules for online time and abide by these rules.

___________________________________
CHILD’S SIGNATURE

____________________________________
PARENT’S SIGNATURE

___________________________________
TODAY’S DATE

___________________________________
CONTRACT EXPIRES