Saskatchewan Federation of Police Officers 87 continued on page 89... ONLINE EXPLOITATION: WHAT TO WATCH FOR The Internet is such a great tool, it is easy to overlook the potential dangers it can pose.These include exposing children and youth to unsuitable/offensive materials, and making them accessible to adults who want to exploit them, and go online to find vulnerable young people. Online child sexual exploitation is a serious problem. Approximately 1 in 5 children is sexually solicited online. For young people, the Internet is an incredible social tool. Chat rooms and Instant Messaging are very popular, but they are places where abusers may lurk, and might lie about who they are. Predators can adopt a false young identity, strike up friendships with children or youth and then attempt to meet them in person. Experts note that predators are not always older. Often, they are peers. Identifying offenders can be very difficult even when the child does report the incident to parents and/or police. The exploiter may have lied about everything, including their age, gender, location and reasons for contact. Luring The term “luring” can mean a variety of activities — enticing a child or youth to reveal personal details about themselves and family members; to send photos; even to meet, usually in a different city or country. Sending photos over the Internet is potentially risky because an exploiter can intercept the photos and cut and paste the child’s image into a pornographic photo and then distribute it. Internet exploitation typically starts in a friendly, non-threatening way, and the trust of a young person is gained. This process may take place in a single interaction or over a period of weeks or months. Children andYouth at Risk Some children and youth are more vulnerable than others. Some traits include: • emotionally immature, naive or curious • shy • desperate to be in an intimate relationship • impulsive • low self-esteem or peer problems • troubled or depressed • strong respect for adult status • experienced prior maltreatment • willing to cooperate for a desired reward
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