California State University, Northridge A

CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, NORTHRIDGE

A PSYCHO-EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOP FOR PARENTS REGARDING

ONLINE THREATS TO CHILDREN: WHAT PARENTS NEED TO KNOW TO KEEP

THEIR CHILDREN SAFE FROM SEXUAL PREDATORS

A graduate project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements

For the degree of Master of Science in Counseling,

Marriage and Family Therapy

Lorraine Sears

May 2018

The graduate project of Lorraine Sears is approved:

______

Clovis Emblen, M.A., LMFT Date

______

Bruce Burman, Ph.D. Date

______

Alberto Restori, Ph.D. Date

______

Dr. Stanley Charnofsky, Ed.D., Chair Date

California State University, Northridge

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I want to acknowledge the hard work I put into this project, a worthy endeavor that proved costly but priceless. I want to offer my depth of gratitude to many of whom have inspired and supported me in the process of my education which enabled me to develop this project. Without their contributions this project would not have been possible.

Alex Michaels, over the course of 16 years you have provided me an enduring reciprocal companionate love. You have witnessed a frightened child slowly mature and grow, find her identity and her worth. You have been an integral part of my growth and greatest achievements and you have allowed me so many more. You have encouraged, motivated, and applauded me. You are my biggest cheerleader and ally. Words are an inadequate expression of my appreciation for you. My life is a better place having you in it.

Brandon and Jordan Sears, you both had knowledge that growth was inevitable, faith that changes were possible, and hope that dreams could come true. Both of you have helped support me in this journey of education and self-discovery, emotionally and financially. I am forever grateful that you stayed to see what would become of your mother and what possibilities are within your reach. I am gratified that the boys who kept me running, sometimes ragged, have become men of quality and integrity. You have brought me immeasurable joy and I am so very proud of you both. My love for you is endless.

iii

Izzy Sears, you have beauty, grace and the heart of a saint. You have listened, allowed for me to lean, to learn, to give, to love. Thank you for coming back, loving

Brandon, letting me in and bringing the beautiful gift of grandchildren. Dreams do come true.

Gavin, Gunner and Warren Sears, you boys are the mornings sun, the nights moon, and the stars that light my life. You boys have reintroduced me to tree climbing, mountain hiking, treasure hunting, and shenanigan searching. You have taught me to laugh at the absurd, to be patient when frustrated, and to always be kind. You make me laugh with delight, you make me cry with joy, and you make me swoon with love.

Professor Rich Goodman, under your tutelage, your guidance and support over the sequence of two years and four courses, I flourished. Your believing was infectious and influential in my passionate quest to learn. Dr. Gina Shaffer, you not only instructed me in English Composition but tirelessly encouraged me to search, discover, and reach for the stars. Your support and encouragement lifted me, a middle aged junior college student with little to say and lofty goals and propelled me into a world of academia where I had much to say and realistic goals. You have both been contributory in my pursuits academically, professionally, and personally.

Clovis Emblen, you are patient, kind and warm. The trust and respect you exhibit for yourself and others is worthy of admiration; I admire you unabashedly. This Marriage

Family Therapy (MFT) program has been a difficult journey of self-discovery of my biases, blind spots, defenses, insecurities, and strengths all made easier to recognize and address with your unwavering support and encouragement. You are a fundamental part of my personal and professional growth and development. You saw me, you got me, and

you helped to make me a better therapist and a better version of myself. I am forever grateful.

Dr. Stanley Charnofsky, I thank you for trusting I was suited for the California

State University, Northridge MFT program, and that it suited me. This academic endeavor has been a trip that I packed for but required me to leave baggage behind when

I left. I am glad you were willing to take it from me. I chose you as a chair because I knew I would be allowed latitude and creative liberties to work on this project, as well as much personal drive and fortitude. Again, you trusted me and the process. I thank you for believing, for encouraging, for being welcoming, and for letting me fly.

Professor Bruce Burman, your patience is a virtue. The first draft of this project was better suited for the trash. However, you dutifully reviewed and revised it without batting an eye. I am thankful for your eagle eye when reading that draft and subsequent drafts. Without your knowledge and expertise this project would have been shelved. Your tireless attention to stylistic detail is greatly appreciated. You are greatly appreciated.

Nancy Chavez and Angela Mushyan, you ladies have been my saving grace. You kept me in check, checked up on my progress and sometimes, pushed me up hill. Your strength and perseverance are commendable. Working with you two over the course of our education I have discovered that you are great teachers, that I remain teachable, but that I am also a leader. Thank you for teaching and leading when necessary and allowing me to do so for you. This reciprocation of friendship has resulted in me gaining a greater acceptance of myself and others.

DEDICATION

The ache of a broken heart is not mine alone; we have all seen the suffering of a child. This project is for all the children, young and old, who are victims and survivors of child sex abuse still suffering in the deafening silence, may you find your voice and become victorious...

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Signature Page…...……….………………………………………………...……………. ii

Acknowledgements..……………………………………………………………………..iii

Dedication………………………………………………………………………………...vi

Abstract………….………………………………………………………………………viii

Chapter I: Introduction……...……………………………...……………………………...1

Chapter II: Review of Literature..…………………………...…………...…………….….7

Chapter III: Project Audience and Implementation…………...…………………………34

Chapter IV: Conclusion……………...……………………………………………….….40

References……....…………...…………………...…………………………...……….…44

Appendix……………..…………...…………...………….…………………...... …...….59

vii

ABSTRACT

A PSYCHO-EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOP FOR PARENTS REGARDING

ONLINE THREATS TO CHILDREN: WHAT PARENTS NEED TO KNOW TO KEEP

THEIR CHILDREN SAFE FROM SEXUAL PREDATORS

Lorraine Sears

Master of Science in Counseling,

Marriage and Family Therapy

Technology and the Internet have proven a valuable resource for learning and a tool for communication. It is estimated that 80-95% of children in the United

States have internet access and are actively using the internet to communicate through social networking and social media. With the prolific use of this tool comes the risk of youths becoming potential targets and/or victims. This can include, but is not limited to, sexual exploitation and solicitation by online predators. In fact, according to Kempf

(2012) the Federal Bureau of Investigation has estimated that there are 500,000 predators online at any given time (Kempf, 2012). Today’s children, predominantly tweens and teens, are tethered to one another, and to the world, via digital technology more so than any previous generation (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2009). Mitchell, Finkelhor

viii

and Wolak (2005) point out that with children having more technological savvy than their parents a generational gap exists that divides children and their parents.

It is the purpose of this project to develop a psycho-educational workshop for parents to gain a greater awareness regarding the problem of technological sexual predation and what they need to know to help keep their children safe from online threats.

The workshop will educate parents regarding online predation, the typology of predators and prospective victims, the potential impact on children if solicited, factors that put children at risk, how victims are targeted and groomed, and provision of measures and strategies that can be utilized for the implication of prevention. Specifically, this workshop will assist parents in augmenting internet literacy; facilitate heightened understanding of child development and behavior that put their children at risk; and impart methods to enhance communication with their children regarding the safe use of technology and online dangers. The goal of this workshop is to aid parents in helping their children navigate risks and threats of predators across the World Wide Web.

Ultimately, this psycho-educational workshop aims to help close the technological generational divide that separates parents from their children.

CHAPTER 1

Introduction

A child predator is lurking, watching, and waiting. He sits stationary in expectation for the right child to enter. They always do. Children, knowing and unknowing, are out to play however, predators have replaced a real playground for a virtual playground (Fried, 2016). It is for children that danger lurks in cyberspace.

According to Dombrowski, Gischlar and Durst (2007), there are over 320 million internet users in the United States. It is estimated that 80-95% of children have internet access and are using the internet to actively communicate through social networking and social media. Because children are utilizing the internet actively where unknown others can have access to them they require safeguarding (Dombrowski et al., 2007). Because children spend more time with electronic media than in any activity other than sleep, allowing predators plenty of time to play, they need to be safeguarded (Stanley, 2003).

Kierkegaard (2008) posits that there is a long history of sexual solicitation and abuse of children, but advances in technology now enable the strategies and behaviors of sexual predator’s routine internet utilization and an unlimited availability of potential victims. One must give credence to the assertion that the technology promulgates online predation.

These technological advances and changes have brought to the forefront the problem of children’s exposure to online predation and the need for preventative programs and measures. The issue of vulnerability of program efficacy may lie in the lack of psychoeducational workshops targeting parents and directed at parental guidance,

mediation and monitoring to help circumvent children’s risks of sexual advances or entrapments that may prevent them from becoming part of the problem.

Statement of Need

According to Olafson (2011), consideration needs to be given to the circumstances or contingencies that have hindered effective online safety programs.

Historically, prevention programs have been school-based targeting children for prevention of online sexual abuses. This author asserts primary prevention should target preschools and secondary prevention parental education (Olafson, 2011). A study by

Gibson and Leitenberg (2000) indicated that college females were significantly less likely to become victims of child sex abuse (CSA) than those without having had exposure to a school CSA program. However, this study does not take into account how parental inclusion factored into the results (Olafson, 2011).

Craven, Brown and Gilchrist (2007) argue that children should not be made responsible for preventing abuses committed by adults in the absence of adults. Therefore, the emphasis should be put on adults themselves (Craven et al., 2007). Several studies indicate that parental inclusion is effective. Valcke, De Wever, Van Keer and Schellens

(2011) conducted an interviewer questionnaire longitudinal study of 10, 000 children in grades 4-6th, across 2000 schools. The study results indicated effectiveness of parental engagement in regard to decreased unsafe internet usage and behavior (Valcke et al., 2011).

Lwin, Stanaland and Miyazaki (2008) found in two quasi-experimental studies that the effectiveness of website safeguards is moderated by the type of parental mediation experienced by the child.

Parents act as effective agents of change when they have a clear objective.

Psychoeducational groups orient parents toward information on education, communication, and prevention. According to Reppucci, Jones and Cook (1994), a 1991 pilot study by The

National Assault Prevention Center asked 145 parents were asked if they had interest in attending a CSA prevention program. The participants indicated they would likely attend a prevention program to become better informed and expand their knowledge base if it served the population needs. Participants preferred a single session workshop on a week- end to accommodate their time and energy (Reppucci et al., 1994).

Wolak, Finkelhor, Mitchell and Ybarra (2008) contends that prevention programs be developed and tested with children because of wide gaps that may exist between adult and child internet literacy. Ultimately, this psycho-educational workshop objective is to help close the technological generational divide that separates parents from their children and puts kids at greater risk for online threats from predators.

Purpose of Graduate Project

impart methods to enhance communication with their children regarding the safe use of technology and online dangers. The goal of this workshop is to aid parents in helping their children navigate risks and threats of predators across the World Wide Web.

Terminology

For the sake of reader understanding critical terms throughout this project are defined as followed:

Adolescent/s: children during/post puberty 14-17 year of age (Schulz, Bergen,

Schuhmann, Hoyer & Santtila, 2016).

Aggressive sexual solicitations: requests or attempts for offline contact through mail,

telephone or face-to-face (Mitchell, Jones, Finkelhor and Wolak, 2014)

Contact-driven: an offender who utilizes the Internet to connect with minors with the

intention to develop a sexual relationship (Katz, 2013).

Criminogenic: both internal and external factors as contributors to criminal behavior

(Kinard & Johnson, 2015).

Cybercopping: police patrolling the web to catch online criminals (Kierkegaard, 2008).

Digital native/Immigrant: natives are people who grew up in the technologic digital

culture, immigrants did not and must assimilate (Prensky, 2001).

Fantasy-driven: offenders trying to connect with teens for cybersex (Katz, 2013).

Feed: a shortened version of a Web page that has been created for syndication. Feeds

usually end in .xml or .rss (Webopedia, 2018).

Index/ing: a list of keys (or keywords), each of which identifies a unique record. Indices

make it faster to find and sort specific records (Webopedia, 2018).

iPredator: “is a global term used to distinguish anyone who engages in criminal, coercive,

deviant or abusive behaviors using the internet (Nuccitelli, 2014, p. 21).

Key logger: surveillance software that can record every keystroke (Webopedia, 2018).

Parental control/Monitoring software: tools that filter content, control applications (e.g.

webcams, instant messengers), enable time restrictions, and provide detailed

reports on children’s online usage (Mitchell et al., 2005).

Peer-to-peer (P2P): file-sharing allows people to share these kinds of files through an

informal network of computers running the same software (Ayers, 2007).

Psychosocial: relating to the interrelation of social factors and individual thought and

behavior (Oxford English Dictionary, 2018).

Puberty: adolescence changing of hormones, secondary sex characteristics, and the ability

to reproduce (Oxford English Dictionary, 2018).

Search/Technological engines: programs that search documents for keywords and returns

a list of matching documents. Technological engines allow internet users to

navigate, pinpoint, organize, index, and share files across multiple sites. Describes

Google, Bing and Yahoo (Webopedia, 2018).

Social competence: cultivating understanding of differences (noting limitations),

appreciating diversity, considering cultural/social backgrounds, seeing multiple

perspectives and values/beliefs (Jacobs, 2012).

Tagging: a function allowing identification of person/s in a picture posted on social

network (Aftab, 2015).

The Dark Internet/Dark Web: networks of technologies that circumvent IP addresses

making identification of offenders difficult to identify offenders. (DOJ, 2018)

Tween: a child between 8-12 years of age (Federal Trade Commission, 2011).

Vamping: refers to staying up all night on devices, playing games, watching videos or

hanging out on social media (Oglethorpe, 2014).

Web crawler/ing: referring to the habitual browsing on the web or a program that

systematically accesses and collects information from web pages, navigating by

following links from one web page to another (Oxford English Dictionary, 2018).

World Wide Web: is what most people think of as the Internet. It is all Web pages,

pictures, videos and other online content that can be accessed via a Web browser

(Techopedia, 2018).

Summary

To understand this phenomenon, it is essential to review previous research on the subject and problem of technological predation and its underpinnings. First, the review of the literature will address cyber dangers, technological advances, the problem of sexual predation, potential impacts on children, the typology of the predator and victim, risk and protective factors, and prevention methods and measures. Second, a detailed outline of the project to include proposed audience and implementation of the developed project. Third, the composed workshop targeting parents to address the problem of online predation and what they need to know to help keep their children safe online.

Finally, a discussion of recommendations for implementation and future research. This project will look at an in depth view the problem of predation, parental preventions and specific interventions parents can utilize to provide effective guidance to their children to mitigate the risk of becoming entangled with online sexual predators, not necessarily ameliorating the threat.

Chapter II

Literature Review

The purpose of the following literature review is to provide the reader greater awareness and understanding about the Cyber danger of sexual predation toward children, followed by an analysis of studied data regarding online sexual predation to include: characteristics and behaviors of both the predator and the victim, risk and protective factors, as well as personal safety and responsibility in an effort to educate parents and safeguard children from online threats.

Cyber Danger and Risks to Children

Unfortunately, despite the educational, recreational, interpersonal, and even therapeutic value of the Internet, cyberspace has fostered a dangerous environment for youths (Groppe, 2007). Children communicating online comes with certain risks. In their cross-sectional long-term study of safe Internet use, Valcke, De Wever, Van Keer, and

Schellens (2011), surveyed 10,000 children of the 4th-6th grade in 78 schools from 2005-

2009, and found that the Internet poses danger to children due to critical types of unsafe uses and behavior of children that involve inappropriate conduct, content, and contact.

Although this study indicated a low level of unsafe usage there has been no reduction to unsafe usage which continues to put children at risk for cyber danger (Valcke et al.,

2011). These unsafe behaviors are utilized and manipulated by online predators. Smith

(2010) suggests that threats existing on the World Wide Web purposely lead a potential child’s down a wrong and dangerous path (Smith, 2010). According to GuardChild

(2018), the types of cyber danger include a) Inappropriate conduct: vernacular and nomenclature, unintentional and intentional behaviors (sharing personal information), b)

Inappropriate content: material that may be misleading or harmful to children including images, pornography, and violence c) Inappropriate contact: on-line (web-cam, pictures, video, movies, instant messaging) and/or offline contact attempts of solicitation to meet face-to-face for the purpose of sexual encounter.

Privacy threat. An element of conduct is threats to privacy because privacy risks are considered to be an antecedent to contact risks. Valcke et al. (2011) indicates that

26% of 10-12-year olds shared personal information of age, name, address, and/or phone number with a stranger online. Conduct risks often leads to content risks and ultimately, to contact risks. All three types of risks encompass what the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC, 2018) refer to as online enticement is a broad category of online exploitation, that encompasses solicitation and sextortion.

Solicitation. Mitchell, Jones, Finkelhor and Wolak (2014) define solicitation in means of predators may make requests of a child to engage in sharing or exchanging personal sexual information, sexual talk, or sexual activities (Mitchell et al., 2014).

According to GuardChild (2018), approximately 20% of child Internet users received unwanted sexual solicitations with 16% being asked sexual questions or to engage in sexual talk, and 27% to engage in online sexual activities.

Exploitation. The NCMEC (2018) define online exploitation as the acts/behaviors of a predator in which a child is being groomed to take sexually explicit images, engage in sexual content, meet face-to-face for sexual purposes, and/or sell or trade sexual images. According to Darkness to Light (2018), 56% of children are asked to send images, 20% of teens have sent or posted nude or semi-nude photos or videos online, 1in 25 children are asked to meet offline, and 18% kids have met up in person.

Sextortion. According to NCMEC (2016), sextortion is a relatively new form of sexual exploitation that occurs primarily online and in which coercion tactics such as blackmail or extortion are by predator to acquire sexual content, obtain money or engage in sex with the child. In sextortion cases 84% of victims were female and 53% of male children, 67% were threatened with posting previous acquired child sexual material online and 29% were threatened to send to friends and/or family. However, these figures are from 1,428 reported cases only acquired from October 2013 through April 2016

(NCMEC, 2016). Enough is Enough (2016) reported that 42% of sextortion victims met perpetrators online.

Pornography. Child pornography is defined as any visual depiction, including any photograph, film, video, picture or computer/computer-generated image, whether made or produced by electronic, mechanical or other means, of sexually explicit conduct, involving a minor (NCMEC, 2018). Dombrowski, LeMasney, Ahia and Dickson (2004) assert that pornography and pornographic materials are pervasive on the internet the through pop-up advertisements and marketing, emails and web sites, and internet searches. Typing the word ‘sex’ into the Google search engine brings up more than

3,030,000,000 sites (Dombrowski et al., 2004). It is not a surprise that children are exposed to pornography by the age of 11, that 90% of children 8-16 years of age have seen online porn or 20% of images involve children with 20,000 new images posted weekly (GuardChild, 2018). Lamb (1998) posits that pornographers are indiscriminate in sending material and clever at evading regulation. What they hide from their prospective target victim is their intent. Online predators and pornographers pretend to play, outwitting unknowing parents and unwitting vulnerable children (Lamb, 1998).

Pandering. Fairchild and Fairchild (2007) define pandering as "the act or offense of selling or distributing textual or visual material (such as magazines or videotapes) openly advertised to appeal to the recipient's sexual interest” (p. 165). Statistics suggest that there is a significant correlation between viewing child pornography and committing subsequent sexual abuse against children (Fairchild & Fairchild, 2007).

According to Mitchell et al. (2014), a Department of Justice study was issued in

2010 by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (“The Youth Internet

Safety Survey” [YISS-3]). The YISS=3 was a telephone interview conducted by the

Crimes Against Children Research Center (CACRC) at the University of New

Hampshire. Interviewed were 1560 children aged 10-17 years to determine the technological threat types and trends. Children interviewed reported low rates of solicitation overall, but an increase of aggressive solicitation of older youth 13-17 years of age, with frequent exposure to unwanted sexual material, sexual solicitations and harassment online (Mitchell et al., 2014). Schulz, Bergen, Schuhmann, Hoyer and

Santtila (2016) state that with cyber dangers thoroughly researched and reviewed it is reasonable to conclude that Internet may be a criminogenic environment for online sexual enticement of minors (Schulz et al., 2016).

Technological Advances

Nuccitelli and Nuccitelli (2014) concede that technology and cyberspace are pro- social and beneficial to humanity, however, they emphasize technological advancements can lead to nefarious activities. Technology advanced as technology services and use exploded from 300 in 1981 to 9,400,00 in 1996, to over 320,000,000 in 2017 (Fairchild &

Fairchild, 2007; Internet World Stats,2017).

Technologic advances of the sizes of computer hard drives and memory, faster

Internet connections and digital photography, that have increased the capacity of computers to receive, store and transmit images, marketing and advertising, all make for the accessibility of a vast amount of information and material (Mitchell, Jones, Finkelhor, and Wolak, 2013).

Brust, Finkelhor, Collier, Aftab and Halligan (2008) posit that with the innovation of bulletin boards, social network sites, chat rooms, game rooms, and virtual worlds the crime of child sexually exploitation has grown exponentially over the years and continues to grow every year. Predators utilize technological engines for indexing, web crawling, and tagging: a more sophisticated, precise, and efficient way to pinpoint information relevant to their search without having to browse (Brust et al., 2008). Palfrey and Grasser

(2008) point out that one such syndicated technology software is with Really Simple

Syndication (RSS), a single view search, designed to alert the user of updated particular information or offer recommendations by feed from stored interests and previous context.

These technologies enable predators to collude with like-minded cohorts with shared interests in navigating content (Palfrey & Grasser, 2008).

The factors that lend themselves to technological changes and predation is the increase in usage with children use at 90%. The number of days and hours of child usage has increased accordingly (Mitchell et al., 2013). On average, teens spend 5 hours and 38 minutes online every day (Enough is Enough, 2016). Mitchel et al., (2013) assert that with usage change came an explosion of marketing and advertising that not only inundate but have the ability to utilize user frequently visited websites and games and redirect users to specific material, sites, or people that may be harmful. Technology has become

economic, efficient, effective, private and anonymous, and public and by the time parents become familiar with the hardware, software, or language, usually the technology has changed once again.

Sexual Predation and Statistics

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; DSM–5;

American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013) defines child sexual abuse (CSA) as encompassing any sexual act involving a child that is intended to provide sexual gratification to a parent, caregiver, or other individual who has responsibility for a child.

Sexual abuse includes: fondling, incest, rape, sodomy, indecent exposure, forcing, tricking, enticing, threatening, or pressuring a child’s participation in acts for sexual gratification.

Schulz et al. (2016) conducted an online survey of 2828 adult internet user, 50.7% female and 49.3% Male, with 386 from pedophilia-related websites to examine self- reported child and adolescent solicitation patterns and frequency. The results were that only 1.0% reported child solicitation and 4.5 % adolescent solicitation. Solicitors of child and adolescent patterns were predominantly from pedophilia-related websites (49.1% and

79.2% respectively); with 65.7% being male and 58.6% female who solicited 65.7% female and 52.6% male victims (Schulz et al., 2016). It is interesting to note the high percentage of female predators and the gender equivalency of victims and the study participants remained free to roam in cyberspace.

In fact, in 2016 there was 829,000 registered sex offenders with only 150,000 incarcerated and 10,000-20,000 being released each year (Parents for Megan’s Law,

2016; Center for Sex Offender Management [CSOM], 2008).

Predation and Mental Health

Wolak, Evans, Nguyen and Hines (2013) clarify that because online child predators target adolescents rather than young children, they are not by definition pedophiles who are sexually attracted to prepubescent children, instead they have a paraphilia. They claim that 70% of predators, especially pedophiles, are dual-diagnosed with exhibitionism (Wolak et al., 2013). In addition, Cohen, Mannarino, Deblinger and

Ebrary (2006) offer voyeurism as a secondary diagnosis (Cohen et al., 2006).

Paraphilia. The DSM 5 (APA, 2013) defines paraphilia as a psychological mental disorder characterized by intense and persistent sexual interests outside of foreplay and genital stimulation with phenotypically normal, consenting adults. A paraphilic disorder requires the presence of urges and feelings of distress, dysfunction, and/or acting on the urges that involves another person’s psychological distress, injury, or death, or a desire for sexual behaviors involving unwilling persons or persons unable to give legal consent (APA, 2013).

According to Kafka (2011), the common paraphilia-related disorders include compulsive masturbation, protracted promiscuity, pornography dependence, “cybersex” dependence, and telephone sex dependence. The most important aspect is whether the paraphilia involves coercion. Noncoercive paraphilias are relatively benign because they are usually considered consensual and victimless (Kafka, 2011).

Pedophilia. The most corrupt and coercive paraphilia is pedophilia; there is always a victim (Strong, Werner-Sayad, De Vault & Yarber, 2006). Pedophilia is defined in the DSM-5 (APA, 2013) as a psychiatric disorder characterized by

1) intense sexually arousing fantasies, urges, or behaviors involving sexual

activity with a prepubescent child, typically age 13 or younger, lasting at least 6

months. 2) the urges or acting out on urges cause marked distress or interpersonal

difficulty. 3) the individual must be at least 16 years old and at least 5 years older

than the child victim. In addition, specifiers are utilized to determine attraction

exclusively to children, non-exclusivity, gender and/or incest. (p. 697-700).

Exhibition. The DSM 5 (APA, 2013) defines exhibition by the individual having recurrent, intense, sexually arousing fantasies, or behaviors, involving exposing one's genitals to others without the latter's consent. According to Beech (2012), sexual arousal through sexual behavior in view of third parties is known as indecent exposure.

Voyeurism. Voyeurism is defined as the recurrent urge or behavior to observe an

unsuspecting person naked, disrobing or engaging in sexual activities (APA,

2013).

Signs of Child Contact with Online Predator

Parents have salient fears of their children becoming targeted and victimized by online sexual predators (Boyd & Hargittai, 2013). There are some signs that can help parents determine if their child may be in contact with an online predator. According to

Stop it Now (2018), these include: children may exhibit behavioral, social and/or emotional changes that may be vague or apparent. These changes might include increased internet use; secrecy about online behavior and activities: changing of screens, closing browser, clearing history, turning off computer when parents interrupt; shutting door, withdrawal from family and friends; receives mysterious phone calls, mail, or packages;

mood swings or anger; agitation when can’t go online or use phone; and sometimes self- harming behaviors.

Potential Impact of Predation on Children

According to Valentine, the impact of sexual CSA can be long-term and life altering. Children may internalize feeling of blame and guilt. Long-term effects of abuse on their self- esteem, sexual identity, relationships, and sense of safety. Negative and adverse effects on children include, but are not limited to increased anxiety, hypervigilance or hyperarousal; anger or aggression; depression, avoidance or withdrawal; inability to trust or have intimacy; promiscuity, hypersexuality, or confused sexual identity; poor concentration, school attendance or achievement; eating or sleeping disturbances, migraines, back or stomach aches; risk alcohol or drug abuse; and may precipitate re-victimization, teen pregnancy, running away, or suicidal ideation and/or attempts (Valentine, 2005).

Predator Typology

Typologies are not mutually exclusive; no person is one dimensional. Robertiello and Terry (2007) in a review of sex offender typology assert that offenders are a heterogeneous group comprised of individuals who begin abusing for multitude reasons.

Child molesters are a diverse group that cannot be accurately characterized with a label

(Wolak, Finkelhor & Mitchell, 2004). Although online predators have no true typology they tend to have commonalities in characteristics and motivations.

Wolak et al. (2008) conducted a meta-analysis of the research of online predators, their victims and the myths and realities of the stereotypical online. They found that research showed that the internet predator was more likely to be looking to meet and

seduce an adolescent rather than prey on and sexually abuse young children. In fact, online predators occupy a small portion of the sex offender population, smaller still is pedophilic offenders (Wolak et al., 2008). Halgin and Krauss-Whitbourne (2006) proclaim that technological predation rarely involves sexual intercourse or ingrained aggressiveness. More often than not abuses tend to be psychological in nature, refraining from violence and non-sexual aggression (Halgin & Krauss-Whitbourne, 2006).

Characteristics. According to Enough is Enough (2013) online predators are usually white middle-aged or younger clean cut and law-abiding men who blend into society and may be a pillar of the community.

Nielssen, O’Dea, Sullivan, Rodriguez, Bourget and Large (2011) conducted a longitudinal study of 105 detected child pornography offender to obtain self-reports that reflect characteristics of offender and targets. Results indicated offenders of child pornography are low functioning and moderate risk primarily due to the mass quantities and offensive material they collect. More than 51% of collected child pornography was prepubescent pedophilic and 35% adolescent hebephiliac (Nielssen et al., 2011).

Common characteristics including poor social skills, low self-esteem, feelings of inadequacy, a sense of worthlessness and vulnerability, feel humiliated and lonely, see themselves as physically unattractive, or have problems with potency (Robertiello &

Terry, 2007). Adult men who seek to contact adolescent girls offline are more likely to have criminal histories, less education, and arrested psychosocial development (Wolak et al., 2008). The CSOM (2008) list possible biopsychosocial factors of imbalanced hormones, sexual identity/orientation, exposure to suggestive social messages of aggression, high stress level/low threshold, and accessibility to victims.

Motivation. Quayle and Taylor (2002) state perpetrators drive toward child pornography to be a means for sexual arousal, pornography as collectibles; an aid in facilitating social relationships; as a way of avoiding real life, and as a therapeutic tool.

Motivations may be that online predators seek admiration from responsive but naïve victims, they may want to re-experience adolescents, or are afraid of adult partners or intimacy, they may have curiosity and impulsivity, they seek danger and excitement, and some have anger and want power and control over their victim (Wolak et al., 2008).

Strong et al. (2006) emphasize the most frightening aspect of perpetrator motivation is the age of child victims and the reasons why predators are attracted to them.

This illustrates the important role that the Internet plays in the problem of online sexual predation and highlights whether it serves as a substitute or as a blueprint for contact offenses. This also draws one’s attention to the important role that community plays in facilitating the objectification of children and increases the likelihood that children will continue to be sexually abused (Quayle & Taylor, 2002).

Victim Typology

Much of the research focused on typology is primarily psychological and social factors that drive motivation. However, there is considerable attention paid to the age and gender of victims and the gender of predators who target them. Schulz et al (2015), posits that their 2012 study of adult internet user solicitation indicates that older adolescents have a higher percentage of victimization than that of young children, 4.5% and 1% respectively, with some offender specificity of targeted boys and very young children, and little difference in numbers of targeted females verses males. According to the NCMEC (2017), some statistics of online predation are as follows: a) 1 in 4 females

and 1 in 7 males will be abused prior to 18 years of age; b) the majority of victims are 13-

15 years of age; c) females are 5 times more likely to be abused than males; c) the age of abuse of male victims ranges from 10-17 years of age; d) predators are primarily male at

82% with female predators only 9% (NCMEC, 2017).

According to Sachs (2003) 19% of all youth receive online solicitation requests.

According to GuardChild (2018) an estimated 1 in 33 or 725,000 children have been aggressively solicitated. Mitchell et al., (2013) assert online solicitation decreased 50% over the span of 10 years, however, online solicitation resulting in offline contact has increased from 15% to 35%. Only 5% of predators lie to children online about their age

(Katz, 2013). In addition, Mitchell, Wolak and Finkelhor (2007) emphasize children coming from a family with low economic status and minority youths, specifically African

Americans and Hispanic, are at greater risk (Mitchell et al., 2007).

Characteristics. Ayers (2007) contends that what sexual predators look for in children is passivity, naivety, sexually suggestive screen names, those who frequent chatrooms, and those who talk online to unknown people about sex. Predators may target young adolescents by tapping into the proclivities of middle school kids, their interest in romance and sex, their dependence on concrete concepts, the lack of abstract thoughts and perceptions, and poor judgment. Children with family or social problems and have history of violence or abuse are at increased risk and are more easily manipulated. And predators like kids who are attractive, youthful, friendly and open dispositions (Ayers,

2007).

Palfrey and Grasser (2008) assert that children victimized by predators consist of those who are average adolescents with angst. Characteristics of most exploited children

are those with troubled interpersonal relationships, insecure family attachments, lack of identity or defined sexuality, shyness, prior sexual abuse, drug or alcohol dependence, depression, and/or isolation. According to a Stanford University study, children report they use the Internet as a way to alleviate negativity, boredom, or escape problems

(Palfrey & Grasser, 2008).

Motivation. According to Strong et al. (2006), most male to female “other sex” predators are attracted to 8 to 14-year olds with whom they want immediate or delayed sexual gratification. Male to male “same sex” predators are attracted to 10-12-year olds with whom they seek love, affection, and the purity of innocence (Strong et al., 2006).

This group is particularly at risk due to boys questioning their sexuality and orientation or may be gay and have interest in experimenting (Wolak et al., 2008). This group includes boys who are gay or questioning their sexual orientations; youths with histories of sexual or physical abuse; and or engage in patterns of risky online or offline behavior (Wolak et al., 2008).

Disturbingly, predators refer to prepubescent children as “Moppets” and adolescents as “Lolita’s” (Robertiello & Terry, 2007, p 516). Strong et al. (2006) argues that female predators are rarely reported due to the natural nurturing and maternal instincts that look seemingly appropriate coming from an older female to any youth.

Often young adolescent boys find older female attention and attraction as a positive not negative experience (Strong et al., 2006).

Victim Risk Factors

Cyberspace overrun with content availability testing complex skills and logic which tests a child’s biopsychosocial developmental abilities (Feldman, 2007).

According to Stop It Now (2018), a number of relational and environmental risk factors may lower a child’s defenses and make them less likely to protect themselves and fend off online predators. Children who lacks a secure attachment to caregiver, feels emotionally neglected, has experienced physical or emotional abuse, witnessed domestic violence, is parentified or sexualized, is or has family member challenged or disabled, and any drug or alcohol abuse in the household are at risk for online predators and abuses

(Stop It Now, 2018). Prepubescent children are less likely to respond to propositions from online child predators because they are, developmentally, less interested in relationships, sex, and romance than are adolescents (Wolak et al., 2008).

Adolescence is a key developmental stage of cognitive, biological and psychological growth with unique challenges. (Quayle, Jonsson & Lööf, 2012). They are curious, mobile, independent, and want autonomy, they are likely to want attention, validation, affection, and acceptance (Dombrowski et al., 2004). Valentine (2013) asserts that young people’s attempts toward autonomy and individuation from parents and peers, psychosexual development that may lead to experimentation that can make them feel mature and confident, and socialization with broader social engagement and activities, often lead to inherently risky behaviors where normal boundaries are diminished and there may be a lack of inhibition.

The adolescent brain is essentially, going haywire. Badenoch (2008) explains an adolescence is a remodeling of the brain to allow concrete and abstract thought and understanding. But while the brain is under construction it is disorganized as are communication, decisions and judgement, modulation of body and emotions, perception of social cues, empathy and morality (Badenoch, 2008). A child’s immature brain leads

to it is disorganized as are communication, decisions and judgement, modulation of body and emotions, perception of social cues, empathy and morality (Spinks, 2000).

It is not just the brain but the body as well. Strong et al. (2006) point out that as puberty begins, hormone production has set forth rapid and extreme physical changes.

Boys grow in height, gain weight and muscle, have a change in voice, grow pubic and facial hair, see enlargement of genitalia, and have the ability for ejaculation/orgasm. Girls grow in height, gain weight and curves, grow pubic hair, begin menstruation, see enlargement of breasts/genitalia, and have the ability to orgasm (Strong et al., 2006).

If that is not enough adolescents are learning about and developing personal, gender and social and gender identity; sexuality and orientation; while navigating social norms and roles; sexual scripts and sexual roles; morals, values and beliefs; social and peer pressure; and ideas and ideals of peers, opinions, attitudes, nudity and all the vernaculars (Strong et al., 2006). Brust et al. (2008) confirm the risk positing that adolescent minds do not have a developed mental capacity or intelligence to match wits with a 40-year-old adult whose intention is to target children online. He contends that adolescents are purposely recruited, groomed and brainwashed because they are not able, cognitively, to see around corners to the harmful consequences of opening oneself to the danger that lurks in cyberspace (Brust et al., 2008). Parent support is crucial in making it through this rite of passage (Badenoch, 2008).

Higher risk is boys who are either questioning the sexual identity, orientation or are gay have a higher risk of online predation. Often social schemas and stigmas regarding homosexuality can lead to feelings of isolation, loneliness, and marginalization that lend themselves to risking reaching out online for unmet needs from someone they

do not know offline (Wolak et al., 2013). According to Whittle, Hamilton-Giachritsis,

Beech and Collings (2013), low self-esteem, susceptibility to persuasion, behavior difficulties, emotional suffering and immaturity are all characteristics associated with victims of offline sexual abuse. While poverty does not inevitably lead to maltreatment, it is generally accepted that young people from low socioeconomic groups are more susceptible to social problems of all kinds, including offline sexual abuse (Whittle et al.,

2013).

Sexual Behaviors of Children

Historically, it has been considered taboo for parents to speak too frankly about sex with their children. Society has made it uncomfortable to talk about sexuality and sex

(Cohen et al., 2006). This culture encourages secrecy making it a challenge for parents to talk about the very thing that will protect them, instead this secrecy helps those that parents wish to keep their children safe from (Craven et al., 2007).

Strong et al. (2006) in Human sexuality: Diversity in contemporary America laud the aware parent. They encourage parents to become aware of normal child sexual interest and play: kids are curious and explore themselves and masturbate, they touch themselves and others, they play house and doctor, they hug and kiss, and they lie atop each other. It is parental responses and reactions that determine whether a child will feel humiliation, shame, guilt or have self-awareness, self-respect, self-worth and emotional and sexual well-being (Strong et al., 2006). Understanding children’s sexual behaviors is paramount to teaching them safety and self-protection. Healthy sexual exploration is consensual, moderate and infrequent, and accompanied by positive natural and healthy

emotions that result in healthy sexual interest and development (Cavanaugh-Johnson,

2007).

Cavanaugh-Johnson (2007) asserts that 40-85% of children will engage in some sexual behavior prior to 13 years of age (Cavanaugh-Johnson, 2007). According to

Wolak et al. (2013) in their study of teens 30% of girls and 32% of boys had intercourse before age 17. Among girls, 25% of Hispanics, 30% of non-Hispanic Whites, and 41% of non-Hispanic Blacks had intercourse before age 17. Among boys, the numbers were 43% of Hispanics, 25% of non-Hispanic Whites, and 53% of non- Hispanic Blacks (Wolak et al., 2013). The reality is, according to Ayers (2007) and the National Center for Health

Statistics, is more than half of teenagers aged 15-19 have already engaged in oral sex, including 25% of those who have never had sexual intercourse. Children now have

“friends with benefits,” and are “hooking up” meaning sex without romance and sex without friendship. Sexual practices among children have certainly changed in the new millennium (Ayers, 2007).

Age, age of siblings, level of sexual interest, living environment, family values and beliefs, family stress, family violence, cultural norms and attitudes regarding sex and sexuality all affect children’s sexual behaviors, comfort, and sexuality (Wolak et al.,

2013). Strong et al. (2006) urges parents to underestimate children’s need for information and interest in sex related discussions, lest kids are forced to look to outside sources to gain knowledge (Strong et al., 2006).

Internet Behaviors of Children

Although children are not complicit in online sexual predation children share some responsibility in self-protection and self- regulation that helps curtail the risk of predation.

Stahl and Fritz (2002) conducted a health brief based on adolescent self-reports of online activity and experiences and how this plays into safety of adolescents when utilizing the internet. Based on the results this study suggests a need for increased parental involvement, supervision, and controls. The researchers assert education and continued research are key to monitor and subjugate negative effects of online predatory abuses toward adolescents (Stahl & Fritz, 2002).

Lwin, Miyazaki, Stanaland and Lee (2012) piloted a survey consisting of 85 child participants, ranging from 10-12 years of age of which 73% being 11 years old, 46% girls and 54% boys regarding motivations for online use and willingness to disclose information online. Results found that 85% of tweens had a willingness to disclose personal information but online behavior was directly related to online use motivations.

Children with information-seeking motivations had more privacy concern while those with socializing motivations had less privacy concerns. In addition, higher privacy concerns were related to lower levels of information disclosure (Lwin et al., 2012).

The Youth Online Behavior Study for McAfee (2010) conducted an online study in 2010 surveying 1,357 children 10-17years of age consisting of 402 tweens, ages 10-12,

593 teens, ages 13-15, and 362 teens, ages 16-17 as to content they view and download, and their level of risky online behaviors. Results indicated 32% they intentionally hide what they do from parents: 29% download a program or content without parent’s knowledge, 35% of boys download pornography-45% of 16-17, 29% minimize the

browser, 21% clear history, and 29% delete messages. Children in this survey also reported online disclosure: 56% of 16-17-year old’s shared personal information, 12% gave their cell phone number to someone they met online, and 14% say that they shared their passwords with friends. Girls seem to have greater vulnerability than boys, 72% have social networking accounts, 25% of girls chat online with people they do not know-

43% of 16-17, and they admit to describing themselves and sharing photos of themselves to strangers (The Youth Online Behavior Study 2010).

Cox Communications (2014) commissioned TRU/TFC, to conduct The Pew

Internet & American Life Project and the Cox Communication Teen Online & Wireless

Safety Survey. This telephone survey was among 1301 teens 13-17 years of age across 13 select states to determine online teen self-reported behavior. The results concluded that teens take purposeful actions to circumvent parents from knowing their online behaviors.

In an effort to elude online activities 50% of teen hide actions, 46% clear browsers and histories, 20% use private browser, and 8% have disabled filtering software installed by parents. Teens are active online and often share personal information: 74% share photos,

47% share age, 21% cell phone numbers, 19% their address, and 69% say they check in to a location via a social network or other location-based site. Further, children don’t need to go to great lengths to hide behavior from their parents because 95% of parents don’t know common acronyms used online by children (and predators). Kids don’t have to hide what they are saying parents simply don’t know what it is they are saying online.

As Internet access and Internet-enabled devices continue to evolve and advance, there is a greater need for parental education and awareness about how kids really behave online and how they should behave online (Cox Communication, 2014).

According to Atfab (2015), children are voluntarily taking suggestive, provocative and sexual photos and videos of themselves to purposely share with their partners, friends and acquaintances. This is known as sexting. Children are also partaking in sexual communications via text known as Cybering or cybersex. The apparent motivation is to attract potential romantic partners, to satisfy existing partners, to delay sexual relations with existing partners, to attract attention, to show off their bodies, to act out and for entertainment. Most are shared privately with one person and not meant to be shared. However, this disclosure, is potentially sharing too much personal information when images can be tagged and circulated with or without malicious intent

(sextortion/revenge porn). The pitfall is that images can come back to haunt children.

Sexting, tagging and circulating can not only be seen by parents, potential college recruiters, potential employers, but also by potential predators (Aftab, 2015).

These studies reflect that adolescents are very curious and interested, they seek information as these studies reflect. The highest at-risk kids, primarily girls, put themselves at risk by disclosing too much personal information, using file-sharing programs to download pictures and videos, and seeking attention from and online audience. Turkle (2007) asserts certain exposure allows validation that is gratifying to children, it is not seen by children as a violation.

Predator Target and Enticement Tactics

Grooming. Strong et al. (2006) contends that child predators groom their victims using seduction, enticement, and manipulation in the process. Although every generation is spending a significant amount of time online, it has become especially socially acceptable for children to form friendly and intimate relationships online with persons

they are not familiar with (Black, Wollis, Woodworth & Hancock, 2015). Online predators have sophisticated premeditated behaviors that are intended to secure the trust and later cooperation in order to engage them in subsequent sexual conduct known as grooming (Choo, 2009, p 1). Grooming is a conduct process, sometimes protracted, to build rapport prior to share sexualized content, in an effort to have contact offline.

According to Wolak et al. (2013), in a National Juvenile Online Victimization (N-

JOV) Study, the researchers concluded that 64% of offenders communicated online with victims for more than 1 month before in-person meetings; 79% had telephone conversations; 48% sent pictures online to victims; and 47% sent or offered gifts or money. In a sample of 51 Internet-initiated sex offenders, 70% communicated for less than a week and 40% for less than 24 hours before arranging to meet offline (Briggs,

Simon & Simonsen, 2011).

The Department of Justice (DOJ, 2018) reports that Internet-based predators used less deception to befriend their online victims than experts had thought. Only 5% of the predators told their victims that they were in the same age group as the victims. Most offenders told the victims that they were older males seeking sexual relations, and children did not balk at the idea of speaking with an older stranger (DOJ, 2018). Similar results were found by Wolak et al. (2004) from a national survey conducted of 2574 law enforcement agencies from 2001-2002 concerning 129 sexual offenses against minors that originated online. Victims were 13-15 years of age, 75% girls who met male adult offenders in chat rooms. Only 5% lied about their age and most were upfront about having an interest in a sexual relationship offline. Children reported to law enforcement meeting offenders offline and engaging in sexual relations on more than one occasion

(Wolak et al., 2004). Noted by Wolak et al. (2013) in a later study that sexual solicitations in chat rooms to social networking sites. The process, excluding revealing age, is how predator’s maneuver around their readily accessible victims through a series of skilled manipulation (Wolak et al., 2013). Predators spend time and energy in grooming process. It may involve compliments or flattery, gift giving or incentives of money, and making elaborate promises (Enough is Enough, 2013). Grooming may involve sexualized games, coercion or threats (Whittle et al., 2013).

In an analysis of interviews and testimonials of 20 child victims, 19 girls, aged

11-14 from 2011-2012 Katz (2013) found that the grooming process was linear. Age is not a secret, but secrecy is developed when a victim starts trusting a predator and begins to isolate children from their parents. This trust is gained by listening, sympathizing, caring, concerned, understanding and affirming. Predators learn hobbies, interests, know the lingo and language, and show exuberance; followed by sexual content: asking about the victim’s body, talking about sex, sending pictures and material; and finally, requesting and securing offline contact: via phone and in person for the expressed intention of a sexual encounter (Katz, 2013). Fried (2016) contends that the grooming process is a gradual progression from chat, to sexual banter, toward personal contact.

Predators may curtail efforts briefly when initially denied but eventually restart with added psychological coercive pressure. Seldom is force used, but consequences and threats are implied to keep children quiet. And they almost always do (Fried, 2016).

Prevention and Intervention

Attachment. The psychiatrist and psychoanalyst John Bowlby (1969) defined attachment as a “lasting psychological connectedness between human beings.” (p 194).

Attachment is an important factor on development and is correlated with socioemotional functioning and psychological well-being.

According to Bowlby (1969), the most important tenet of attachment theory is that a young child needs to develop a relationship and secure base with at least one primary caregiver. That allows exploration and return to a responsive base that aids in developing a belief system and expectations of the world, self and others. Young children 7-11 years of age changes to co-regulation with degrees of independence while maintaining communication and supervision. With adolescents, parental figures avail themselves when needed as adolescents make excursions to explore the world. Early secure attachment appears to have a lasting protective function and acts as a model for future social relationships (Bowlby, 1969). Attachment helps child move toward the capacity for self-regulation. McLeod (2009), indicates that attachment theory provides an explanation of how the parent-child relationship emerges and influences subsequent development and relationships.

According to Lwin, Stanaland and Miyazaki (2008), studies have found that while young children view their parents as important figures of authority and are generally compliant to parental instructions, this changes significantly as children grow older and begin to assert their autonomy. Children learn and develop with the aid of an adult who understands the child’s abilities, interests, and needs. As children become more educated and independent they create schemas for interpreting experiences and base them off their own perceptions of similar activities, so they can extend this perception to instances when the parent is not around (Lwin et al., 2008). Disruptions to attachment can have adverse effects on socioemotional development and put children at greater risk. Ybarra,

Finkelhor, Mitchell and Wolak (2009) suggest that preventative education may be more effective if it were to focus on the psychosocial issues impacting young people.

Sacks and Snyder (2003) posit that children approaching and passing through puberty need help managing their feelings and emotions, setting boundaries with others in interpersonal relationships, and handling peer pressure. Reducing vulnerability means making sure your child feels safe coming to you about a disturbing, confusing or uncomfortable situation or emotion (Sacks & Snyder, 2003). Mitchell, Wolak and

Finkelhor (2007) postulate that empowerment of at risk children comes through communication and psychoeducation, discussions of healthy sexual and relational decision making, teaching and promoting assertive skills, relational and social skills, and strategies for emotional regulation that serves not only online but generalized in all areas of children’s lives.

Prevention. Therefore, Valentine (2013) asserts that preventative methods reflect both technological efforts and psychoeducational measures for both parents and children conjointly. Technological efforts are any measures that can be applied or installed on the computer and psychoeducational measures emphasize discussion, education, and appropriate restrictions on and monitoring of Internet use. Preventative methods and measures should be adaptable to the age, behavioral and developmental capabilities, parent-child relational influences and attachment, and technological savvy (Valentine,

2013).

According to Valentine (2013) the most effective preventative strategies that can be initiated are those of Dombrowski et al. (2004; 2007):

Technological

!! Install a personal firewall;

!! Encrypt the wireless network;

!! Install privacy/filtering software;

!! Install antivirus software;

!! Use key and chat logging;

!! Track application usage and monitor browser history;

!! Turn off geolocation that pinpoints user location.

Psychoeducational

!! Learn about all the devices children use to connect to the Internet;

!! Discuss benefits and dangers of the Internet;

!! Specifically discuss dynamics of online relationship;

!! Discuss why online relationships are wrong/illegal and short and long-

term impacts/consequences of these relationships;

!! Discuss unsafe online behavior and the short and long-term effects;

!! Have open discussions and frank dialogue about developmental issues,

such as sex, and how these issues may manifest online;

!! Supervise Internet friends and review friend list;

!! Co-view with children sites they visit;

!! Emphasize eliminating harassing behavior of all kinds;

!! Pause before posting;

!! Monitor Internet screen names;

!! Create a parent-child contract;

!! Monitor Internet use and history;

!! Place home computers in general area of home;

!! Encourage reporting and contact authorities, if necessary (Valentine, 2013,

p 21).

Sartor, Youniss and James (2002) conducted a survey of 1012 sophomore and seniors (293 and 719 respectively), in 2 schools regarding adolescent community service participation and parent control. The researchers reported a high degree of parental support was correlated with positive psychosocial adjustment in adolescents. It is important to note that parental control exercised in a supportive style facilitated social development. The types of parental control are psychological and behavioral.

Psychological control invokes guilt and withdraws love which discourages individuation and hinders emotional development. Conversely, behavioral control (monitoring) manages behavior through encouragement of awareness and reasoning (Sartor et al.,

2002). Barber (1997) argues that behavioral control acts as a function of socialization, leading children toward self-reflection, objective thinking and reasoning, self-regulation, and identity of self in the context of a positive, nurturing environment and connection between parents and their children.

Prevention does not always reach minorities or persons with a lower socioeconomic status, while poverty alone does not stop parent’s ability utilize prevention programs Mitchell et al. (2007) contends that people from low socioeconomic groups often have less accessibility to a vehicle, a phone, a computer, limited time, limited availability, limited internet literacy, reduced awareness.

Summary

While the internet has proven to be a great source of information, education, socialization, and entertainment, there are risks involved with its use. These risks extend to children, to include the very real danger of online sexual predation. The proliferation of technology and societal integration of internet use make the accessibility of just about anything or anyone at one’s fingertips, posing a threat to children. Children are literally within an arm’s length and the adverse effects and short and long-term outcomes can only be mitigated through internet awareness and education for parents and children, online behavioral modification and monitoring, and attentive and responsive parenting. It is nearly impossible with technological advances and reliance that children will stop utilizing the internet or that child predators are likely to terminate practices of online enticement and exploitation. Although child predation in general, and specifically online predation is never going to be ameliorated the risk for victimization from online predation can be thwarted with practical preventative technological and psychoeducational methods and measures that strengthen the parent-child relationship, improve child self-regulation and resiliency, and bolster underlying defenses that enable children to dismiss attempts of predation, and thereby decrease the likelihood of negative experiences and threats on and offline.

Chapter III

Project Audience and Implementation

Introduction

The purpose of this of project is to develop a workshop that focuses on providing psychoeducation for parents to gain a greater awareness and understanding regarding the problem of technological sexual predation and what they need to know to help keep their children safe from online threats.

The workshop will educate parents regarding what internet danger is and the types of danger, how the growth of technology exposes children to predators, what predation is and the statistics, the potential short and long-term impact on children when solicited or abused, the typology of predators and prospective victims, factors that put children at greater risk, biopsychosocial development and behaviors of children that put them at risk, how predators target and groom victims, and what prevention methods and measures parents can utilize to reduce the risk of children becoming victims to online sexual predators.

Project Development

The author’s parents were born during the Great Depression. They were poverty stricken. Education fell by the wayside in order to work in an effort just to be fed, their survival was dependent upon it. Children were to be neither seen nor heard. This absence of attachment left an indelible mindset on the authors parents. They had no ability to cope, care or parent which put their children at risk.

A risk that included child sexual abuse; abuse the author was victim of for several years of her childhood. After decades of experiencing trauma she was not responsible for

or guilty of the author sought to gain knowledge and understanding of herself and human nature. She was able to come out from hiding, gain empowerment and find her voice. As a result of her personal recovery, education and maturation the author offers to parents and their children safety and a voice.

While the research shows the explosion of technology and internet use make children more accessible to predators it also exposes internet usage risks taken knowingly and unknowingly by children. It is these behavioral risks of children that are a focus of this project. The author seeks to delve into the biological, psychological, and social underpinnings of this risky behavior so parents can understand, open their minds, open a line of communication with their children, and open their ears so children can not only have a voice but be heard. The parent-child relationship is essential for prevention, it is in and of itself the greatest intervention.

Specifically, the goal of this workshop is to improve parent internet literacy, help parents improve understanding of child development and behaviors, gain awareness of child sexual and internet behaviors, learn how to safeguard technology use, and improve communication and attachment style with their children that helps them navigate risks and threats on and offline.

In addition, this psychoeducational parent workshop is designed to encourage joining, problem solving, and social network expansion to gain awareness, knowledge, and understanding of the problem; explore preventative factors and solutions; enhance support systems and increase community linkage. The workshop is an invention giving a framework to present and impart specific predetermined and manualized information and guidance to parents through a tailored but flexible approach.

Intended Audience

This workshop is intended for a group of up to 30 parents and caregivers of minor children for the expressed purpose of dissemination of didactic information to further awareness and knowledge of parents regarding online risks to children and what they need to know to keep their children safe. The workshop is $10.00 to cover costs and the sign up and payment method is available online. There is no screening process other than brief workshop information and workshop outline online. Parents can determine if they wish to attend based on their interest in the workshop and desire to gain greater awareness and knowledge of the problem and prevention tools to reduce the risk to their children. Parent participation is open to any/all race/s and ethnicity/ies in the greater Los

Angeles area.

This particular project is in the English language therefore may pose a barrier to non-English speaking persons. However, the material and presentations can be translated to accommodate parents whose first language is one other than English. We would be remiss, to mention the inclusion but not exclusion of this target population. Due to the intensity of this workshop the group will be closed after the first half hour to assure confidentiality and comfort of participants.

Personnel Qualifications

The development of this workshop is intended to be implemented by pre-licensed or licensed mental health professionals to include, but not limited to, marriage and family therapists, social workers, psychologists, nurses, physicians and psychiatrist who have previous experience with education of the nature of this problem and treatment of persons whom have been exposed to or victimized by predation or child sexual abuse. Providers

should have knowledge of family systems and evidenced based practices. This group will provide mental-health practitioners the ability to work with colleagues and participants in a community-based collaborative approach of a subject matter not often addressed at agencies or clinics across the Los Angeles area.

Environment and Equipment

The location of the workshop can be at a community center, community mental health agency, community clinic, school, or church. Parking accommodations are best if at no cost, with readily handicapped accessible. It is important to note that privacy and confidentiality is paramount in general, specifically due to the subject matter. Workshop provider/facilitator will give oral explanation regarding confidentiality in order to have a safe space for participants to share freely.

The workshop provider will need access to a projector that has internet capabilities and Wi-Fi for a PowerPoint presentation and videos, and a whiteboard or chalkboard. In addition, participants will be provided with pencils and writing materials to be used to take notes on supplied paper, and a brochure and handouts to provide facts, risks, and prevention methods.

Project Outline

I. Introduction

a) What is Cyber Danger

b) Cyber Threats to Children

II. Technological Advances

a)! Growth and Usage

b)! Statistics

III. Sexual Predation

a)! Definition

b)! Mental Health Disorders

IV. Signs of Online Child Sex Abuse

a) Signs and Symptoms

V. Impact of Predation on Children

a)! Biological

b)! Psychological

c)! Social

VI. Predator Typology

a)! Characteristics

b)! Psychological Factor

c)! Motivation

VII. Victim Typology

a)! Facts and Statistics

b)! Characteristic

c)! Motivation

VIII. Victim Risk Factors

a)! Biological

b)! Psychological

c)! Biological

IX. Child and Adolescent Behaviors

a)! Sexual

b)! Internet Use

X. Predator Enticement Tactics

a) Grooming

XI. Prevention and Intervention

a)! Attachment Style

b)! Technological Methods

c)! Psychological Methods

Chapter IV

Conclusion

In summation technology and its advances in and of itself possess no threats, nor is it the integration of its use. There are, however risks involved in its use. With 80-95% of children in the United States having and utilizing internet access to communicate through social networking and social media, and 500,000 child predators online at any given time it is safe to reason that the accessibility of children to child predators is risky.

Children are intrinsically at risk due to biological, psychological, and social immature development and behaviors. Research has found that a child’s secure attachment to parental figure/s is directly correlated to socioemotional functioning and psychological well-being. Studies report that children who have parental support and involvement, themselves report, it is beneficial to their psychosocial development and adjustment. It is the parent child relationship that gives children the greatest measure of safety.

Therefore, it is prudent to introduce and implement preventive methods that speak to enhancing the parent-child relationship. This project reflects methods that address attachment, technological measures, and psychological measures for parents and their children. These methods strengthen the parent-child relationship, enhance attachment and promote behavioral modification though behavioral monitoring practices. Thereby reducing online risks by decreasing unsafe online usage and behaviors and increasing self-regulation of children. It is by reducing this vulnerability that increases the likelihood children will have more fortitude to acknowledge and resist attempts at online enticement and solicitations from online predators.

Parents gaining greater awareness regarding the problem of technological sexual predation and what it entails, what the risks are and how risks and online predation can impact children, and preventive measures are necessary. However, it is essential this workshop assist parents to improve technologic literacy; enhance understanding of child development and child behavior that put children at risk; and teach methods to develop more effective communication with their children regarding the safe use of technology.

Ultimately, it is the goal of this workshop to enrich the parent-child relationship.

Discussion

Parents salient fear of online predation is not only existent but necessary given the behaviors of predators and the risky online behavior of developing children. Research showed that the proliferation of technology may expose more children to online predators but there seems to be no inherent risk that technology proliferates online predation.

Therefore, the hypothesis is nullified, and the authors stance is as follows: technological advances makes for the accessibility of children to be exposed to online predation but does not intrinsically proliferate sexual predation. Instead it exposes online predators and may through time and distance offer an intrinsic safeguard to online predation.

Recommendations for Implementation

This project was developed with a psychoeducational workshop for parents regarding online threats to children and what they needed to know to keep their children safe. This workshop was initially targeting parents for prevention, however, because it is informative and interactive in nature for participants to gain knowledge and understanding this this workshop can be utilized for paraprofessionals and professionals: in clinics, public and mental health agencies; in schools with school teachers, nurses,

counselors, and school psychologists for personal and professional development. This workshop can be modified and interpreted with age appropriation in mind to be implemented with adolescents in high school, in junior high school, and elementary school.

In addition, this workshop can be translated in any language for those whose first language is other than English. As well as utilizing sign language interpreters for the hearing impaired. Keeping in mind multicultural context and content that cultivate the understanding of differences, denotes limitations, appreciates diversity, awareness of cultural/social backgrounds, and considers multiple perspectives values and beliefs.

Recommendations for Future Research

Several recommendations of further research are of interest may deem worthy and necessary. The crux of the preventative methods: technological and psychological came from the research of Dombrowski et al. (2004; 2007). The research team determined that the effectiveness was presently undetermined (Dombrowski et al., 2004; 2007).

Therefore, a longitudinal study to measure outcomes of this particular prevention program is necessary to verify efficacy of approaches and methods.

Future research might include longitudinal studies to determine long term effects of group presentations on the outcomes of parent-child relationships, incidents of technological predation attempts and successes at the children of parents who participated in the workshop. Additionally, the same for participants of this workshop if modified.

Additionally, due to the efforts and tactics online sexual predators take to procure victims it can be beneficial to research victim workshops, programs, or groups for post grooming and its effects. Finally, because technology advances so rapidly and methods

and social networking sites are obsolete as fast as new ones evolve. It proves a bevy of research necessary on an ongoing basis to stay abreast of technological trends to study for the availability and prevalence of predation. Finally, because this is a relatively new phenomenon long-term effects are yet to be determined conclusively. It is believed that the impact is relative to CSA outcomes of psychological and socioemotional difficulties, but further research is necessary to determine if outcomes from online sexual predation and/or sexual abuse differ from other forms of abuse.

References

Aftab, P. (2015). Wired safety: Safety. Retrieved February 20, 2018 from

http://www.wiredsafety.com/sexting-sextortion-and-revenge-porn

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental

Disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC.

American Psychological Association. (2018). Evidence-based practice in psychology.

Retrieved August 15, 2017 from http://www.apa.org/practice/resources/evidence/

American Psychological Association. (2010). Publication manual of the American

psychological association (6th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological

Association.

American Academy of Pediatrics. (2009). Talking to kids and teens about social media

and sexting: Tips from the American academy of pediatrics. Retrieved September

5, 2017 from https://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/news-

features-and-safety-tips/Pages/Talking-to-Kids-and-Teens-About-Social-Media-

and-Sexting.aspx

Ayers, L. (2007). How to protect kids from child molesters. Guilderland, NY:

Appledorn.

Badenoch, B. (2008). Being a brain-wise therapist: A practical guide to interpersonal

neurobiology. New York, NY: W. W. Norton & Company.

Baghurst, T., Alexander, R., & Tapps, T. (2014). Ways to protect students from online

predators. Academic Exchange Quarterly 18 (1), 1-8. Retrieved August 7, 2017

from http://rapidintellect.com/AEQweb/t5414v4.pdf

Beech, A. R. & Harkins, L. (2012). DSM-IV paraphilia: Descriptions, demographics and

treatment interventions. Aggression and Violent Behavior,17(6), 527-539.

Berger, V. (2005). Psychologist anywhere any time: List of paraphilias. Retrieved June

14, 2017 from

http://www.psychologistanywhereanytime.com/sexual_problems_pyschologist/ps

ychologist_paraphilias_list.htm

Black, P., J., Wollis, M., Woodworth, M. & Hancock, J. T. (2015). A linguistic analysis

of grooming strategies of online child sex offenders: Implications for our

understanding of predatory sexual behavior in an increasingly computer-mediated

world. Child Abuse & Neglect, 44, 140-149.

Bowlby J. (1969). Attachment and loss. New York, NY: Basic Books.

Boyd, D., & Hargittai, E. (2013). Connected and concerned: Variation in parents' online

safety concerns. Policy & Internet,5(3), 245-269. doi: 10.1002/1944-2866.POI332

Briggs, P., Simon, W.T., & Simonsen, S. (2010). An exploratory study of internet-

initiated sexual offenses and the chat room sex offender: Has the internet enabled

a new typology of sex offender? Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and

Treatment,23(1), 72-91.

Brust, P., Finkelhor, D., Collier, A., Aftab, P., & Halligan, J. (2008). Growing up online:

Keeping kids safe. “The predator fear.” Retrieved August 18, 2017 from PBS

Frontline website:

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/kidsonline/safe/predator.html

Bynum, T. (2008). Recidivism of sex offenders. Retrieved October 29, 2017 from Center

for Sex Offender Management website:

http://www.csom.org/pubs/needtoknow_fs.pdf

Cavanagh-Johnson, T. (2007). Understanding children’s sexual behaviors: What’s

natural and healthy. San Diego, CA: Institute on Violence, Abuse and Trauma.

Center for Sex Offender Management. (2008). Fact sheet: What you need to know about

sex offenders. Retrieved March 3, 2018 from

http://www.csom.org/pubs/needtoknow_fs.pdf

Choo, K. (2009). Responding to online child sexual grooming: An industry

perspective. Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, (379),1-6.

Coercion. (2018), In Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved March 18,

2018 from https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/coercion/

Cohen, J., Mannarino, A., Deblinger, E., & Ebrary. (2006). Treating trauma and

traumatic grief in children and adolescents. New York, NY: The Guilford Press.

Corey, M.S., Corey, G., & Corey, C. (2009). Groups: Process and practice (8th ed.).

Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole.

Cox Communication. (2014). Cox communications online safety research report.

Retrieved February 3, 2018 from

http://www.cox.com/wcm/en/aboutus/datasheet/takecharge/tween-internet-safety-

survey.pdf

Craven, S., Brown, S., & Gilchrist, E. (2007). Current responses to sexual grooming:

Implication for prevention. Howard Journal of Criminal Justice,46(1), 60-71. doi:

10.1111/j.1468-2311.2007.00454.x

Craven, S., Brown, S., & Gilchrist, E. (2006). Sexual grooming of children: Review of

literature and theoretical considerations. Journal of Sexual Aggression, 12, 287–

299.

Cyber space. (2018). In Oxford English Dictionary. Retrieved March 10, 2018

from https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/cyber-

Darkness to Light. (2018). Child sexual abuse statistics. Retrieved March 20,2018 from

https://www.d2l.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/all_statistics_20150619.pdf

Descy, D. (2007). Keeping kids safe online. TechTrends: Linking research and practice

to improve learning, 50(5), 3-4. doi: 10.1007/s11528-006-0004-6

Dombrowski, S., Gischlar, K., & Durst, T. (2007). Safeguarding young people from

cyber pornography and cyber sexual predation: A major dilemma of the internet.

Child Abuse Review, 16(3), 153-170. doi:10.1002/car.939

Dombrowski, S. C., LeMasney, J. W., Ahia, C. E., & Dickson, S. A. (2004). Protecting

children from online sexual predators: Technological, psychoeducational, and

legal considerations. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 35(1), 65-

73. doi:10.1037/0735-7028.35.1.65

Enough is Enough. (2016). Statistics. Retrieved February 18, 2018 from

http://www.enough.org/statistics

Enough is Enough. (2013). The internet safety 101 information guide. Retrieved

February 18, 2018 from

http://enough.org/objects/FF_IS101_InformationalGuide.pdf

Fairchild, S., & Fairchild. (2007). Protecting the least of these: A new approach to child

pornography pandering provisions. Duke Law Journal, 57(1), 163-198.

Federal Trade Commission. (2011). Kids and computer security. Retrieved September 23,

2017 from https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0017-kids-and-computer-

security

Federal Trade Commission. (2011). Parental controls. Retrieved February 18, 2018 from

https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0029-parental-controls

Feed. (2018). In Webopedia. Retrieved March 4, 2018 from

https://www.webopedia.com/TERM/W/World_Wide_Web.html

Feldman, R.S. (2007). Child development. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

Foxhall, K. (2014). Preventing exploitation of kids on the internet. Contemporary

Pediatrics, 31(12), 10.

Fried, R.B. (2016). The internet: A breeding ground for online pedophiles

an in-depth analysis of crimes against children via the internet. Retrieved October

20, 2017 from http://www.crime-research.org/library/OnlinePred.pdf

Gehart, D. (2016). Theory and treatment planning in family therapy: A competency-based

approach. Boston, MA: Cengage.

Gerrity DA, De-Lucia-Waack JL. (2007). Effectiveness of groups in the schools. The

Journal for Specialists in Group Work, 32(1), 97-106. doi:

10.1080/01933920600978604

Groppe, J. (2007). A child's playground or a predator's hunting ground: How to protect

children on internet social networking sites. CommLaw Conspectus: Journal of

Communications Law and Technology Policy (1993-2015), 16(1), 215-248.

GuardChild. (2018). Internet statistics. Retrieved March 3, 2018 from

http://www.guardchild.com/statistics/

Halgin, R., & Krauss-Whitbourne, S. (2006). Clinical perspective on psychological

disorders. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Hardin, M.E. & Whitney-Peterson, L. (1997). Children in distress: A guide for screening

children’s art. New York, NY: W. W. Norton.

Henry, T. (2008). Preventing online sexual exploitation of teens. Michigan Citizen,

30(52), A5.

Hull, G, (2009). Overblocking autonomy: The case of mandatory library filtering

software. Continental Philosophy Review (42)1, 81-100. doi: 10.1007/s11007-

009-9097-x.

Indexing. (2018). In Webopedia. Retrieved March 5, 2018 from

https://www.webopedia.com/TERM/I/index.html

Internet World Stats. (2017). Internet usage statistics for all the Americas. Retrieved

February 19, 2018 from https://internetworldstats.com/stats2.htm

Jacobs, E. E., Masson, R. L., Harvill, R.L., & Schimmel, C.J. (2012). Group counseling:

Strategies and skills (7th ed.). Belmont, CA: Thomson Brooks/Cole.

Kafka, Martin P. (2011). The paraphilia-related disorders: A proposal for a unified

classification of nonparaphilic hypersexuality disorders. Sexual Addiction &

Compulsivity: The Journal of Treatment & Prevention (8)3-4, 227-239. doi:

10.1080/107201601753459937.

Katz, C. (2013). Internet-related child sexual abuse: What children tell us in their

testimonies. Children and Youth Services Review, 35(9), 1536-1542.

Kempf, V. (2012, March 12). Stats about online predators and precautions parents

should take. [Web log post]. Retrieved February 2, 2018 from

https://patch.com/massachusetts/sudbury/bp--stats-about-online-predators-and-

precautions-parec47b01a336

Kenny, Maureen. (2009). Child sexual abuse prevention: Psychoeducational groups for

preschoolers and their parents. Journal for Specialists in Group Work, 34(1), 24-

42. doi:10.1080/01933920802600824

Keylogger. (2018). In Webopedia. Retrieved March 6, 2018 from

https://www.webopedia.com/sgsearch/results?cx=partner-pub-

8768004398756183%3A6766915980&cof=FORID%3A10&ie=UTF-

8&q=keylogger

Kierkegaard, S. (2008). Cybering, online grooming and age play. Computer Law and

Security Review: The International Journal of Technology and Practice, 24(1),

41-55. doi: 10.1016/j.clsr.2007.11.004

Kinard, J. & Johnson. (2014). Criminogenic risk assessments: What are they and what do

they mean for your client? Retrieved October 15, 2017 from

http://www.voiceforthedefenseonline.com/story/criminogenic-risk-assessments-

what-are-they-and-what-do-they-mean-your-client

Lamb, M. (1998). Cybersex: Research notes on the characteristics of the visitors to online

chat rooms. Deviant behavior (19)2, 121-35.

doi:10.1080/01639625.1998.9968079

Le, J. L. (2012) The digital divide: How the online behavior of teens is getting past

parents. Retrieved February 23, 2018 from

https://www.scribd.com/document/98269655/The-Digital-Divide-How-the-

Online-Behavior-of-Teens-is-Getting-Past-Parents

Lucksted, A., McFarlane, W., Downing, D., & Dixon, L. (2012). Recent developments in

family psychoeducation as an evidence-based practice. Journal of Marital &

Family Therapy, 38(1), 101-121. doi:10.1111/j.1752-0606.2011.00256.x

Lwin, Stanaland, & Miyazaki. (2008). Protecting children's privacy online: How parental

mediation strategies affect website safeguard effectiveness. Journal of

Retailing, 84(2), 205-217.

Lwin, M. O., Miyazaki, A. D., Andrea J.S. Stanaland, & Lee, E. (2012). Online usage

motive and information disclosure for preteen children. Young Consumers, 13(4),

345-356. doi: 10.1108/17473611211282590

McFarlane, W. R. (2004). Multifamily groups in the treatment of severe psychiatric

illness. New York, NY: Guilford Press.

McLeod, S. A. (2009). Bowlby’s Attachment Theory. Retrieved October 23, 2017 from

https://www.simplypsychology.org/simplypsychology.org-bowlby.pdf

Mitchell, K.J., Finkelhor, D., & Wolak, J. (2005). Protecting youth online: Family use of

filtering and blocking software. Child Abuse and Neglect: The International

Journal, 29(7), 753-765. doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2004.05.008doi

Mitchell, K., Wolak, J., & Finkelhor, D. (2007). Trends in youth reports of sexual

solicitations, harassment and unwanted exposure to pornography on the internet.

The Journal of Adolescent Health: Official Publication of the Society for

Adolescent Medicine, 40(2), 116-126. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2006.05.021

Mitchell, K., Jones, L., Finkelhor, D., & Wolak, J. (2014). Trends in unwanted sexual

solicitations: Findings from the youth internet safety studies. Crimes Against

Children Research Center. Retrieved September 25, 2017 from

http://www.unh.edu/ccrc/pdf/Sexual%20Solicitation%201%20of%204%20YISS

%20Bulletins%20Feb%202014.pdf

Mitchell, K., Jones, L., Finkelhor, D., & Wolak, J. (2013). Understanding the decline in

unwanted online sexual solicitations for U.S. youth 2000–2010: Findings from

three youth internet safety surveys. Child Abuse & Neglect, 37(12), 1225-1236.

Murphy, M., Hall, O., & Simpson, M. (2003). When training and prevention meet. Child

Abuse Review, 12, 107-113. doi:10.1002/car.777

National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (2018). Online exploitation.

Retrieved March 16, 2018 from

http://www.missingkids.com/theissues/onlineexploitation

National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (2018). Child sexual exploitation.

Retrieved March 16, 2018 from http://www.missingkids.com/theissues/cse

Nielssen, O., O'Dea, J., Sullivan, D., Rodriguez, M., Bourget, D., & Large, M. (2011).

Child pornography offenders detected by surveillance of the Internet and by other

methods. Criminal Behaviour & Mental Health, 21(3), 215-224.

doi:10.1002/cbm.809

Nuccitelli, M., & Nuccitelli. (2014). Ipredator bridge. The Forensic Examiner, 22(1), 20-

22. Retrieved March 5, 2018 from https://www.ipredator.co/ipredator-bridge/

Oglethorpe, M. (2014). Vamping: Our obsession with technology extending well into the

night. Retrieved November 10, 2017 from https://themodernparent.net/vamping-

obsession-technology-extending-well-night/

Olafson, E. (2011). Child sexual abuse: Demography, impact, and intervention.

Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma, 4(8), 8-21.

doi.org/10.1080/19361521.2011.545811

Palfrey, J. & Grasser, U. (2008). Overload. Born digital: Understanding the first

generation of digital natives. New York, NY: Basic Books.

Parents for Megan’s Law and the Crime Victims Center. (2017). Statistics. Retrieved

March 2, 2018 from https://www.parentsformeganslaw.org/

Pew Research Center. (2010). Updated: Change in internet access by age group, 2000!

2010. Pew research center. Retrieved November 23, 2017 from

http://www.pewinternet.org/2010/09/10/updated-change-in-internet-access-by-

age-group-2000-2010/

Predation. (2018), In Biology Online Dictionary. Retrieved on September 5,

2018 from https://www.biology-online.org/dictionary/Predation

Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants. On the Horizon, (9)5, 1-

6. Retrieved March 2, 2018 from

http://marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-%20Digital%20Natives,%2

0Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part1.pdf

Psychosocial. (2018). In Oxford English Dictionary. Retrieved March 10, 2018

from https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/psychosocial

Puberty. (2018). In Biology Online Dictionary. Retrieved on September 5, 2018

from https://www.biology-online.org/dictionary/Puberty

Quayle, E., Jonsson, L. & Lööf, L. (2012). Online behaviour related to child

sexual abuse: Interviews with affected young people. Council of the

Baltic Sea States, Stockholm: ROBERT project.

Quayle, E., Taylor, M. (2002). Child pornography and the internet: perpetuating a cycle

of abuse. Deviant Behavior (23)4, 331-361. doi 10.1080/01639620290086413

Radford, B. (2006). Predator panic: A closer look. Skeptical Inquirer (30)5, 20-69.

Retrieved February 23, 2018 from

https://www.csicop.org/si/show/predator_panic_a_closer_look

Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network. (2018). Social media safety. Retrieved March 2,

2018 from https://www.rainn.org/articles/social-media-safety

Reppucci, N., Jones, L., & Cook, S. (1994). Involving parents in child sexual abuse

prevention programs. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 3(2), 137-142.

Robertiello, & Terry. (2007). Can we profile sex offenders? A review of sex offender

typologies. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 12(5), 508-518.

Romer, D. (2003). Reducing adolescent risk: Toward an integrated approach. Thousand

Oaks, Calif.: Sage Publications.

Sachs, J. (2003). Preventing the unthinkable: Are you doing all you can to protect your

child from sexual abuse? The standard advice is wrong: Here's what it takes to

really keep kids safe. Parenting, XVII (8), 180.

Sartor, Carolyn E., & Youniss, James. (2002). The relationship between positive parental

involvement and identity achievement during adolescence. Adolescence, 37(146),

221-234.

Schulz, A., Bergen, E., Schuhmann, P., Hoyer, J., & Santtila, P. (2016). Online sexual

solicitation of minors. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, 53(2), 165-

188. doi: 10.1177/0022427815599426

Search engine. (2018). In Webopedia. Retrieved March 6, 2018 from

https://www.webopedia.com/TERM/S/search_engine.html

Sentry PC. SentryPC.com. (2018). Are your children protected? What the statistics say.

Retrieved February 8, 2018 from https://www.sentrypc.com/home/statistics.htm

Sheppard, N. (1998). Technology: Protecting children online: Children can find

themselves in cyber "red-light districts," targets of sexual predators or marketers.

Emerge, 10(1), 30-32.

Siegel, D. (2013). Brainstorm: The power and purpose of the teenage brain. New York,

NY: Penguin Publishing.

Smith, E. L. (2010). Missing and exploited children. Is it real or is it virtual? [Online

forum post]. Retrieved November 12, 2017 from

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art28028.asp

Smith, G. S. (2007). How to protect your children on the internet: A road map for

parents and teachers. Westport, CN: Praeger.

Spinks, S. (2000). Adolescent brains are a work in progress: Here’s why. Retrieved

March 4, 2018 from PBS Frontline website:

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/teenbrain/work/adolescent.html

#fnB0

Stahl, C., & Fritz, N. (2002). Internet safety: adolescents’ self-report. Journal of

Adolescent Health, 31(1), 7-10.

Stanley, J., & Stanley. (2003). "Downtime" for children on the internet: Recognizing a

new form of child abuse. Family Matters (65), 22-27.

Stop It Now! (2018). Prevention tools. Retrieved March 15, 2018 from

http://www.stopitnow.org/help-guidance/prevention-tools

Strong, B., Werner-Sayad, B., De Vault, C., & Yarber, W. (2006). Human sexuality in

contemporary America. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Sun, P., Unger, J., Palmer, P., Gallaher, P., Chou, C., Baezconde-Garbanati, L., . . .

Johnson, C. (2005). Internet accessibility and usage among urban adolescents in

southern California: implications for web-based health

research. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 8(5), 441-453. doi:

10.1089/cpb.2005.8.441

Technology Wellness Center. (2018). Acronyms parents should know. Retrieved March

12, 2018 from https://www.technologywellnesscenter.com/blog/texting-

acronyms-parents-know/

The US Department of Justice. (2018). Project Safe Childhood. Retrieved April 3, 2018

from https://www.justice.gov/psc/about-project-safe-childhood

The US Department of Justice NSOPW. (2018). Raising awareness about sexual abuse:

Facts and statistics. Retrieved March 23, 2018 from

https://www.nsopw.gov/en/Education/FactsStatistics

The Youth Online Behavior Study. (2010). The secret online lives of teens. Retrieved

March 1, 2018 from https://promos.mcafee.com/en-US/PDF/lives_of_teens.pdf

Thirty-fifth selected Bibliography on computers, technology and the law (January 2002

through December 2002). (2003). Rutgers Computer & Technology Law

Journal, 29(2), 503.

Turkle, S. (2007, May 5). Re: Can you hear me now? Retrieved March 2, 2018 from

Forbes, https://www.forbes.com/forbes/2007/0507/176.html#5511b2a07844

Valcke, M., De Wever, B., Van Keer, H., & Schellens, T. (2011). Long-term study of

safe internet use of young children. Computers & Education, 57(1), 1292-1305.

doi: 10.1016/j.compedu.2011.01.010

Valentine, Christopher. (2013). Online sexual solicitation: The role and responsibility of

parents and school psychologists. Communique, 41(5), 1, 18-22.

Web crawler. (2018). In Oxford English Dictionary. Retrieved March 10, 2018

from https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/web_crawler

https://www.webopedia.com/TERM/I/index.html

Whittle, H., Hamilton-Giachritsis, C., Beech, A., & Collings, G. (2013). A review of

online grooming: Characteristics and concerns. Aggression and Violent Behavior,

18(1), 62-70. doi: 10.1016/j.avb.2012.09.003

Whittle, H., Hamilton-Giachritsis, C., Beech, A., & Collings, G. (2013). A review of

young people's vulnerabilities to online grooming. Aggression and Violent

Behavior, 18(1), 135-146. doi: 10.1016/j.avb.2012.11.008

Wolak, J., Evans, L., Nguyen, S., & Hines, D. (2013). Online predators: Myth versus

reality. New England Journal of Public Policy, 25(1), 6. 1-11. Retrieved February

3, 2018 from https://scholarworks.umb.edu/nejpp/vol25/iss1/6/

Wolak, J., Finkelhor, D., Mitchell, K.J. (2004). Internet-initiated sex crimes against

minors: implications for prevention based on findings from a national study.

Journal of Adolescent Health, 35(5), 424–433. doi:

10.1016/j.jadohealth.2004.05.006

Wolak, J., Finkelhor, D., Mitchell, K.J., & Ybarra, M. (2008). Online "predators" and

their victims: Myths, realities, and implications for prevention and treatment.

American Psychologist, 63(2), 111-128. doi: 10.1037/0003-066x.63.2.111

World wide web. (2018). In Techopedia. Retrieved on March 12, 2018 from

https://www.techopedia.com/definition/5217/world-wide-web-www

Yalom, I., & Lezcz, M. (2005). The theory and practice of group psychotherapy

(5th ed.). New York, NY: Basic Books.

Ybarra, M., Finkelhor, D., Mitchell, K., & Wolak, J. (2009). Associations between

blocking, monitoring, and filtering software on the home computer and youth-

reported unwanted exposure to sexual material online. Child Abuse & Neglect:

The International Journal, 33(12), 857-869. doi: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2008.09.015

Young, K. (2005). Profiling online sex offenders, cyber-predators, and pedophiles.

Journal of Behavioral Profiling (5)1, 1-18. Retrieved March 1, 2018 from

http://www.netaddiction.com/articles/Pedophile.pdf

APPENDIX

A Psycho-Educational Workshop For Parents Regarding Online Threats To Children: What Parents Need To Know To Keep Their Children Safe From Sexual Predators

Created by: Lorraine Sears

Introduction

We see our children and wonder how it is they are tethered to one another through technology and wonder why we feel disconnected from that part of their lives. We wonder if we know all it is they are doing on the internet and if they are aware and safe from cyber dangers. As parents, we ask ourselves, do we know enough about technology, do we know enough about the dangers that face our children online, do we know what are children are doing on the internet and why, how do we keep our children safe online, and how do we keep our children safe from online sexual predators?

If you have any of these questions or concerns, then this workshop is meant for you!

This workshop is intended to not only answer all your questions but give you specific information and guidance to improve your internet literacy, answer what dangers lurk in cyberspace, just what online predation is and who the predator might be and what they are looking for, the impact online predatory behavior can have on your children, the signs to look for to see if your child are targeted by a predator, what puts your kids at risk, what your children are doing on and offline that you might not know about, how a predator uses risks to groom your children, and MOST important is what you can do to help keep your children safe online.

This workshop is meant to help parents reconnect with their children and work together to strengthen your parent-child relationship, improve children’s self-regulation and modify unsafe online behaviors, and boost defenses that help children reject attempts of predation that exist on and offline.

Group Format

Group Title: Online Threats to Children: What Parents Need to Know.

Group Type: Psycho-Educational Workshop to include didactic education through

interactive lecture, PowerPoint presentation and video and interactive lecture;

dissemination of informational handouts (brochure and resources); and open

forum questions and answers.

Fees: A nominal fee of $10.00 is charged via online through PayPal to cover the cost of

materials.

Participants: This workshop is open to the parents and caregivers of minor children.

Attendance: 30 persons

Frequency: The 1st Saturday of the month

Length: Eight (8) hours

Time: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm (doors open at 8:30 am and will be closed to participants after

9:30 am).

General Overview of Schedule

9:00-9:15 Presenters Introduction

Formal Introduction

Course Format

9:15-9:25 Participant Introduction

Ask Volunteer/s

Why They Joined This Group

What They Hope to Learn

9:25-9:30 Ice Breaker

Text Acronym Quiz

9:30-10:30 Information About the Problem

What is Cyber Danger

Threats to Children

Visual Aid-Video

Technological advances

What is Sexual Predation

Psychopathology

10:30-10:45 Break and Informal Discussion

10:45-11:30 Information About Online Contact

Warning Signs of Online Contact

Impact of Predation

Potential Negative Outcomes

11:30-12:00 Information About Predators

Typology

Characteristics

Motivation

12:00-12:30 Information About Victims

Typology

Statistics

Characteristics

Motivation

12:30-1:30 Lunchbreak

1:30-2:30 Information About Risk Factors

Development and the Brain

Puberty

Personal and Social Identity

2:30-3:00 Information About Child Behavior

Sexual Behavior

Internet Behavior

3:00-3:30 Information About Target and Enticement Tactics

Grooming

3:30-4:30 Information About Prevention and Intervention

Attachment

Preventive Methods

Technological

Psychoeducational

4:30-4:45 Questions and Answers

Concerns

Handouts

4:45-5:00 Closing

Breathing Exercise

Grounding

Workshop Facilitators Preparation:

Facilitators arrives at 8:00am

Prepare coffee and set out pastry

Set up computer and PowerPoint presentation

Arrange schedule, handouts, notes, pencils at tables (according to online sign-up sheet)

Set up desk at door with check in sheet and name tags for participants

Open doors at 8:30 am

Co-facilitator signs in and the facilitator greets participants

Welcome, sign in participants and give name tags

8:50 am Facilitator announces that the workshop will begin in 10 minutes and

makes sure participants know where the restrooms are.

9:00 am Facilitator and co-facilitator welcomes participants and thanks them

for coming to the workshop. Facilitators begin with introduction to

the group. Discuss workshop format, direct participants to handouts

and share their interest in workshop subject and that some of the

information may be difficult to discuss and makes certain that

participants can exit if proven too difficult. Facilitators discuss

confidentiality and hopes all can share without worry that any

personal information will leave the room. Facilitators assures

participants they are not alone and that everyone is probably a little

nervous and timid about the subject and sharing. Facilitators shares

what they hope participants leave the workshop with.

9:15 am Facilitator asks for members to look around and say hello to neighbor,

then asks one or two volunteers to share why they joined this group

what they hope to gain from attending. Facilitator allows for brief

discussion and other participants to engage.

9:25 am Facilitator directs participants to PowerPoint presentation but reminds

members that they can ask questions, get clarification, and that the

workshop is meant to be interactive with a flexible approach, and

repeats to members where the restrooms are. (Note that participants

are now group members and are learning together).

9:25 am Ice Breaker

Text Acronym Quiz (Handout)

Text Acronym Quiz

!ASL: !MOS: !F2F or FTF: !NIFOC: !GYPO: !PAW: !IWSN: !TDTM: !LMIRL: !WYCM:

Text Acronym Quiz Answers

! ASL: Age, Sex, Location? ! MOS: Mom over shoulder

! F2F or FTF: Face to Face ! NIFOC: Nude in Front of Computer

! GYPO: Get Your Pants Off ! P999: Parent Alert

! IWSN: I Want Sex Now ! TDTM: Talk Dirty to Me

! LMIRL: Let's Meet in Real Life ! WTTP: Want to Trade Pictures?

9:30-10:30 am Information About the Problem

What is Cyber Danger and Threats to Children?

Inappropriate Conduct: How predators and children behave online to include language and sharing personal information. Inappropriate Content: material that may be misleading or harmful to children including images, pornography, and violence. Inappropriate Contact: on-line (web-cam, pictures, video, movies, instant messaging) and/or offline contact attempts of solicitation to meet face-to-face for the purpose of sexual encounter.

Privacy Threat. Conduct risks online and sharing too much is risky and can lead to content risks and ultimately, to contact risks. Talking to your children about how they act and “talk” online is important and certain actions and inactions can send the wrong message and get them in trouble.

What is Cyber Danger and Threats to Children? ! Solicitation. Solicitation is when predators may make requests of a child to engage in sharing or exchanging personal sexual information, sexual talk, or sexual activities.

! Exploitation. Online exploitation are the acts/behaviors of a predator in which a child is being groomed to take sexually explicit images, engage in sexual content, meet face-to-face for sexual purposes, and/or sell or trade sexual images.

What is Cyber Danger and Threats to Children?

Video on Predation https://youtu.be/hIkFDdrnBJk

What is Cyber Danger and Threats to Children?

Sextortion. Sextortion is a relatively new form of sexual exploitation that occurs primarily online and in which coercion tactics such as blackmail or extortion are by predator to acquire sexual content, obtain money or engage in sex with the child.

Technological Advances

! Technologic advances: Some advances are the size of computer hard drives and memory, faster Internet connections and digital photography, the capacity of computers to receive, store and transmit images, marketing and advertising.

! Technology is great for education, information, communication, everybody uses it . It can be used for bad intentions too.

! The amount of people online and the information and material shared is vast and changes and grows more sophisticated every day.

Devices Children Are Using to Access the Internet

According to Cox Communication (2014) Internet safety survey: !83% Desktop !66% Gaming console !97% Mobile device. !84% Laptop !71% Smartphone !52% MP3 Player !46%Tablet !40% Handheld gaming device !28%E-reader

FACTS

According to Internet World Stats (2017) in 2017 there was over 320,000,00 internet users and 90% of children use the internet daily.

Cox Communication (2014) reports that on average children use the internet at least 4 days a week, spending more than 5 hours online.

What is Sexual Predation?

! Child Sex Abuse: any sexual act involving a child that is intended to provide sexual gratification to a parent, caregiver, or other individual who has responsibility for a child.

! Sexual abuse includes: fondling, incest, rape, sodomy, indecent exposure, forcing, tricking, enticing, threatening, or pressuring a child’s participation in acts for sexual gratification.

!FACT:

!In 2016 there was 829,000 registered sex offenders.

! Only 150,000 incarcerated

!10,000-20,000 are being released each year.

Predation and Mental Health

Predation and Mental Health ! Paraphilia: A paraphilic disorder requires the presence of urges and feelings of distress, dysfunction, and/or acting on the urges that involves another person’s psychological distress, injury, or death, or a desire for sexual behaviors involving unwilling persons or persons unable to give legal consent(APA, 2013).

! Pedophilia. 1) intense sexually arousing fantasies, urges, or behaviors involving sexual activity with a prepubescent child, typically age 13 or younger, lasting at least 6 months. 2) the urges or acting out on urges cause marked distress or interpersonal difficulty. 3) the individual must be at least 16 years old and at least 5 years older than the child victim. In addition, specifiers are utilized to determine attraction exclusively to children, non-exclusivity, gender and/or incest (APA, 2013).

Predation and Mental Health

70% of predators, especially pedophiles, are dual-diagnosed with exhibitionism or voyeurism.

Exhibition. Exhibition is defined by the individual having recurrent, intense, sexually arousing fantasies, or behaviors, involving exposing one's genitals to others without the latter's consent. sexual arousal through sexual behavior in view of third parties, known as indecent exposure (APA, 2013).

Voyeurism. Voyeurism is defined as the recurrent urge or behavior to observe an unsuspecting person naked, disrobing or engaging in sexual activities (APA, 2013).

10:30-10-:45 am Break and Informal Discussion

COFFEE BREAK!

BE BACK AT 10:45

10:45-11:30 am Information About Online Contact

Predator Typology

White middle-aged or younger clean cut and law-abiding men who blend into society and may be a pillar of the community (Dombroski et al., 2007). Common characteristics including poor social skills, low self-esteem, feelings of inadequacy, a sense of worthlessness and vulnerability, feel humiliated and lonely, see themselves as physically unattractive, or have problems with potency (Robertiello & Terry, 2007; Wolak et al., 2008). Imbalanced hormones, sexual identity/orientation, exposure to suggestive social messages of aggression, high stress level/low threshold, and accessibility to victims (CSOM, 2008) Only 5% of predators lie to children online about their age. Predators are primarily male at 82% with female predators only 9% (NCMEC, 2018).

Predator Motivation

Quayle and Taylor (2002) and Wolak et al., (2008) assert the following to be predator motivation factors for online predation: ! A means for sexual arousal ! Pornography as collectibles ! An aid in facilitating social relationship ! As a way of avoiding real life ! Seek admiration from responsive but naïve victims ! Fear of adult partners or intimacy ! Curiosity and impulsivity ! Danger and excitement ! Power and control over their victim

Predator Characteristics

Most male to female “other sex” predators are attracted to 8 to 14-year olds with whom they want immediate or delayed sexual gratification.

Male to male “same sex” predators are attracted to 10-12-year olds with whom they seek love, affection, and the purity of innocence.

Female predators are rarely reported due to the natural nurturing and maternal instincts that look appropriate coming from an older female to any youth. Often young adolescent boys find older female attention and attraction as a positive not negative experience.

Predators refer to prepubescent children as “Moppets” and adolescents as “Lolita’s”.

Victim Typology

Research shows the following statistics associated with victim types (GuardChild, 2018; Mitchell et al., 2007; NCMEC, 2017; Shulz et al., 2015): ! 1 in 4 females and 1 in 7 males will be victims ! Over 725,000 children 1in 33 are aggressively of sexual abuse prior to the age of 18. solicited. ! Females are 5 times more likely to be abused ! Predators try to make offline contact with 25% than males. of children. ! Male victims range from 10-17 years of age, ! Children whose family has low economic 26% are under 12. status have a risk 3 times higher. ! 77% of the victims of online predation are age ! Children with unemployed parents are at 3 14 or older. times greater risk. ! 20% of children 10-17 years of age will be ! Children living in a rural area have a risk 2 targets of sexual online solicitation. times more. ! The majority of victims are 13-15 years of age ! African Americans have 2 times greater risk (75% girls and 25% boys). than Caucasian and Hispanic children.

Victim Characteristics

Ayers (2007) contends that sexual predators look for specific characteristics in children they target. ! Predators target children who are passive and naive, use sexually suggestive screen names, who frequent chatrooms, and talk online to unknown people about sex. ! Predators target children with family or social problems and have history of violence or abuse are at increased risk and are more easily manipulated. ! Predators target boys who are gay or questioning their sexual orientations. ! Predators target kids who are attractive, youthful, friendly and have open dispositions.

Signs of Child Contact with Online Predator

Children may exhibit the following behavioral, social and/or emotional changes (Stop it Now, 2018): ! Increased internet use. ! Withdrawal from family and friends. ! Secrecy about online behavior ! Receipt of mysterious phone calls, and activities. mail, or packages. ! Changing of screens, closing ! Mood swings or anger. browser, clearing history. ! Agitation when can’t go online or ! Turning off computer when use phone. parents interrupt. ! Engaging in self-harming behaviors. ! Shutting door when online.

Potential Impact of Predation on Children

According to Darkness to Light (2018) children may experience the following: ! Anxiety with hypervigilance or ! Poor concentration, school attendance hyperarousal. or achievement. ! Anger or aggression. ! Eating or sleeping disturbances, ! Depression. migraines, back or stomach aches. ! Avoidance or withdrawal. ! Re-victimization, teen pregnancy, running away. ! Inability to trust or have intimacy. ! Risk alcohol or drug abuse ! Promiscuity, hypersexuality, or confused sexual identity. ! Suicidal ideation and/or attempts.

12:30-1:30 pm Lunch Break

LUNCH ENJOY!

BE BACK AT 1:30

1:30-2:30 pm Information About Risk Factors

Victim Risk Factors Children are less likely to protect themselves and fend off online predators when they lack a secure attachment to their caregiver. Children with troubled interpersonal relationships and insecure family attachments seek affection and attention from outside the family.

When children feel emotionally neglected, has experienced physical or emotional abuse, or witnessed domestic violence their ability to recognize danger, make sound judgements, and protect themselves is altered.

Children who have been sexualized or parentified can be highly sexualized and exhibit hypersexual behavior. They can feel lonely and unsure of themselves having had too much responsibility and can seek attention and comfort from someone to meet their needs.

When children live in a home with a family member developmentally challenged or disabled they may feel lonely or isolated, and seek outside attention and comfort.

Victim Risk Factors Children who reside in a household where there is any drug or alcohol abuse experience stress and anxiety, often are left without basic needs being met, and often keep secrets. They seek attention elsewhere and will keep secrets when needs are met.

When children use the Internet as a way to alleviate negativity, boredom, or escape problems they make themselves available to predators looking to manipulate and exploit.

Children and young adolescents have an interest in romance and sex and may seek information and/or sexual experiences online.

! ***Prepubescent children are less likely to respond to propositions from online child predators because they are, developmentally, less interested in relationships, sex, and romance than are adolescents.

Adolescent Angst

Adolescents Brain & Risks ! Adolescents are curious, mobile, independent, and want autonomy. They are likely to want and seek attention, validation, affection, and acceptance outside the family and often online for the excitement, the experience, and the anonymity.

! Adolescents expand their social circles and social activities to include communication with persons they are not acquainted with and/or strangers online.

! The adolescent brain is under new construction and a bit messy. It is undergoing remodeling to allow concrete and abstract thought and understanding. Therefore, they lack advanced communication skills, adequate perception of social cues, regulation of body and emotions, sound decisions and judgement, and their empathy and morality are impaired (Spinks, 2003; Siegel, 2013).

Adolescents, Puberty & Risks

Adolescents psychosexual development may make them feel more mature and confident leading to risky online behavior Whittle et al., 2013).

Hormone production comes with extreme physical changes. Boys grow in height, gain weight and muscle, have a change in voice, grow pubic and facial hair, see enlargement of genitalia, and have the ability for ejaculation/orgasm. Girls grow in height, gain weight and curves, grow pubic hair, begin menstruation, see enlargement of breasts/genitalia, have the ability to orgasm, and reproduce (Siegel, 2013).

Adolescent Socioemotional Risks

Adolescents are learning about and developing personal identity, social identity, and gender identity. They are curious and may seek to experiment online.

Adolescents are developing sexuality and orientation while traversing social norms and roles; social and peer pressure; and ideas and ideals of peers and may be easier led by peers, acquaintances, or strangers (McLeod, 2009; Whittle et al., 2013).

Adolescent Socioemotional Risks

Adolescents have emerging opinions and attitudes nudity and language. They are navigating sexual scripts and sexual roles and may look online to gain knowledge, understanding, and exploration.

Adolescents are forming morals, values and beliefs of their own, outside those of their family and explore the Internet to find persons with whom they can relate and share similar beliefs.

***Parent support is crucial in making it through this rite of passage***

2:30-3:00 pm Information About Child Behavior

Adolescent Socioemotional Risks

Adolescents have emerging opinions and attitudes nudity and language. They are navigating sexual scripts and sexual roles and may look online to gain knowledge, understanding, and exploration.

Adolescents are forming morals, values and beliefs of their own, outside those of their family and explore the Internet to find persons with whom they can relate and share similar beliefs.

***Parent support is crucial in making it through this rite of passage***

Factors of Child Sexual Behaviors: What Parents Might Not Know

Children and adolescents engage in sexual behaviors. Some sexual behaviors are healthy and normal and some should be of concern to parents. Sexual behaviors, comfort, and sexuality are all dependent on several factors (Cavanaugh,2007).

! They following play a factor in child sexual behaviors: ! Age of child and age of siblings ! The level of sexual interest ! Child living environment ! Family stress and family violence ! Family values and beliefs ! Cultural norms and attitudes regarding sex and sexuality

Child Behaviors: What Parents Might Not Know

Child Sexual Behaviors

! Normal child sexual interest and sexual exploration. Kids are curious and explore their bodies. They touch themselves and masturbate. They touch others and compare bodies. They hug and kiss each other. They lie atop each other. They play house and doctor (Cavanagh, 2007).

! It is the quality of parental responses and reactions that determine whether a child will feel humiliation, shame, or guilt. It is the quality of parental responsiveness that the child gains self-awareness, self-respect, self-worth and emotional and sexual well-being.

Adolescent Behaviors: What Parents Might Not Know

Adolescent Sexual Behaviors

Enough is Enough (2016) and Pew Research Center’s (2018) statistical data of of adolescent behaviors include: ! 40-85% of children will engage in some sexual behavior prior to 13. ! 30% of girls and 32% of boys had intercourse before age 17. ! 50% of teenagers aged 15-19 have already engaged in oral sex. ! 25% of those who have never had sexual intercourse.

! DON’T underestimate children’s need for information and interest in sex related discussions. Kids are forced to look to outside sources to gain knowledge when it is not available in a family.

32% they intentionally hide what they do from 8% disable filtering/monitoring software parents

29% minimize the browser

Internet Behaviors of 20% use a private browser Children

29% delete messages

46% clear history

What Are Children Doing Online? Children who are looking for information disclosed less personal information online and children who are looking for socialization disclose more personal information online. According to the Youth Online Behavior Study (2010) and Cox Communication online safety research (2014) children have a secret life online.

75% of children are willing to disclose personal information online 42% said they have posted personal information online 54% frequently have private conversations with online strangers 27% said they have talked with an online stranger about sex 30% reported that they have talked with a cyber-stranger about meeting in person 12% gave their cell phone number to someone they met online 14% share their passwords with friends 39% report sending sexually suggestive messages 20% have engaged in sexting

Sexting, Cybering and Cybersex

Sexting: Children are taking suggestive, provocative and sexual photos and videos of themselves to purposely share with their partners, friends and acquaintances.

Cybering/Cybersex: Children are also partaking in sexual communications via text.

What is the motivation?: To attract potential romantic partners, to satisfy existing partners, to delay sexual relations with existing partners, to attract attention, to show off their bodies, to act out and for entertainment. Girls tend to engage in these online activities for validation and do not perceive it as exploitation.

3:00-3:30 pm Information About Target and Enticement Tactics

Predator Target and Enticement Tactics Grooming Process Predators spend time and energy in grooming process. Grooming may involve compliments or flattery. Predators may give gifts or money. They may make elaborate promises. They may involve the victim in sexualized games. Predators may use coercion or threats (Enough is Enough, 2013; Whittle et al., 2013).

Grooming Process

First, predators build trust by listening, sympathizing and showing concern. Predators pretend to be understanding and affirming. Predators learn hobbies and interests of children. They know the lingo and language. They show exuberance.

Second, predators use sexual content. They ask about the victim’s body. They talk about sex. They send pictures and sexual material.

Third, they request and try to secure offline contact. They may have contact by phone and/or in phone for the expressed intention of a sexual encounter.

3:30-4:30 pm Information About Prevention and Intervention

Prevention Attachment Early secure attachment appears to have a lasting protective function and acts as a model for future social relationships (Bowlby, 1969).

Disruptions to attachment can have adverse effects on socioemotional development and put children at greater risk.

Attachment

Attachment theory explains how the parent-child relationship emerges and influences subsequent development and relationships (McLeod, 2009).

Attachment is an important factor on development and is correlated with socioemotional functioning and psychological well-being (Bowlby, 1969).

Young children 7-11 years of age have degrees of independence while maintaining communication and supervision with caregiver (Bowlby, 1969).

Adolescents need parental figures to avail themselves when needed as adolescents make excursions to explore the world (Lwin et al., 2008).

Preventative Methods

According to Valentine (2013) the most effective preventative strategies that can be initiated to keep kids safe online are those of Dombrowski et al. (2004; 2007) to include technological measures and psychoeducational measures. ! Technological Measures !Install a personal firewall !Encrypt the wireless network !Install privacy/filtering software !Install antivirus software !Use key and chat logging !Track application usage and monitor browser history !Turn off geolocation that pinpoints user location.

Preventative Methods ! Psychoeducational Measures !Learn about all the devices children use to connect to the Internet; !Discuss benefits and dangers of the Internet !Specifically discuss dynamics of online relationships !Discuss short and long-term impacts/consequences !Discuss unsafe online behavior and the short and long-term effects; !Have open discussions and frank dialogue about developmental issues !Supervise Internet friends and review friend list !Co-view with children sites they visit; !Pause before posting; !Monitor Internet screen names, internet use and history !Create a parent-child contract; !Place home computers in general area of home !Encourage reporting and contact authorities, if necessary

Healthy Habits

Healthy Parental Habits Healthy Technology Habits ! Communicate and mediate ! Monitor child access, use, time, location, ! Be aware and keep a look out and set parameters ! Learn and gain knowledge ! Learn technological dialogue ! Use transparency ! Learn the meaning of text acronyms ! Delay gratification ! Use parental controls and filters ! Instill buddy list ! Model, teach and demonstrate healthy technological behaviors ! Make a contract ! Don’t disclose personal information online ! Show empathy/Keep an open mind (name, age, address, cell phone, school…)

Communication There is no substitute for communication. Talk to your kids. Initiate conversations. The best way to protect your kids online is to talk to them. When children want important information, most go to their parents. Children value the opinions of their peers, but tend to rely on their parents for help on the issues that matter most. Be open and honest, supportive and positive. Listen, and allow feelings and emotions from your child and yourself. You do not have to agree. Share your values and your beliefs and reasons about decision making, so your kids can learn to make thoughtful decisions for themselves. Most important: Be patient and be persistent. Repeat yourself so it sinks in. Don’t drill it in. You want your kids to keep coming back to you when needed.

Communication

! Start early. As soon as your child is using a computer, a cell phone, or any mobile device, it's time to talk to them about online behavior, safety, and security. ! Tweens (8-12). Tweens start exploring on their own. They need to feel independent but they need to be monitored,. Be near them for support and guidance when online. ! Teens. Teens seek more autonomy and take on values of peers and seek more independence from parents. They are learning to exercise judgment but need the safety net of parents assessable when they are unable to navigate issues on their own.

Handy Hints For Your Kids and Recap

• Never post your full name, cell phone number, address, or the name of your school. • Never give out your password to anyone other than your parent or guardian. • Only add people as friends to your site if you know them in person. • Never set up an in-person meeting with anyone you "met" online. • Never do a "Let's meet in real life" (LMIRL). If you do take a chance and set up a face-to-face meeting, it should be in public with hidden back up nearby. • Think before posting your photos. Personal photos should not have revealing information, such as license plate numbers or street signs. • Never post sexually provocative photos of yourself or your friends. • Check the privacy settings of the social networking sites that you use. • If you are not sure if you should post it- Don’t! If you are embarrassed by posting it- Stop! Don’t!

Parents Keep the Faith! Don’t Give Up and Don’t Give In!

Your children need you even when they don’t act like it! Especially when they don’t act like it!

Keep talking. They hear you!

4:30-4:45 pm Questions and Answers

Questions & Answers

! Questions ! Concerns !Open up to workshop members

4:45-5:00 pm Closing

Closing Exercise

This has been a intensive workshop with a difficult subject matter and materials. Let’s take the last few minutes to get grounded, breathe and mediate! !Grounding: Place your feet on the floor shoulder distance apart, put your hands at your sides or placed gently on the top of your thighs, and breathe.

!Breathing: Everyone take a deep breathe, feel it in your stomach-your tummy should be pushed out. Hold your breathe for 5 seconds and release slowly. Let’s repeat three times. (Facilitator/instructor demonstrates).

!Meditate: Let’s sit quietly for 2 minutes, focus on your breathe, say a mantra to yourself, or just let your mind wander. There is no wrong way to meditate….

Thank you all for coming. I hope you have had your questions answered and received new information. It was our goal for you to have gained a better understanding of your children and the problem, and that you leave here with methods to help keep your children safe online.

Don’t forget your handouts for easy reference. Drive safely!

Please feel free to come up and talk to us. We have contact information up front, and would love to have you sign up for email correspondence.

Resources

RAINN: to report unwanted sexual communication. https://www.rainn.org

CyberTip (NCMEC): to report an incident of online enticement, exploitation or CSA. 24 hour hotline. www.cybertipline.org childrenonline.org: Workshops, research and tools for parents and schools with practical real-life solutions to the issues faced by young people online. netsmartz.org: Interactive, educational safety resource from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children® and Boys & Girls Clubs of America for children, aged 5-17, parents, guardians, educators, and law enforcement. protectkids.com: Practical advice on internet dangers, including pornography and sexual predators.

5:00-5:20 pm Facilitator and co-facilitator stay at front of room near door to

answer closing questions and listen to closing remarks; have

participants sign up for email correspondence; hand out business

cards, resources sheets, and say goodbye to participants.

Workshop Facilitators Disassemble:

Facilitators break down sign up table at 5:20 pm

Clean up coffee, coffee cups

Close down computer and turn off power (make sure you have thumb drive if PowerPoint was presented from this storage device)

Gather schedule, handouts, notes, pencils, etc. from tables;

Close and lock doors at 5:30 pm

Handouts

Text Acronym Quiz

Did you know your kids have secret text slang? As parents, we want to protect our kids, but it's not easy when we have no idea what they are saying. Can you guess what these text acronyms stand for? It might help you navigate through the dangers of the tech world and keep your kids safe.

ASL: ______

F2F or FTF: ______

GYPO: ______

IWSN: ______

LMIRL: ______

MOS: ______

NIFOC: ______

P999: ______

TDTM: ______

WTTP: ______

Texting Acronyms Parents Should Know

It is suggested that you view your child’s texts to ensure that your child/ren are using appropriate and safe online behavior. To better understand the content of texts we have provided a small list of acronyms children/predators often use to keep others from deciphering what it is they are saying. These acronyms deal with sexual talk, drug talk, and suicide talk. If you find these types of texts on your children’s device, we strongly encourage you to start a conversation about the content of the text and the texting acronyms. Don’t be judgmental. Just open to listening.

To review 1000’s of text acronyms visit: Abbreviations.com https://www.abbreviations.com/acronyms/SMS/99999

1174: Invited to wild party 182: I hate you 4/20: Marijuana BROKEN: Hungover CD9: Parents are nearby CU46: See you for sex DOC: Drug of choice GNOC: Get naked on camera GYPO: Get your pants off KMS: Kill myself KPC: Keeping parents clueless KYS: Kill yourself LH6: Lets have sex LMIRL: Let’s meet in real life NIFOC: Nude in front of camera PAL: Parents are listening PAW: Parents are watching PIR: Parents in room POS: Parents over shoulder (parents are sometimes substituted for M for mom, D/F for dad/father). S2R: Send to receive (pictures/videos) S35: Sex SugarPIK: Suggestive or erotic picture TDTM: Talk dirty to me WTTP: Want to trade pictures

Synthesis of Meta-Analysis on CSA Victim and Predatory Statistics

Behaviors Number/ Victim Victim Predator Predator Months Percentage Gender Age Gender Age Years

Internet Users >320 M Both 8-17 6/2017 88.1% Online Profiles 72% Both 13-17 Daily Use/Time >5.3 hours Both 13-17 Predators Online D 500,000 Both 8-17 Both 19-75 Targets 78% Female 15 Both 35-50 13% Male 10-13 Both 19-75 Solicitation 1 in 5 Male 10-17 82% Male 1 in 3 Female Aggressive Solicitation 1 in 33 Both Both 80% Male Pretense of Older Age 5% Both 10-12 Child Abuse/ >11,000 Both Pornography Domains 58% in US Pornographic 54% Both Distribution via Cell Phones Pornographic Receipt 34% Both 13-17 Both Pornography Viewing 4 of 5 Both 8-16 Unsafe, Inappropriate 58% Male 13-17 Activities/Usage 70% Female Willingness to Share 26% Both 10-12 Both Personal Information. 75% 13-17 Willingness to Meet 18% Both 13-17 Both Offline Sexting 1 in 5 Both 14-17 Sent to 1 in 10 Stranger 37% Female 40% Male Sent Nude Photo/Video 20% Both 13-17 28% Female Feelings of Fear 4% Both 10-19 Both Reported Offenses 25-38% Both 10-17 Male Online Predator 150,000/ Both Annually Incarceration/Releases 10,000 Registered Sex Offenders 750,000 2017 Synthesized from {CSOM (2008), Cox Communication (2014), Darkness to Light (2018), Enough is Enough (2013; 2018), GuardChild (2018), Internet World Stats (2017), Parents for Megan’s Law and The Crime Victims Center (2017); Sentry PC (2018)}.

Online Threats to Children: What Parents Prevention: The key to prevention is a secure attachment with your children and communication. Need to Know to Keep Kids Safe from Online Sexual Predators: Healthy Technology Habits Solicitation: requests of a child to share or !! Monitor child access, use, time, location and parameters exchange personal sexual information, sexual talk, !! or sexual activities. Learn tech dialogue !! Learn text acronyms !! Exploitation: a child is being groomed to take Assess tech habits !! sexually explicit images, engage in sexual content, Use parental controls !! Minimize use or meet face-to-face for sexual purposes. Sextortion: coercion, blackmail or extortion by !! Model, teach and demonstrate !! Don’t post pictures showing address, license plate, predator to acquire sexual content, obtain money or Signs of Contact with Online Predator: engage in sex with the child. street signs or schools. !! Increased internet use and secrecy Pornography: any visual depiction (photograph, !! Changing of screens/closing browser film, video, picture or computer/computer- Healthy Parental Habits !! Clearing history or turning off !! generated image), of sexually explicit conduct, Communicate and mediate computer !! Be aware and keep a look out involving a minor. !! Shutting door when online !! Learn and gain knowledge Privacy: sharing too much personal information 99 !! Withdrawal from family and friends !! Use transparency online that may lead to danger (age, name, address). !! Receives mysterious calls, mail, or Sexting: sharing suggestive, provocative and sexual !! Delay gratification packages. !! photos and videos of themselves. Instill buddy list !! Mood swings or anger or agitation !! Internet Use and Devices: Make a contract when can’t go online or use phone. !! Balance

90% of children use the internet at least 4 day a !! Show empathy/Keep an open mind Grooming: Predators build trust by listening, week, for 5 hours a day. sympathizing, caring, being concerned, !! 83% Desktop Helpful Resources understanding and affirming. Predators learn !! RAINN: to report unwanted sexual communication. !! 66% Gaming console hobbies, interests, know the lingo and https://www.rainn.org !! 97% Mobile device language, and show exuberance; followed by !! CyberTip (NCMEC): to report online !! 84% Laptop sexual content: asking about the victim’s enticement/exploitation 24-hour hotline. !! 71% Smartphone body, talking about sex, sending pictures and www.cybertipline.org !! 52% MP3 Player material; and finally, requesting and securing !! childrenonline.org: Workshops, research and tools !! 46%Tablet offline contact: via phone and in person for the for parents with practical real-life solutions to online !! 40% Handheld gaming device expressed intention of a sexual encounter. issues faced by kids. !! 28%E-reader !! netsmartz.org: Interactive, educational safety resource for children and parents. !! protectkids.com: Practical advice on internet dangers, including pornography and sexual predators.

References

Abbreviations.com. (2018) Text acronyms. Retrieved April 1, 2018 from

https://www.abbreviations.com/acronyms/SMS/99999

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental

Disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC.

Ayers, L. (2007). How to protect kids from child molesters. Guilderland, NY:

Appledorn.

Baghurst, T., Alexander, R., & Tapps, T. (2014). Ways to protect students from online

predators. Academic Exchange Quarterly 18 (1), 1-8. Retrieved August 7, 2017

from http://rapidintellect.com/AEQweb/t5414v4.pdf

Bowlby J. (1969). Attachment and loss. New York, NY: Basic Books.

Cavanagh-Johnson, T. (2007). Understanding children’s sexual behaviors: What’s

natural and healthy. San Diego, CA: Institute on Violence, Abuse and Trauma.

Center for Sex Offender Management. (2008). Fact sheet: What you need to know about

sex offenders. Retrieved March 3, 2018 from

http://www.csom.org/pubs/needtoknow_fs.pdf

Choo, K. (2009). Responding to online child sexual grooming: An industry

perspective. Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, (379), 1-6.

Cox Communication. (2014). Cox communications online safety research report.

Retrieved February 3, 2018 from

https://www.cox.com/content/dam/cox/aboutus/documents/Cox-Comm-Teen-

Online-Safety-Survey2013-2014.pdf

100

Darkness to Light. (2018). Child sexual abuse statistics. Retrieved March 20, 2018 from

https://www.d2l.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/all_statistics_20150619.pdf

Dombrowski, S. C., LeMasney, J. W., Ahia, C. E., & Dickson, S. A. (2004). Protecting

children from online sexual predators: Technological, psychoeducational, and

legal considerations. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 35(1), 65-

73. doi:10.1037/0735-7028.35.1.65

Dombrowski, S., Gischlar, K., & Durst, T. (2007). Safeguarding young people from

cyber pornography and cyber sexual predation: A major dilemma of the internet.

Child Abuse Review, 16(3), 153-170. doi:10.1002/car.939

Enough is Enough (2016). Making the internet safe for children and families. statistics by

category: online parenting, sexual predators/exploitation/child pornography;

internet safety. Retrieved February 21, 2018 from

http://www.enough.org/statistics

Federal Trade Commission. Consumer Information. (2018). Protecting kids online.

Retrieved February 18, 2018 from https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/features/feature-

0004-net-cetera-chatting-kids-about-being-online

Federal Trade Commission. Consumer Information. (2018). Chatting with kids about

being online. Retrieved February 18, 2018 from

https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/topics/protecting-kids-online

Fletcher, B. (2012, September 3). Internet Safety/Online Predators. [Video file].

Retrieved April 2, 2018 from

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIkFDdrnBJk&feature=youtu.be

101

GuardChild. (2018). Internet crime and abuse statistics. Retrieved March 3, 2018 from

https://www.guardchild.com/statistics/

GuardChild. (2018). Teenage sexting statistics. Retrieved March 3, 2018 from

https://www.guardchild.com/teenage-sexting-statistics/

Henry, T. (2008). Preventing online sexual exploitation of teens. Michigan Citizen,

30(52), A5.

[Image of 500,000 predators]. (2016). Retrieved April 2, 2018 from

https://www.slideshare.net/TeenSafe/how-online-predators-threaten-our-children

[Image cartoon of daughter and father]. (2018). Retrieved April 2, 2018 from

http://www.positive-parenting-skills.net/verbal-and-nonverbal-

communication.html

[Image of misbehavior in cyber places]. (2013). Retrieved April 2, 2018 from

http://misbehaviorincyberplaces.tumblr.com/

[Image of online predators]. (2017). Retrieved April 2, 2018 from

https://www.drjohnrich.com/protecting-children-from-online-predators/

[Image of social media]. Retrieved April 2, 2018 from

http://www.uz.ac.zw/index.php/news/uz-main-news/1111-call-for-papers-

international-conference-on-social-media

Internet World Stats. (2017). Internet usage statistics for all the Americas. Retrieved

February 19, 2018 from https://internetworldstats.com/stats2.htm

Lwin, M. O., Miyazaki, A. D., Andrea J.S. Stanaland, & Lee, E. (2012). Online usage

motive and information disclosure for preteen children. Young Consumers, 13(4),

345-356. doi: 10.1108/17473611211282590.

102