Signs that Your Child Might be at Risk Online
We are all so busy these days, it can be difficult to keep up with it all. When we have children, we need to really pay attention to the things that might be going on under the surface. It is pretty easy to tell if they are sick, but how can we tell that they might be heading for trouble online?
According to A Parent's Guide to Internet Safety, an FBI publication, here are seven things to look for:
*Your child spends a lot of time on the Internet, especially at night.*You find pornography on your child's computer.
*Your child is getting phone calls from men you don't know or is making phone calls, maybe long distance, and you don't recognize the numbers.
*Your child is getting mail, gifts, and packages from someone you don't know.
*Your child quickly changes the computer screen or turns off the monitor when you come into the room.
*Your child withdraws from the family.
*Your child is using an online account belonging to someone else.
Most importantly, keep open and honest communications with your child. It can be difficult to discuss certain topics or get them to talk to you, but it is certainly worth the effort. Stress that you love them, and that you are just trying to help them be safe.
The problem is all around us, even if we choose to believe otherwise. I was very disturbed during the recent Internet safety presentation I attended when the large screen in front of us filled with pictures of local registered sex offenders. The detective from our major crimes unit gave us a few details about how they were apprehended. It was like an episode of SVU.
Discussion followed. Questions were asked about these people living in our neighborhoods. We were reminded that the ones known by law enforcement were not the ones to be most worried about.
An article in my local newspaper last July reported a 24 year-old man who was extradited from Canada to face charges of sex assault on children and Internet luring. It is believed he contacted his victims on the Internet and travelled to Larimer County, Colorado to assault them.
A friend of mine who works in a school nurse’s office overheard two 13 year-old girls texting a supposed 13 year-old stranger on their phones. Did she intervene? Yes, she did. My friend talked to the girls, warned them about the danger they may be in, and reported the incident to school authorities.
We can’t ignore what’s happening. Our children need our help.
So, maybe your child's habits on the computer have made you suspicious, and you have that tight feeling in your stomach. How do you find out if you are right?
As I keep stressing, talking to them, openly and honestly, is always important. Make sure they know you are trying to help. Don't be judgmental about it. If they fell into a deep hole, getting them out of there would be the top priority, not the hows or whys of the whole thing. Still, they won't talk. You can tell they're uncomfortable, but they won't tell you why.
If, like many parents, you aren't a computer expert, you may need a little help. Enlist the help of a friend, coworker, relative, anyone who knows how to look for computer content. If you find pornography, or if you find sexual communications, your child may be in trouble.
The FBI says to immediately contact your local or state law enforcement agency, the FBI, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children if:
1. Your child or anyone in the household has received child pornography.? 2. Your child has been sexually solicited by someone who knows that you child is under 18 years of age.? 3. Your child has received sexually explicit images from someone that knows you child is under the age of 18.? 4. In any of these instances, keep the computer turned off to preserve evidence. Do not copy anything unless told to do so by the law.
If someone you don't know is calling your child,use caller ID. Your phone company can assist you in blocking unwanted calls if they are anonymously calling. If your child is making suspicious phone calls, find out from your phone company how to track these calls.
Monitor your child's activity online. Know where they go. Get advice from law enforcement on how to do this if you don't know. I have a free copy of ComputerCOP monitoring software I got from local police. I scanned my computer this morning. It took about a half hour. Very thorough.
If you have the feeling your child is in trouble, don't wait. If you don't know where to start, get help and advice from law enforcement.
