The creation of the internet has made communication with family, friends, and even strangers incredibly accessible. In this day and age where our culture is dominated by the online world, it is clear how easy it can be for predators to find their way into a teenager’s unsuspecting life. Although the Internet is a great tool, which has vastly expanded the way we are able to think, not all interactions online are positive and in fact some can be extremely dangerous.
Social media has made anyone capable of being able to create an online profile. These profiles, whether real or fabricated, can reach almost anyone on a given site, making privacy hard to find. A lot of people do not understand that regardless of privacy settings a social media site has to offer, it is still possible for a predator to reach you. Neverthless, you shouild be aware of how to control these settings online.
These predators use your profiles to their advantage. For example, according to the Journal of Adolescent Health, in 82 percent of sex crimes against minors via the internet, the offender used the victim’s social networking site to gain information about the victim’s dislikes and likes. 65 percent of online predators used the victim’s social networking site to gain school and home information about the victim.
Another statistic, supported by the Girl Scout foundation, reported that in 100 percent of reported sexual offender cases, the victim has gone willinging to meet with the predator. In the United States there have been 799,041 sexual offenders reported. Frighteningly enough, the official National Sex Offender Public Website has shown that only 30 percent of sexual assault cases are reported.
Because of this terrifying reality, it is important that people take precautions to not only secure their identity, but also to ensure their safety. It is important for teenagers to avoid engaging in risky behaviors, as this will increase the likelihood of receiving an online sexual solicitation.
For example, young adults should avoid posting personal information on social media, interacting with strangers online, and also refrain from adding strangers to their friend lists, sending personal information to these strangers, talking about explicit subjects with strangers, and visiting x-rated sites. It is also important to note, according to the Official National Sex Offender Public Website, that the most common encounters with sexual predators occur via chat room and instant messaging.
According to the FBI, sexual predators are not always catfish trying to pose as a younger teenager and in fact in most cases are completely truthful about their age. Because of this misconception, many people do not realize that not all sexual predators achieve their goals through deceptive means.
Many offenders are able to manipulate their victims by promising them money or some kind of reward in exchange for their sexual acts. Therefore, it is important for teenagers to realize that there are smarter ways to get what they want, those which do not involve dangerous and/or illegal acts.
All in all, it is important for young adults to be careful online, especially regarding the content of their posts. A seemingly innocent status update could turn into a nightmare, in which a sexual offender acts against you. Internet use is a privilege, and it should not be taken lightly.