Online Exploitation: What to Watch For

Warning signs to watch for

The Internet is such a great tool, it is easy to overlook the potential dangers it can pose.  These include exposing children and youth to unsuitable/offensive materials, and making them accessible to adults who want to exploit them, and go online to find vulnerable young people.

Online child sexual exploitation is a serious problem.  Approximately 1 in 5 children is sexually solicited online.[1] 

For young people, the Internet is an incredible social tool. Chat rooms and Instant Messaging are very popular, but they are places where abusers may lurk, and might lie about who they are.  Predators can adopt a false young identity, strike up friendships with children or youth and then attempt to meet them in person. 

Experts note that predators are not always older. Often, they are peers.

Identifying offenders can be very difficult even when the child does report the incident to parents and/or police. The exploiter may have lied about everything, including their age, gender, location and reasons for contact.

Luring

The term “luring” can mean a variety of activities — enticing a child or youth to reveal personal details about themselves and family members; to send photos; even to meet, usually in a different city or country. Sending photos over the Internet is potentially risky because an exploiter can intercept the photos and cut and paste the child’s image into a pornographic photo and then distribute it.

Internet exploitation typically starts in a friendly, non-threatening way, and the trust of a young person is gained. This process may take place in a single interaction or over a period of weeks or months.

Children and Youth at Risk

Some children and youth are more vulnerable than others.[2]  Some traits include:

• emotionally immature, naive or curious
• shy
• desperate to be in an intimate relationship
• impulsive
• low self-esteem or peer problems
• troubled or depressed
• strong respect for adult status
• experienced prior maltreatment
• willing to cooperate for a desired reward

Female:  According to Cybertip.ca’s reported cases, 95% (18) of the identified victims of luring reports were female and the average age of the female victim was 13 years.

Are there warning signs I can watch for?[3]

• Your child spends large amounts of time online, especially at night, and doesn't want to tell you who s/he is talking to or doing.
• You find pornography on your child's computer.
• Your child receives phone calls from adults you don't know or is making calls, sometimes long distance, to numbers you don't recognize.
• Your child asks for a web camera or moves the web camera to a more private location.
• Your child receives mail, gifts, or packages from someone you don't know.
• Your child turns the computer monitor off or quickly changes the screen when you come into the room.
• Your child becomes withdrawn from the family.
• Your child is using an online account belonging to someone else.

What should you do if you suspect your child is communicating with a sexual predator online?
If you come across child pornography online, believe someone is attempting to lure a child for sexual purposes/commit some other sexual offence against a child, you should: 

• Talk immediately, calmly and frankly to your child in a supportive, non-angry way;
• Submit a report to cybertip.ca by visiting www.cybertip.ca and filling out an online reporting form or calling a toll free number (1-866-658-9022). cybertip.ca analysts are available 24 hours a day, 7 days per week to accept calls from those who require direct assistance;
• Contact your local police;
• Report these incidents to your Internet Service Provider (ISP).

[3]  http://www.fbi.gov/publications/pguide/pguidee.htm

Posted October 5, 2006