Recognizing Sexual Predators, Offline and On


As mentioned earlier in this book, sexual predators can "look" like anyone. They can be strangers or people who know you; they might approach your children on their way home from school or while playing in the neighborhood, or befriend them online. Some predators who already know your children use the Internet as a way to make additional contact with them so they can build a "special" bond without you realizing just how much interaction they're having.

Just as you keep an eye on who interacts with your children offline, it's important to have a clear sense of who is contacting your children online, and to be mindful of any changes in their behavior and how they respond to the adults with whom they have contact.

Recognizing predators and predatory behaviors can be complicated, but a great deal of research has been conducted on this topic, and there are many good resources available that can help you. Here are some Web sites to start with: http://beachildshero.com/traits.htm and www.kimberlyscottage.org/obsessed.html. A good book to reference is Protecting Your Children From Sexual Predators by Leigh Baker. You can find additional resources in the back of this book.

You should have an understanding of predatory behaviors, and you should use technology to help you monitor and manage who has access to your children online, and how frequently they are conversing. You can find more information about available tools in "Technology Toolkit" in Part Four of this book. These tools cannot replace your vigilance, but they can go a long way toward providing a safer environment.



Look Both Ways. Help Protect Your Family on the Internet
Look Both Ways: Help Protect Your Family on the Internet
ISBN: 0735623473
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2004
Pages: 157
Authors: Linda Criddle

flylib.com © 2008-2017.
If you may any questions please contact us: flylib@qtcs.net