Once you have determined that something inappropriate has happened, you need to take action. Immediately stop any avenue of contact your child has with the predator, and take steps to report the problem to the appropriate authorities. Why People Don't Report AbuseThere are many reasons why people of any age don't report abuse. The abuse might have been too traumatic for them to deal with; they might distrust the authorities; they might be afraid of reprisals to themselves or other family members. It might be a family member who was the abuser. Parents might feel that they and their child have already been through enough and are not strong enough to face a long, drawn-out legal battle, or they simply want to keep their family out of the headlines or courts. For whatever reason, people often opt to simply try to block the predator from any contact and potential for harm and leave it at that. Only the individual or family can weigh the factors and make this call, and should you find yourself in this situation, you might well want to consider getting counseling or advice about your choices. This should be available as a free service through crisis centers, a school counselor, or your pediatrician. Find Out More You can also contact the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) at www.missingkids.com for advice, information, and to report abuse. Why You Should Report AbusesOnly you and your child can decide the right course of action. But when abuse is not reported, you leave the predator loose on the Internet and streets where they are likely to do the same things to countless other families, whether their abuse is harassment, fraud, or sexual in nature. Think About It Data from the NCMEC (National Center for Missing & Exploited Children) indicates that in the United States 25 percent of girls and 20 percent of boys are sexually exploited before they are 18. This means that sexual abuse is a preventable disease that strikes 22 percent of our children. It cripples their bodies, their minds, and their souls. This scourge is not an Internet phenomenon, but the Internet is a powerful tool used by predators to find and abuse new victims.
Where to Report AbuseIf you or someone in your family has been the victim of online abuse, either through a financial scam, fraud, or harassment of some type, what do you do? Once you've made the decision to report the abuse, how do you go about it? There are several options, depending on the situation. In the United States you can
Think About It If you know about a child who is in immediate risk or danger, call local law enforcement. If you have any information about a missing child, call 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678). Find Support After Your ReportDon't forget to take care of yourself and your family after reporting abuse. After the anxiety of worrying about your loved one, as well as the stress of finding your way through the reporting process, you might all need support. You need to know you are not alone. You can contact local crisis centers for 24-hour telephone assistance. Or visit the Web sites of the following organizations to get information and support for victims of online abuse, as well as additional reporting resources:
Additional sites worth visiting are
Find Out More Be sure to check out "Helpful Web Resources for Internet Safety" in Part Four of this book for more helpful Web sites related to safety online. |