cyber predators part 4

Cyber Predators
Who are cyber predators?
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Cyber predators are people who use the Internet
for the sole purpose of finding victims to inflict
harm.
Cyber predators can be any age and either sex.
Cyber predators use a technique called grooming
to allure their victims.
Grooming is a very purposeful, methodic and
patient process cloaked in kindness and
empathy.
Ofir’s story
•Very techsavvy
•Frequent chat
room visitor
•Came from a
close family
Ofir’s story
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Ofir was 16-year-old who met a 20-yearold girl online. They developed an online
friendship. The relationship moved from
chat rooms to e-mail, IM, and talking
regularly on the telephone. His cyberfriend even sent him her photo in an email.
Sensing an opportunity to develop a
genuine friendship, Ofir decided to go to
the movies with his new “cyber friend” so
that they could get to know each other
offline.
The young woman met him as planned.
What Ofir didn’t know is that he had been
set up. He was ambushed, shot and killed–
a victim of a hate crime.
Ofir’s case shows that…
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Boys are as likely as girls
to be targeted by
predators.
Predators don’t care
about the sex of their
victim. They are just
looking for victims.
Predators take advantage of the
natural curiosity of children.
http://www.tubechop.com/watch/65332
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scggT_Yt5wE&NR=1
The Grooming process
S.I.T.S.
SIMILAR INTERESTS
TRUST
SECRECY
The grooming process: Stage one
Non-threatening, friendly,
comforting, familiar
Systematically pretends to have
common interests
Disguises true identify and motive
Collects information about the child
from profile and chat room
conversations
The Grooming Process: Step two
Supports child’s point of view
regarding conflicts
Systematically exploits family,
school , and/or social friction
Acts like the only person who
understands the child
Becomes a chat and IM
“buddy”
The Grooming Process: Step
three: Establishes secrecy
Exchange of e-mail, addresses and phone
numbers
Parents are kept in the dark
Adult-oriented materials and language use
Child encourage to get secret account or
to delete chat information because “no
one” will understand their relationship
The Grooming Process: Step four
Erodes barriers
Frequent adult-oriented
conversations
Adult “experiences” encouraged(may
request suggestive pictures of child)
Natural curiosity of child exploited
Personal inhibitions desensitized
The Grooming Process: Step five
Direct intimidation
Child’s emotional distance
from parents increasing
Can be blackmailed easily
Threats of violence or
public humiliation
Child feels increasingly
powerless
Final stage: Face to face meeting
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Not all predators use the
entire grooming process
Juveniles make 48% of
aggressive solicitations
Females make 25% of
aggressive solicitations
Often times victims
meet the predator
willingly
Where grooming starts:
Grooming
Instant messages
83%
Solicitations in
chat rooms
17%
Who visits chat rooms? According to
a 2003-2004 survey by I-Safe of over
18,000 students:
Who posts photos online? According
to a 2003-2004 survey by I-Safe of
over 18,000 students:
So what are the signs that parents
should look for?
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A child that no longer
communicates to their
parents what they are
doing online
Minimizing of screens
when parent is in room
Unexplained phone calls
and absences
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A child who feels his/her
online friends
understand him/her
better than anyone else
Tips for parents
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Keep the computer in a
common area(not in the
child’s room)
Know your child’s passwords
Establish an AUP(Acceptable
Use Policy) for what is
acceptable online behavior
Know all of the people on
your child’s contact
information(friends list)
Identifying information must
be kept private
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Insist that all solicitations must be
reported to an adult
If your child comes to you with a
solicitations, do not blame the
child for this. Kids often don’t tell
their parents what they are doing
online because they are afraid that
they will have certain privileges
taken away. They have to know
when they make reports that it is
the appropriate thing to do and
that it is the PREDATOR who was
wrong.