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The internet has given child predators a new platform to harass children and lurethem into danger, said Dittrich. It is critical that parents be more vigilant nowthen ever before as child predators have become more sophisticated and dangerous inapproaching children.
Dittrich s tips are:
1. Monitor all computer activity, not just social networks: Most internet providersare giving parents extensive avenues to monitor all activity by their children.Some, like AOL, will provide instant emails to parents with a list of web sitesvisited.
2. Ask yourself, What is the benefit of my 12-year old having a MySpace page? Theanswer should be none. There is absolutely no productive or positive outcome foranyone under the age of 18 to engage in social networking. The negatives, however,are endless. They are subjected to harassment, sexual predators, and negativecriticism for starters.
3. Pay attention to conversations taking place on the network.If your child is engaged in conversation with a person who claims to be a fellowteenager (someone your child has never met), use common sense when reading theirconversations. Do their language, slang, and grammar reflect what a typical teenwould say and write? Do they write and speak overly proper, like an educated adultwould? Most pedophiles are educated to an extent.
4. Learn your way around the social networking sitesYou can t monitor your child s activities or cyber conversations if you don t evenknow how to turn on a computer. Take a quick class or have someone show you. Learnyour way through the sites and you will be able to quickly access your child sactivities.
5. Don t rely on local law enforcement when confronted with a predator.Local law enforcement isn t equipped to track out of state offenders on socialnetworks, and federal law enforcement is having a difficult time keeping up withthem. Networks, like MySpace, are now providing complaint forms to perform their owninvestigations to track predators. Even if the suspected pedophile is local, lawenforcement will still need a subpoena to even attempt to identify the suspect. It sa long process, and a lot of work. It s as frustrating to law enforcement as it isparents! The new video games that involve social networking are a breeding groundfor sex offenders since they are almost impossible to track.
6. Be a parent, not a friendThe bottom line and solution to criminal activities within social networks issimple; shut your child s page down. Trying to be a cool parent may ultimately putyour child in danger. If you insist your child should continue to be active onsocial networking sites, be diligent, watchful, and police your child s activitywith the strictest means necessary. Limit the time on the site, and watch forwarning signs that your child may be involved in something more serious than merelytalking to friends.
7. Keep the computer in a centralized areaIf the computer is in the family room, your child is less likely to engage inunwanted activity
8. Cyber bullying is the biggest problem facing teensMore so than predators, cyber bulling has affected almost 43% of teens. This hasresulted in suicides, violent behavior, problems at school, and in the home. If youknow who the bully is, contact law enforcement immediately and file a complaint onthe social network site.
Stacy Dittrich is an award winning 15-year law enforcement officer, author, andformer detective specializing in sex crimes. With past training by former FBIBehavioral Specialist, and bestselling author, Roy Hazelwood, Stacy is certifiedthrough the National Institute of Truth Verification as an examiner (CVSA- liedetector). Stacy has also been assigned to a federal drug task force that resultedin arrests from California to Mexico and has been involved in the investigations ofnumerous homicides. In 2002, Stacy received the Victim s of Crime Award from formerOhio Attorney General, Jim Petro. A certified law enforcement instructor, Stacy isalso a media consultant in the area of law enforcement. Her book that launches theCeeCee Gallagher detective series, The Devil s Closet is due for release in October2008; the second in May 2009. Her first true crime, Murder Behind the Badge: TrueStories of Cops Who Kill is slated for a September 2009 release. Stacy s memoirabout life as a female police officer debuts in Spring 2010.
Additional information on Stacy Dittrich may be obtained at www.stacydisttrich.com.
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