|
Never give out identifying information
such as Name, Home Address, School Name, or Telephone Number in a public
message such as at a chat room, on bulletin boards or web sites, or in email
messages. Never send a person a picture of you without first checking with
your parent or guardian.
Never respond to messages or bulletin
board items that are:
 |
Suggestive |
 |
Obscene |
 |
Belligerent |
 |
Threatening |
 |
Make You Feel Uncomfortable |
Be careful when someone offers you
something for nothing, such as gifts and money.
Tell your parent or guardian right away if
you come across any information that makes you feel uncomfortable.
Be very careful about any offers that
involve your coming to a meeting or having someone visit your house. Never
arrange a face to face meeting without telling your parent or guardian. If
your parent or guardian agree to the meeting, make sure that you meet in a
public place and have a parent or guardian with you.
Remember that people online may not be who
they seem. Because you can’t see or even hear the person it would be easy
for someone to misrepresent him- or herself. Thus, someone indicating that
“she” is a “12-year-old-girl” could in reality be an older man.
Be sure that you are dealing with someone
that you and your parents know and trust before giving out any personal
information about yourself via E-mail.
Get to know your “online friends” just as
you get to know all of your other friends.
[Top]

You don’t have to live in constant fear of
being abducted. Many crimes against children can be stopped — you can help
to protect yourself. If is important for you to communicate with the right
people. Talk to your parents, any grownup-in-charge, or a teacher if
anything seems strange or confusing to you. If something makes you
uncomfortable, talk to someone about it — even if it seems small!
Remember, it is never too late to ask for
help. And, keep asking until you get the help you need. Many people care
about you, will listen to you, and will believe you.
You have probably heard the warning to,
“Stay away from strangers!” Who is a stranger? Even if you have seen someone
before hanging around at the playground, in your neighborhood store, or at
your school does not mean you know them. Yes, you recognize them, their face
is familiar to you, but they are still a stranger. A good rule to follow is:
unless your parents have met or know that you are with them, they’re a
stranger to you.
You’ve got to think about confusing
situations or people who might harm you. Even if you do not think of them as
a stranger! Remember, we said that people who kidnap kids are not usually
different at first. That is why you’ve got to stay alert and stay away from
people you do not know.
Grownups should NOT ask kids to do things
that other adults should do for them. This does not mean that if your mother
asks you to clean up the kitchen you can say no. What it means is that you
should not go, or get in a car, with an adult, for example, who asks you for
directions. Grownups should also not ask you to help them find a lost puppy
or kitty. Say NO or say, “Wait right here, I'll check with my mom (dad,
babysitter,...).” Then go get your mom, FAST.
If you are in a public place — like a
store or park — and you lose your parents or you get lost, do NOT go looking
for them. Go right away to the check out counter, the security office, or
the lost-and-found section and tell the person in charge that your parents
have run off and you need help finding them. (Just kidding!) Tell them
you’ve been separated from your parents and need their help.
Ask your parents’ permission or a
grownup-in-charge before:
 |
Going anywhere with anybody. |
 |
Leaving the yard, play area, or going
into somebody’s home. |
 |
Catching a ride home with someone. |
 |
Getting into a car or leaving with
anyone — even if it is someone you know!!! |
Once you have gotten their permission:
 |
Tell them where you are going. |
 |
Tell them how you will get there. |
 |
Tell them who will be going with you. |
 |
Tell them when you will be back. |
 |
And get back on time, or call with new
information!! |
This may seem a little silly, or perhaps
kind of restrictive, but always, always, always let your family know
where you are at all times. Believe it or not, this is for their protection
as much as it is for yours. Family members should always know where each
other are, so they can contact each other in case of a family emergency.
Just suppose you were out somewhere with
your friends and your parents didn't know where you were. And just suppose
something terrible happened to your little brother or sister — like maybe
they got hit by a car and had to go to the hospital — and your parents
couldn't find you and tell you.
So why not make a contract with your
folks? Agree with them that if they will always let you know where
they are, you will always let them know where you are.
You are more safe when you're with other
people and in public places. Use the “buddy system.” There is safety in
numbers.
Do not take money, gifts, or treats
without telling a parent or the grownup-in-charge.
If someone follows you on foot or in a
car, STAY AWAY from him or her. You do NOT need to go near the car to talk
to the people inside.
If you are in a public place and someone
tries to take you somewhere by force, try to get away from him or her and
yell or scream:
 |
“This man is trying to take me away!” |
 |
“He/She is not my father (or mother)!” |
[Top]

 |
A 21-year-old New York college student
who wanted to be a kindergarten teacher was arrested following a sting
operation targeting child pornography on the Internet. The man used a
service provider to transmit three dozen sexually explicit photos of
children. The college student was actually sending the photographs to an
undercover police officer.
|
 |
A 37-year-old man who claimed he was a
child psychologist arranged to meet a 13-year-old boy in Florida for a
sexual liaison after the two met in an online chat room. But the “boy” was
a woman who helped the FBI set up a sting that led to the man’s arrest.
The man was arrested by FBI Agents upon arriving in Miami.
|
 |
A man serving time for molesting four
children was indicted on charges of peddling child pornography on the
Internet using a prison computer. The 57-year-old man was using the prison
computer to obtain and distribute child pornography on the Internet.
|
 |
FBI Agents in Newark, New Jersey
arrested a man after he allegedly enticed a 13-year-old girl to mail him
videos of herself without ever leaving his home. The girl was 12 when the
man first made contact, posing as a 15-year-old pen pal, and exchanging
e-mail on an online service. The girl sent him four video tapes. The man
was arrested after the girl’s mother became suspicious of the girl’s
activities and called the police.
|
As reported in The Washington Post on August 7th, 1997:
Internet Sting Nets Sex Suspect
A Crofton man was arrested yesterday on
charges he arranged a sexual encounter through the Internet with an agent
posing as a 13-year-old girl, FBI officials said. The man was arrested in
Northwest Washington by members of a regional task force investigating child
exploitation and pornography on the Internet. The man, described as a
systems engineer for AT&T, was charged with traveling across state lines to
engage in a sexual relationship with a minor. Officials said the man was the
122nd person arrested by the task force since the “Innocent Images”
investigation began in May 1993.
[ Top ]

If you should become aware of the
transmission, use, or viewing of child pornography while online, immediately
report this to your local FBI Office or to the National Center for Missing
and Exploited Children by calling 1-800-843-5678, or contact them online at
www.missingkids.com.
[ Top ]

Remember that you’re not simply looking
for the obvious. In many cases, children may be innocently conversing with
unsavory characters in “kids” chatrooms on a bbs, on-line-service or the
Internet. Look for subtle references to inappropriate behavior, impromptu
invitations to meet after school or any other correspondence that should be
cause for concern. NEVER permit your child to divulge too much personal
information or exchange pictures over the Internet. As a concerned parent,
you must set the rules.
For more information concerning safety
tips, contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at
1-800-843-5678, or contact them online at
www.missingkids.com.
[ Top ]

For more helpful information about keeping your kids safe,
check out the following links:
http://safesurf.com/lifegard.htm
[ Top ]

NEW
TAG-A-KID
NEW |