Sexual Predators Online
As of 2008, there were over 644,865 registered sex offenders in the United States. Their internet use is not regulated so there is a possibility of them using social networks to find and peruse their victims. 16 percent of teens considered meeting someone that they have only talked with online and 8 percent have actually met up with someone they met on the internet. The problem is, teens are sometimes willing to meet strangers. Predators will often use a variety of tools to attract their targets, including money, gifts, phone calls, or offline mail.

Home Alone
Try to avoid leaving your children at home without supervision, especially during the summer months.

Many sexual predators avoid public places and will target kids that are home alone.

You never know who may be targeting your children, so your best bet is to get your children out of the home and somewhere public where they have some sort of supervision.

Even if it means you have to drop your kids off at a movie or a local water park, helping your children get away from the computer and outside can be a much safer alternative compared to leaving them at home.

The Truth
A recent study done by the American Psychological Association found that of all internet offenders only 5 percent pretended to be teenagers. Most of the time teens met with offenders more than 1 time. They also found that teens who engaged in risky behaviors like maintaining friend lists with people they did not know were much more likely to receive online sexual solicitations. The problem is, most teens are still not as concerned about the risks of sharing information and photos to the public.

Privacy Settings
Many social networks like Facebook and Twitter allow several options for maintaining your privacy. Make sure your children’s accounts have the proper settings to avoid strangers from viewing their profiles and information.

Also make sure your children are properly educated as to the dangers of adding and talking with people that may seem like a friend but in reality can be a sexual predator.

It’s Not Just the Predators
Unfortunately it may be more difficult to monitor your child’s online activities than you think. 63 percent of teenagers know how to hide what they do online from their parents, and 32 percent of teens admitted to clearing the browsing history. Even though they may not be doing anything suspicious and they are just trying to not let you get involved in their private life, this sort of behavior can make it very easy for predators to come into a child’s life without any danger of being caught or told on. Develop strict rules, like a time limit on internet usage or parental software. Also consider keeping the computer in a very public place like the kitchen or family room.

Parents cannot ignore the fact that sexual predators are online and using social networks to take advantage of unsuspecting children and teens. Children must be educated about the potential dangers they might encounter but even that may not be enough. Whatever the situation, stay informed and alert and don’t be afraid to step in and take control of the situation.

About the Author:
Parker Boyack is a writer for MyCollegesandCareers.com. My Colleges and Careers helps people determine if an online education is right for them and helps them search for online degrees that can help them reach their goals.

We would like to thank our guest writers on the Online Security Authority Blog! We feel it’s a honor and pleasure, to have others participate and contribute to the great content, advice and opinions on and in this Online World, we all live in… help us, help them, by supporting and visiting their sites!

as always, be safe Online

Your Online Security Authority

Bill Wardell

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For those of us who have had to deal with a misdemeanor or felony charge, acting promptly must be foremost in our minds. Drunken driving cases are not as simple as we are inclined to believe, as these can leave ugly promises on your personal record. A competent lawyer can greatly help your chances of getting a favorable ruling if you seek his service at the earliest possible time. By doing this you can ensure that you don’t have to wait before the formal charge is filed in court.

There are many ways where your counsel can come up with legal actions to protect your legal rights when facing a possible misdemeanor or felony charge. An experienced lawyer will be able to spot legal loopholes and oversights in the manner by which your case is being handled by the police authorities. For instance, he may challenge or raise possible violations of relevant state regulations in the way that they have made the arrest and questioning.

For your own benefit, it is important that you remain calm and composed while being arrested by a police officer. Never resist an officer, or hurl invectives and insult the arresting officer as this will only complicate the problem. Realize your surroundings during the arrest during the arrest. Observe every detail and event that occurs during the arrest as this can be used by your attorney in court. As soon as the arrest is made, demand that you be allowed to seek legal help and do not say anything that can be used against you in the court of law until you are able to consult with your counsel. You have to take all these to mind as it can have major impact on your defense if the case is finally brought to court.

If there are situations that make you believe that your rights are being compromised during the arrest then you have the legal option to file a formal complaint and contest the way the arrest was implemented. An experienced and competent lawyer can stand in your defense to make sure that your normal American Citizen rights are always protected. In case culpable violations are proven, then your attorney can move for the immediate dismissal of the charges and you can leave without charges and with your reputation intact. This is the exact example why it is important that you have to seek the assistance of a competent and experienced lawyer.

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A good friend of mine that lives in the Nashville area was telling me about this story, and how awful it has been for the family, and that they broke the case with DNA that was from the original crime scene, and other old evidence… thank goodness for technology and the strides law enforcement has made to keep pursuing justice in the case!

Here is the full story, Marcia Trimble case you need to read this, because this happens every single day to hundreds if not thousand of families in the USA and around the world…

Don’t ever think it could not happen to you, or the ones you love, and in just a split second and how horrible to think you would have to spend the next almost 35 years, looking for clues, answers and justice for your child !!

As Always Be Safe Online,

Bill

Your Online Security Authority

Trimble verdict closes a painful chapter in Nashville history

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The tricks of the sexual predator, these days, are psychological. No longer is the biggest threat to our children the guy who spends all day watching the children in in the park waiting for the right moment to snatch and run or the person slowly cruising up and down the block looking for kids to abduct.

With the easy access to so many children that is afforded the predator by technologies like the internet, the biggest threat is someone who will first earn the child’s trust and, instead of coming after the child, have the child come to them.

The number one way the internet predator has of getting to children through means like the internet is deception. There are actually ten basic psychological deceptions that sexual predators use to gain control of their victims. These ten deceptions are the ways predators convince their victims that they are someone that they either need or should trust and thereby gain access to them.

To help children recognize these ploys we need to educate them about the techniques predators use. By doing so we can teach them to recognize the techniques when they encounter them and to be wary of those who seem to be using one of the deceptions.

Below is a list of the ten deceptions sexual predators use. Go over it with your child and teach them to recognize all ten.

1. Authority ~ Convincing the child that they are someone who should be trusted or should be obeyed.

2. Bribes ~ Offering the child something they want in return for trust or compliance with requests.

3. Crisis ~ Convincing the child that they can make a bad situation better.

4. Danger ~ Making the child think that they or their family are in danger.

5. Ego ~ Making the child who might be suffering from self esteem issues feel good about themselves with compliments and praise.

6. False Caring ~ Making the child think that they understand whatever issues the child may have.

7. Games ~ Convincing the child that they will have fun with them or that it is all a game.

8. Help ~ Making the child believe they will help them with whatever issue the child may have at any given time.

9. Idol ~ Getting the child to idolize them by being pretending to be something or someone they are not.

10. Job ~ Offering the child money or employment.

Also, if you have not seen our first series Top 10 Ways List… Go Now The Best 30 Of The Top 10 Ways

As Always Be Safe Online, and if you find you have topic’s or ideas on other subjects that you would like us to investigate or create a list please email us our use our contact form.

Thanks for all the support and please Learn IT, Teach IT, Share IT!

Your Online Security Authority

Bill Wardell

By educating your children to these techniques you can greatly increase their ability to spot a sexual predator before they have had a chance to steal the child’s trust. You should also make sure that your children know to tell you or someone they trust if they ever encounter someone they expect of using one of these techniques either on the internet or in real life.

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1) Know The Enemies

The most important way of preventing kids from being abused is to know what sexual aggressors typically do. When you understand how offenders think and how they go about the grooming process, you can greatly increase the safety of your child and that of other children.

The usual advances that sexual predators make always start with gaining the potential victim’s and the family’s belief and reliance. Then, after gaining the young victim’s trust, the aggressor will acquaint the child with different types of sexual contact and other unsuitable acts. In the end, the victim, or your child, will be exploited with the use of vile threats and deception to cover the act of sexual aggression.

2) Know The Friends

A large percentage of sexual crimes against children have been committed by people known or close to the victim. By knowing all the people who spends a lot of time with your child, you will be able to detect patterns in some of these people that may serve as early warning signals against a potential sexual aggressor.

Sexual offenders usually groom their victims by being extraordinarily pleasant and accommodating to their target victims!!! An older person who prefers the companionship of children may be signs that the person is a potential offender.

3) Trust Your Instincts

When someone is grooming your child, you will definitely feel it in your gut. A good parent knows that something wrong is going on with a child. And before something worse happens, like sexual assault, you should act immediately. It does not matter if your suspicions or instincts are mistaken, what is important is being able to save your child from a sexual offender.

4) Listen To Your Child

Your child’s stories are replete with clues and other information about the people they spend time with. By listening carefully to your child, you may uncover facts about personalities or characters that should serve as warning signals that your child is being groomed by sexual offenders.

5) Open Communication Lines With Your Child

By simply allowing an open communication between you and your child, the more chances that your child will tell you about the people in his or her circle. Children tend to be more open and descriptive about their stories if they are encouraged to freely have chitchat with their parents.

6) Educate Your Child

Equip your child with the knowledge of what happens in the real world. Teach your child about what makes a certain act or touch malicious; and this is not the time to be queasy about it. Knowing what constitutes bad-natured advances will allow your child to recognize threats early on.

7) Investigate Doubtful Behavior

There are times when your suspicions and instincts are wrong. While ensuring your child’s safety should be at the top of your list, you must also know the facts behind your suspicions. Investigating and validating your suspicious behavior will allow you to form a cohesive case for law enforcers to investigate; which in the long run, will also save other children from being victimized.

Cut Off Contact Between Child And Suspected Offender

As soon as you suspect that your child is being groomed by a sexual offender, you must cut off your child’s contact with that person. It is always better to stop the criminal intent before it actually happens to your child.

9) Teach Your Child To Say No

More often than not, potential sexual offenders will try to use all manner of allurement to groom and gain the confidence and faith of your child. The bribes come in all forms; from as basic as candies and other munchies to expensive favors like free carnival treats and the latest gadgets. Teaching your child to just say no to these favors may save him or her from sexual predators.

10) Be With Your Child

Nothing beats being with your child for most of the time. In their growing-up years, children are always looking for someone they could look up to. And who would play a better hero other than you? Making time for your child even if you have been busy at work will surely make your child feel special; when that happens, he or she will not need to seek attention from other people who, in the end, could be wolves dressed as sheep.

Protect yourself and your family!

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