protect yourselves

[Athena Appleton]

Every other Wednesday during the school year, I go to a meeting of MOPS (or Moms of Preschoolers). We have breakfast, talk, play games, and have speakers. This week's speaker talked about protecting our children from sexual predators.

Now, I know (or I guess) most of you wouldn't consider yourselves children, but all the same, some things that the woman said today really spoke to me, and I felt I should share a bit of it with you, so that you'll be informed and can protect yourself from predators on the Internet.

I know there are several threads throughout the forum where we've posted our own homepages and pictures. I'll be deleting all of mine after today, but I want to make you all aware that if you do decide to post a homepage or a picture on a public forum like this, to make sure you don't give hints as to where you live, your schedual, your full name, anything like that.

Because of the nature of this forum (dedicated to a book series largely read and loved by children), I am afraid that it could be a target for pedifiles and sexual predators on the internet. Before the internet came about, these low-life scum had to do their business in private, but now, the Internet has been the pedifile's best friend. They exchange information, pictures, and tips of the trade.

Please, please, please, if you do make the choice to share more personal information about yourself on this public forum, make sure you don't allow any information that could put you or your loved ones in harm's way.

I'm sure you all know this, but if anyone you don't know in real life emails you or pm's you and asks for personal information, be it the town you're from (like "you're from alabama? me too! where at?"), your address, your phone number, or even your full name, be cautious. Use good judgement, and, if you're a minor, talk to your parents about it. It is SO important, in this small world that is the information superhighway, to be cautious.

Thanks.
athena

[Nobby]

Great Words of advice athena!!!! ive always been cautious though!

[Won Wheezy]

I heard some really horrible news today. A guy in Russia kidnapped two girls, age 14 and 17, three years ago. He apparently pretended to be a taxi driver and they went home after an evening out. So, he kidnapped them and kept them in his cellar for 3 years and abused them sexually. Then one of the girls was able to leave a message somewhere and so they were found.
One of them had two babies during that time, which he just abandoned, the other girl is pregnant now. So, I really agree with Athena that you have to be careful, not only as a kid. A thing like that just f***s up your life for sure, so don't take any risks.

[Scellanis]

yeah, I'm a case of do exactly the opposit of what I do...I do just about everything they say is bad including wandering off to wales on my own to meet online friends... *sighs*

I can't even avoid giving my full name...to be part of elfwood they require it...and really to get my artwork noticed I require all my details to be available too..... I like my middle name best anyway....

But then again, you can be kidnapped, raped and murdered at random anyway so anything you do online might not make any difference...you can still be targeted no matter how careful you are.....

You just have to balance it out, do you want to have fun or hide in a wardrobe your intire life because its safe.....if the internet person is determined enough you don't need to state anything online...

[Won Wheezy]

You are so right, Sonkem. I mean, I have met an internet friend before, but I would see to it that we met in a public place with lots of people. And I wouldn't go to their house before knowing them better. Just some measures you can take to protect yourself. But I do agree that it's also rubbish to get over - anxious, because then you might as well just stay at home in front of the telly. I think my judgement for people is pretty good, it has never failed me so far.

[Gower]

I am generally inclined to the careful end of the scale. I have plenty of internet friends, but I haven't ever given them an address, phone number ect. And I've never met anyone who I 've been friends with online.
If you are meeting someone from the net, my suggestion would be to take a parent along.

[Evil Wizard Petting Zoo]

I'm sure you all know this, but if anyone you don't know in real life emails you or pm's you and asks for personal information, be it the town you're from (like "you're from alabama? me too! where at?"),

haha, I really am from Alabama!!! But you sneeky folks aren't getting my personal information!!

Awe, you're so sweet Athena, always looking out for us!!

[Krum]

wow...i don't think someone would go about raping a 14 year old teenager with a sadistic impression and a knife for self-defence(and maybe a harmful weener remover, if you know what i mean(eww!!))

[Scellanis]

lol, hehehe, the ones I've met I had seen on webcam, talked to for years online, talked to on the phone...talked to friends too.....

[Athena Appleton]

well, I have to admit... I met my husband online.

However, I only posted this because there are certain steps you should take to keep yourself safe. Agreeing to meet a person you met online can be very dangerous. Giving your schedual can be dangerous.

I don't think protecting yourself from some very real dangers is the same thing as hiding in a closet and not living life.

About how anyone can kidnap, r*pe, murder, etc. Well, why make it easy for them? The internet is becoming more and more a wonderful tool for child molesters, kidnappers, rapists and murderers. They are able to associate with others for the first time ever. To pretend that they don't do this is ridiculous.

When I was in high school, I was completely not-smart about what information I gave to whom. Because of this, a 25-year-old tracked me down at school and wouldn't leave until I got a teacher to tell him to go away. He waited for me in the parking lot. It scared me to death. Luckily, I told my parents that I had been dumb enough to give this guy information, and my dad threatened to call the police if he didn't leave me alone.

The information? A picture, my name, the town I lived in (he was in the next town) and the fact that I was in a school play. He showed up at the school during rehearsal.

I know when you're a teenager, it doesn't really cross most people's minds to think of the dangers out there, but it's a lot smarter to be very very cautious than to be reckless so you can have fun.

[Meg Boyd]

That is so scary...

I shudder when I think about this guy that used to stalk me online. He IMed me after finding me in an AOL directory. Then he told me that his leg was broken and that he just wanted to chat. Being the wise 14 yearold I was at the time, I told him no very nicely and then blocked him, as I didn't want to trust anyone online. A year later he comes online with a screename similar to his old one (like his old one was like ChevyGMCMan or whatever and the second one was ChevyGMC01Man) and kept sending me e-mails and IMs yelling at me for not chatting with him. I ended up changing my screename...

I am more careful now, even though I really can't block myself from the AOL directory

[Athena Appleton]

yes you can. talk with your folks about it, they should be able to under the parental controls block your name from coming up in a member directory...

my kids are too little, but I've familiarized myself with the parental controls, and actually have quite a few blocks on ours myself

[Female_alien]

Thanks Athena! You really are watching over all of us

Sometimes I feel totally protected cause I live you know where and this is not even the same language zone, but I'm still quite careful (I think)

I agree with Meg, thise things really are scary and what Sonkem said is true too - all that can easily happen on the street without Internet too. How and when did the peope become so ... sick?

[Athena Appleton]

I try not to think about it... but...

I think it's always been this way, it's only just now becoming acceptable to talk about it. In the past, I think if something happened, everyone was so embarrassed about the sexual aspect of it that they just didn't refer to it at all (it was considered a "delicate" issue)... it's only been in the last 40 or 50 years that it's become acceptable, and encouraged, to talk about these things...

[Barry Trotter]

totally agree with everything said here.

if you do decide to meet people from the internet. always do it in a VERY PUBLIC place.take some friends with you or a parent. always make sure people know where you're going and how long you expect to be. of you have a mobile, keep it with you and turned on and make sure there is some money on it. wear running shoes.if you feel uncomfortable at any time just say you have to go. if you are worried abut being followed, ring a taxi your folks wont mind paying the fare when you get in believe me.

just be careful. pick up on things people say. slight Discrepancies in what they say, the words they use etc. dont be blind to it.

i agree that things like r*pe and kidnapp happen in real life and i think that the internet is an amazing way of meeting people you otherwise wouldn't be able to. unfortunately it IS a breeding ground for filth and perversion. if someone has been grooming you for a meeting, if this person is a pervert then something bad is very likely to happen. there is a much higher chance of it happening that wat than randomly from the street.

i'm just saying be careful guys

stay safe.