Are Social Networking Sites Endangering Young Teens? Study Finds Maybe Not

5 Feb 2008 02:55 Africa/Lagos


Are Social Networking Sites Endangering Young Teens? Study Finds Maybe Not

SANTA ANA, Calif., Feb. 4 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --

Youth may be more likely victimized while using instant messenger and visiting chat rooms than while using social networking sites, new research this week reports.


The study, conducted by child health researchers Michele Ybarra of Internet Solutions for Kids and Kimberly Mitchell of the University of New Hampshire, set out to look at the places online where youth are most likely to experience sexual solicitation and harassment. The researchers, whose study is published in Pediatrics, found that among the almost 1600 children and adolescents 10-15 years-old surveyed nationally, 4% reported experiencing an unwanted sexual solicitation and 9% reported being harassed while on a social networking site. Solicitations were reported 59% more often in instant messaging however, and 19% more often in chat rooms than social networking sites. More surprising, harassments were reported 96% more often in instant messaging than in social networking sites. "Are victimizations happening in social networking sites? Yes," Ybarra explains, "but they're happening with greater frequency in instant messaging and chat rooms."


The authors say the results serve as a warning for parents not to focus exclusively on social networking sites. "Internet safety is not just about whether your child is on MySpace or not. You should know what your children are doing on MySpace and Facebook. But you also need to know what your children are doing in school, after school, at parties, at the mall, online - basically all environments in which they engage. You can't just focus on one place and assume that your job is done."


An estimated 15% of children and adolescents are targeted by unwanted sexual solicitation each year, including being asked to talk about sex, provide personal sexual information, or engage in sexual behavior online when they do not want to. Depending on the type of harassment and the age of the children surveyed, 9-30% of youth are harassed yearly. Current events have raised public awareness and concern about the risks young people face when they are in social networking sites. Most recent was the case of Megan Meier, a teenager who committed suicide after her online 'boyfriend', an adult pretending to be her age, broke up with her. In an effort to protect the safety of children and adolescents, various laws have been proposed such as requiring social networking sites to introduce software capable of age verification.


The latest study is good news for parents, Ybarra says. The majority of young people using the Internet are never harassed and never experience unwanted sexual solicitation. This includes social networking sites. Adults also need to understand that for many youth, Ybarra advises, their online world is an extension of their offline world. "Young people experiencing problems online are often experiencing problems offline as well. We need to make sure that we are giving them the support and tools to healthfully navigate across all environments, both online and offline."


Source: Internet Solutions for Kids

CONTACT: Joe Schwab, Internet Solutions for Kids, +1-877-302-6858,
joe@ISolutions4Kids.org


Web site: http://www.is4k.com/

US: Judge Sets Bail At $275000 For American Mom Jailed After Trip To Nigeria

US: Judge Sets Bail At $275000 For American Mom Jailed After Trip To Nigeria

A judge Wednesday set bail at $275000 for a mother accused of abandoning her children to go to Nigeria to marry a man she'd never met in Nigeria.

Read more.

When I read the story, I simply recalled my article Why Do Fools Still Fall in Love?.

Why do fools still fall in love?

She must be a fool for love to have abandoned her 1-year-old baby and five other young children for a useless romantic trip to Nigeria to marry a Nigerian con man she had only met online. Oprah Winfrey would have called her another American “mugu” fooled by another Nigerian Internet scammer to abandon her six children in the US in a foolish quest for love in Nigeria.

Why do fools still fall in love?

UNIFEM and Goodwill Ambassador Nicole Kidman Launch Internet Campaign on Ending Violence against Women

“I am committed to educating myself further by travelling with Noeleen to meet with women, hear their stories and understand first-hand the issues they face. ... I am especially interested in helping to give visibility to the pandemic of violence against women. UNIFEM manages a UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women, and as I travel, I will be visiting many of the projects to see the effective strategies that have been put in place.”
—Nicole Kidman


26 Nov 2007 17:00 Africa/Lagos


UNIFEM and Goodwill Ambassador Nicole Kidman Launch Internet Campaign on Ending Violence against Women

NEW YORK, Nov. 26 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --

United Nations -- The United Nations Development Fund for Women, UNIFEM, its Goodwill Ambassador Nicole Kidman, and a large number of partners launched an Internet campaign on ending violence against women today. Titled, "Say NO to Violence against Women," the campaign invites people to add their names to a "virtual" book on a web site that has been developed specifically for this purpose: www.saynotoviolence.org. Urging hundreds of thousands -- even millions -- of people around the world to participate, the campaign aims to send a strong message to decision-makers to place ending violence against women high on the global agenda



"Violence against women is an appalling human rights violation," said UNIFEM Goodwill Ambassador Nicole Kidman. "But it is not inevitable. We can put a stop to this. The more names we collect, the stronger our case to make ending violence against women a top priority for governments everywhere. This is why I was the first to sign my name."


Statistics indicate that as many as one in three women will experience violence in her lifetime. Too often, this violence occurs with impunity for perpetrators and inadequate access to support for survivors. UNIFEM has been a leading advocate for decisive action to address the multiple manifestations of gender-based violence -- whether it be domestic violence, human trafficking or systematic rape in conflict zones. The task continues, however, to be an uphill battle, as fear and shame prevent many women from speaking out.


Nicole Kidman in Kosovo

Joanne Sandler, acting UNIFEM Executive Director, said: "The momentum to address violence against women is increasing. At least 89 countries, for example, have legislative provisions on domestic violence by now. But implementation of these laws is often insufficient due to a lack of political will, capacity and resources. As long as violence is pervasive and women do not dare to accuse their abusers, the issue needs to be much more prominent in public debate."


UNIFEM's Internet campaign is a gateway to information on violence against women, including pointing out ways to get involved. Since resources are critical to tackling the issue, it also highlights the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women, through which initiatives in developing countries have received much-needed support, in particular to advance the implementation of laws and policies.


Major civil society organizations representing millions of members, such as World YWCA, Zonta International and the White Ribbon Campaign have come on board as launch partners, as have private sector companies like Avon, and UN partners such as UNICEF.


The campaign will run until 8 March 2008, International Women's Day. It was developed on a pro bono basis by London-based advertising agency Leo Burnett, with additional pro bono support by companies arc, sky, vividas, tsunami, ITN source, MPC, and wave.


Source: UNIFEM

CONTACT: Nanette Braun, +1-212-906-6829, nanette.braun@unifem.org, or
Letitia Anderson, +1-212-906-6506, letitia.anderson@unifem.org, both of
UNIFEM


Web site: http://www.unifem.org/
http://www.saynotoviolence.org/