NCMEC and Ad Council Launch PSA Campaign to Raise Awareness of On-line Sexual Exploitation of Youth to Coincide with National Internet Safety Month

[Abstract from OSDFS PREVENTION NEWS UPDATE, June 21, 2005]

As the Internet has become more and more a part of our lives, young people have become more vulnerable to Internet crime, such as sexual approaches from child predators, exposure to pornography, and cyber bullying. In recognition of this growing concern, the United States Senate declared June, 2005, National Internet Safety Month. The Youth Internet Safety Survey, commissioned by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and supported by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention within the U.S. Department of Justice, found that between 1998 and 1999:

• One in 5 youth had been sexually solicited online;
• One in 4 youth had unwanted exposure to sexual pictures online;
• One in 17 youth had been threatened or harassed online.

Since the survey, Internet crimes against youth have only increased as Internet use has grown dramatically.

To coincide with National Internet Safety Month, NCMEC and the Ad Council have launched a public service announcement campaign (http://www.missingkids.com/adcouncil/) to raise awareness of online sexual exploitation of youth. The ads direct viewers to http://www.cybertipline.com for more information and to report Internet crimes against youth. The Web site's teen section gives teen-friendly safety advice for using the Internet, chatrooms, instant messaging, e-mail, and other online services. NCMEC works in partnership with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, state and local law enforcement, and Internet Crimes Against Children Task Forces, to maintain the CyberTipline.

I-SAFE (http://www.isafe.org), an Internet safety education and awareness program supported by the U.S. Congress and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, also offers information for youth, parents, educators, and law enforcement on its Web site.

In addition, the U.S. Department of Justice's National Criminal Justice Reference Service has compiled information on Internet safety for children, cyberstalking, cyber bullying, and related topics, on its Web site at http://www.ncjrs.org/internetsafety/index.html.

Page Updated: June 22, 2005