After watching “To Catch a Predator” on NBC’s “Dateline” Friday night, I was so upset I could hardly sleep.
It was the third installment of a show that illustrates a growing and horrific epidemic in the U.S.—grown men, trolling the web searching for minors in hopes of engaging in sex.
To expose them, “Dateline” set up multiple hidden cameras in a house in Riverside, California. The show enlisted the help of volunteers from Perverted-Justice, a watchdog group that regularly catches online predators by posing as kids online. They were assisted by the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.
Over a three-day period, Perverted Justice volunteers accepted invitations from dozens of men who set up liaisons with what they thought were minors who would be home alone. But when each man arrived at the Riverside house, instead of finding the 12- or 13-year-old he thought lived there, he met up with correspondent Chris Hansen.
By the end of the three-day sting, 50 men of all ages had been arrested. Their names, faces—and in some cases their long criminal records—were shown to millions of viewers. You can read more about it, including the entire transcript.
NBC promises to keep reporting on this crime, which means lots of opportunities to use this story as a springboard to publicize your related cause or issue:
—Child advocacy groups can weigh in with commentary about the problem, from light sentences for offenders, to parents who are unaware of what their children are doing on the Internet.
—In Hartford, Connecticut, police are investigating whether as many as seven teenage girls have been assaulted by men they met through MySpace.com, a popular social networking website that allows users to create profiles that can include personal information, cell phone numbers and even photos of them scanitly-dressed or worse. Internet experts familar with MySpace.com can advise parents on how to check these kinds of websites to see if their own children have profiles.
—This the time for computer experts and other techies to let parents know about safeguards such as programs that filter, block and monitor Internet use.
—At what age should children be warned about these types of predators?
—What kinds of minors are most susceptible to being victims?
—Do you think people in your state should be alerted when a predator moves into the neighborhood?
—What are the schools doing, if anything, to keep children safe?
—Should parents snoop in their children’s rooms, pockets, backpacks and drawers? Or does this erode the trust between parent and child?
I’d be interested in hearing how you or your group generated publicity related to this show.
Dear Joan:
I am a nationally recognized advocate for victims of childhood sexual abuse, and the mother of two daughters who were attacked by a former neighbor who turned out to be a serial rapist from another state.
Although I’m in a wheelchair, I became a licensed private investigator for the sole purpose of bringing this animal to justice. I’m happy to tell you that he is now in prison for life without parole, but ONLY after being linked to at least 286 victims in two states. So, I’ve unwittingly become something of an expert on this subject. One thing parents can do is log onto http://www.familywatchdog.us. It’s the best sex offender registry out there. Also, you can have them email you when a predator moves into your neighborhood. Best of all, it’s free.
The fact that they were able to catch 50 of them in only 3 days is really scary. It means it is probably only the tip of the iceberg, and that there are many more out there.
I have seen many of these shows and read hundreds of news articles on this issue, this social issue is completely out of control! I am a survivor of Childhood Abuse myself. I am a Public Speaker/Author & Talk Radio Show Host and I address this and many related issues everyday! The media, the so called professionals and many groups & organizations are really missing the real problem here! The real issue is “Why” these people do what they do to children.
What is being done to stop this behavior and most important, what are we doing to address these children Now, Next Week & Next Year. These adult predators, were once children, children that were forgotten, abused & delivered to therapist after therapist. In most cases, they are still seeing a therapist, “WOW” how effective is that! These adult children are leaving their marks on society with each and every child they harm. We will need to deal with these children Now or Later, it is our choice. I choose Now, less talk & more Action! Please join me in the fight.
Brad Richard
http://www.bradrichard.com
I received this article through e-mail, however, I found it most off-putting that a grown woman who is trying to relay important, nay, CRITICAL information, cannot bring herself to write “engaging in sex” but rather, “engaging in something rhyming with hex.” You were able to do it in your blog — why not in your email? The email seemed like it was written by some sort of prudish maiden aunt. Is the word “sex” no longer politically correct that we have to some up with these inane euphemisms? Give me a break.
The NBC report was amazing and freightening. As with almost
everything, the more informed
the better.
I found this free website that
sends you an email alert everytime
a sexual predator moves into your neighborhood. You can list up to
five zip codes.
https://www.scanusa.com/users/register.php
I received alerts about two predators moving into my grandchildren’s zip code. You bet the next time I drove over there I checked out the address.
Here in California a local TV station uncovered a scam by State parole officers. The new law requires a predator to register “within 5 days” of moving into a neighborhood. State parole agents shuttled hiding high-risk sex offenders from motel to motel every few days because they couldn’t find permanent housing… at taxpayers expense.
http://cbs2.com/goldstein/local_story_041235522.html
Again, be informed. Hope this
helps someone.