• Quizzes
• Q & A
• Real life stories
• • Let's get sexual!
  • Dangerous attention
  • Over-exposed
  • It happens so fast
  • Sexting
  • Luring - social networking sites
  • Luring by texting
  • Be careful who you talk to
  • Permanent pictures
  • Threats
• Contracts
• Downloads

Real Life Stories

Let's Get Sexual!

An individual who claimed to be 21 years old was contacting numerous 14- and 15-year-old girls through the chat component of an online game. In a 24-hour period, this individual was in contact with at least four different girls. He would flatter the girls using terms of endearment such as "gorgeous" and "love." He immediately began asking for personal information including their "asl" (age, sex, location). This was followed by questions regarding whether they had boyfriends and whether or not they get "hit on" a lot. He started asking for more personal information such as their height, hair and eye colour. The suspect quickly turned the conversations sexual, asking the youth their bra sizes, about any past sexual experiences, asking if they would date him and offering them money in exchange for sex.

What does this mean?

Sexual offenders may target online games that have chat rooms including interactive online games and video games played through console with access to the Internet. They also can use three-dimensional animated characters, referred to as "avatars," to engage youth in online conversations.

What can I do?

• Stay involved and know the games your child is playing. Pay particular attention to games that incorporate a chat component - caution should be used before permitting your child to engage in chat with their opponent(s).
• Be aware of all the contact names on your child's Instant Messenger (IM) list and set the expectation that you must approve any new contacts added.
• Ensure your child always gets your permission before sharing any information or accepting anything. Teach your child about what is meant by personal information and where on the Internet they may be asked for it.
• Some video game consoles come with built-in parental controls - activate this feature if available. Pay attention to what features come with your video game console. For example, you may not want to give your child the ability to voice chat with others.
• Be aware of characters your child may have adopted to represent themselves (referred to as an "avatar"). Ensure your child's avatar is age-appropriate and non-descriptive. Recognize that avatars don't have to represent a person and can be used to mislead children/youth.
• Check out our Popular Activities section for more information on technologies being used by kids and how to make them safer, and our Manipulative Relationships section to learn more about subtle forms of manipulation and how you can talk to your child/adolescent about these.