Warning to Parents and Caregivers: Protect Your Kids from Online Predators

By Bucks County District Attorney Jennifer Schorn

The core function of the District Attorney’s Office is the protection of our most vulnerable citizens, including our children.

With the evolution of technology, prosecutors continue to adapt to a changing environment where social media has opened a new realm of opportunities for child predators. We continue to be aggressive in our investigations and prosecutions of these online wolves who prey on children.

In Bucks County, we recently arrested a 60-year-old suspect who allegedly posed as a teenager to lure several young girls into sending him sexually inappropriate videos, which he then shared on other online platforms. And over the years, we have charged and prosecuted offenders with “sextortion” after they used social media sites to torment victims into sending sexually explicit photos and videos. Sadly, one of these victims was so devastated she took her own life.

The rise of these crimes is alarming, but our office and all District Attorney Offices across the Commonwealth will stop at nothing to make sure these online offenders are identified, arrested and sent away for as long as possible.

But in combatting online sexual exploitation, we feel it is important to emphasize that parents and caregivers can help in the prevention of these crimes by maintaining an open line of communication with their children about their online usage. Parents should learn the electronic devices, applications, games and social media sites their child frequents and become familiar with privacy settings to prevent unwanted contact. Set a time limit for how long they stay online and restrict their access to inappropriate content.

Parents should stay informed on current online trends, dangers, and content so that they can effectively guide and advise their child on being safe and responsible in the digital world. Most importantly, talk to your child about the dangers of sharing personal information or images online.

Equally as important is to reassure them that, if they are being victimized, they should not let shame or embarrassment stop them from coming forward and telling a trusted adult. Sexual predators bank on the fact that the shame they make the child feel prevents them from reporting their abuse. It is an effective grooming tactic, which not only silences their victim, but allows the predator to get away with it and continue to prey upon others.

If your child has been victimized, reassure them that they have done nothing wrong. Have a judgement-free discussion about their online activity and who they encountered. Part of the problem is many of these crimes go unreported, because victims feel like they are complicit in these acts. That is never the case.

Putting an end to online exploitation of our children requires that we all do everything we can to keep kids safe from harm.