Child Predators Use a New Avenue to Gain Access to Innocent Children

Child Predators are a Wily Bunch.
Years ago, we thought of them as dirty old men wearing trench coats and hiding in the bushes, ready to grab a child who was left alone for a few minutes. Then, as the Internet age began, predators found a new tool to lure their innocent victims into a relationship that would end in betrayal, abduction, and many times either years of sexual assaults or death.

From Chat Rooms to Gaming Devices
In recent years, predators pretended to be young teens visiting chat rooms in order to gain the trust of a child and lure them into a private meeting. Now we learning about a new avenue used by sexual predators. The gaming devices used by children and teens has become the meeting place of choice. Unfortunately, most parents are not yet aware of the danger to their children as they have free access to online games they enjoy so much. "Predators aren't sitting in their basements anymore. They're working out of Starbucks. Open wireless is creating new problems," said Lt. Tom Kish of the Michigan State Police, commander of the state's Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

Grooming and Gaining Trust
It has long been known that sexual predators "groom" their victims, using whatever is available to enter into a relationship of trust with the child. Once the relationship has begun, the door is wide open for the evil deeds of the predator. What better way to begin that grooming process than to play an online game with a child in order to befriend him.

Playing Games Can Be Dangerous
According to information provided by the Michigan State Police, Microsoft Xbox 360 requires a subscription for Xbox LIVE gaming, but others, like Nintendo Wii and Sony's PlayStation 3, allow players free Internet access. Unfortunately, most parents are unaware of the dangers when their child is using one of these consoles, even in the privacy of their own home.

What Can Parents Do to Better Protect Their Children?
First of all, educate yourself on the dangers that are presented when your children are online, especially if you use Wi-Fi products. Be sure your Wi-Fi is password protected. However, that alone is not enough. Young teens who visit locations where they have access to free Wi-Fi are vulnerable. Any hand-held device such as a Smart Phone or any gaming device can cause your child to be targeted by a predator.

It is important to teach your children about the real dangers that are present. The anonymity provided by the Internet is a tool used by predators who can pretend to be another young teen. Parents need to be relentless in overseeing the activities of their children and teens online. We must all be vigilant when it comes to protecting our children. If you suspect someone is attempting to gain your child's trust for harmful purposes, contact your local police immediately. It is far better to be safe than to be sorry.

Sources:

http://www.protect.org/tools/newswire/161-national/1304-michigan-icac-warning-for-parents-child-predators-turning-to-gaming

http://detnews.com/article/20110228/METRO/102280328/Child-predators-turn-to-gaming--Michigan-police-say