NCJ Number
217808
Journal
Prevention Researcher Volume: 14 Issue: 1 Dated: February 2007 Pages: 8-9
Date Published
February 2007
Length
2 pages
Annotation
This article briefly reviews online victimization and strategies in the prevention of online victimization of adolescents.
Abstract
A substantial number of youth Internet users are involved in some type of online victimization yearly. Proper education is important to promote awareness and openness in discussing the victimization issue. To be effective, “cyber-safety” should be addressed persistently. Modern technology offers many enticements for today’s youth causing its usage to sore at an astonishing rate. A self-reported study conducted in 2006 of more than a thousand youth revealed that 91 percent of youth had access to the Internet at home, 90 percent at school, 69 percent at a friend’s house, and 43 percent at another location, such as the library. This access exposes youth to a number of dangers, such as online sexual exploitation and online harassment. Each youth victim is different in his or her reaction to online experiences. The majority of online victimization cases are not personally distressing to the youth. The daily Internet activities experienced by youth are generally seldom scrutinized. Prevention strategies, such as honest discussion, ethical and personal responsibility, and proper response can assist youth in self-monitoring their time online in order to reduce cases of victimization. 1 figure, 1 table, and 3 references