NCJ Number
217293
Journal
Journal of Adolescent Health Volume: 40 Issue: 2 Dated: February 2007 Pages: 116-126
Date Published
February 2007
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This study tracked reports of unwanted sexual solicitations, unwanted exposure to pornography, and harassment through the Internet between 2000 and 2005 across various demographic sub-groups of youth.
Abstract
Reports of unwanted sexual solicitations decreased among all age groups and among both girls and boys. This decline may be the effect of education and law enforcement efforts that have targeted this problem. Such sexual solicitations, however, did not significantly decline among Black youth, Hispanic youth, or youth who lived in lower income households, although small sample sizes could partly account for this result, particularly among Hispanic youth. Targeted prevention efforts for minority youth and those living in less affluent households should be developed. Internet users who reported unwanted exposure to pornography increased, particularly among 10- to 12-year-olds, 16- to 17-year-olds, boys, and White non-Hispanic youth. This increased exposure may reflect technological changes such as digital photography, faster Internet connections, and computer storage capacities, as well as the more aggressive marketing strategies of pornography merchants. Increases in harassment among specific subgroups of youth can be explained by increases in the amount of Internet use among these groups. The study collected cross-sectional data in 2 equivalent national telephone surveys of 1,500 Internet users, ages 10 through 17 years old. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used to determine whether the percentage of youth who reported specific unwanted Internet experiences had changed in 2005 compared with 2000. 5 tables and 35 references