Dangerous Tide
Parents who are concerned about protecting their children might want to listen to Gina Holloway, director of the Southern California non-profit organization Citizens for Community Values – San Diego.
Holloway is alarmed at recent evidence which clearly demonstrates the dangerous growing tide of Internet pornography and how it affects our children.
Holloway cites U.S. Justice Department figures that estimate between 250,000 and 500,000 pedophiles reside in America.
According to a recent study conducted by the University of Pennsylvania, 300,000 to 400,000 children in America are victims of sexual exploitation each year — or 1 out of 100 kids.
The FBI — which has a task force devoted to Internet child porn and exploitation — says from 1996 to 2000, incidents rose 1,264%. Law enforcement has found one common denominator in the vast majority of these cases: pornography directed to unsuspecting children.
Peddling “Sexual” Wares
The Internet has allowed porn peddlers to bring their wares directly into homes. In the case of children, sometimes it is without the knowledge of their parents.
According to Kimberly Lewis, Deputy District Attorney in San Diego, “sexual offenders often supply their victims with pornography as a means of opening sexual discussion and for seduction. A child may hide pornographic files on diskettes especially if another family member uses the computer.”
With the porn industry using extensive advertising ploys to bring in new customers, it is imperative that concerned parents set up basic parameters and controls over their children’s computer/Internet time. Steve Lane, a former porn insider, understands these dangers and recommends that parents do not even allow their children access to Internet chat rooms. He says predators often disguise themselves as children and will enter these sites to make contact with children.
Even experienced Internet users will find that porn peddlers will sometimes disguise their site so that viewers will link with their porn web location. Once an unsuspecting viewer is on these sites, he or she can be “mouse-trapped” into numerous hard-core porn sites where exit can only be reached by turning off the computer. This annoying experience will often convince parents of the dangers the porn industry presents to their kids.
The Solution
According to Patrick Carnes, a noted researcher in the area of sex addiction, approximately three to six percent of the U.S. population suffers from sex addiction (8 to 16 million people). In many cases, he says, it starts with a seemingly innocent exposure to pornography.
So while the Internet offers much valuable information for families, schools, and communities, the negative influences from this technology should also be taken into account.
What can be done to prevent damage done to children's minds by hard-core porn sites? Experts recommend that parents who seriously desire their children to retain their innocence spend time with them on-line, educating them about the dangers of the world-wide web. Parents also need to tell their children not to give away any personal information on the Internet — and not to upload or download images without parental permission.
It is also important for parents to make — and enforce — reasonable rules and set limits for the computer. And finally, parents should employ parental controls and filtering software available from Internet service providers.
Click here for information on how Catholic Exchange can help you immediately solve the problem of Internet pornography for your family.
(This article courtesy of Agape Press.)
