It’s a sad fact that children as young as five years old are targeted by abusers online. So, it makes sense to raise awareness of online safety by sending a message straight to them, in a way they can understand, rather than preaching to their parents.
Now, several online safety awareness cartoons are being launched on behalf of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (Ceop) as part of the EU Internet Safety Day, targeted towards children aged five to seven.
Initially, when the association was set up four years ago, it only focussed its campaigns towards older children and teenagers. However, head of Ceop, Jim Gamble explains the importance of having to send a message out to infant web users: “Unfortunately, some of the victims we see here are very young. People will try to find out where they are, where they go to school. Children can expose themselves to unnecessary risk.”
Speaking to the BBC, Gamble took some time to explain the cartoon-based campaign: “We do see children who are younger and younger being exposed to risk – and the risk is not always clear. There are a number of subtle messages.” He added: “Unbelievably some of these children have access to webcams, but that’s the world we live in.”
Ceop revealed every week, around 500 cases are reported using the “report abuse” button found on some websites. Young teenage girls were found to be the most at risk.
Research by telecommunications watchdog Ofcom published last autumn found 80 per cent of five to seven-year-olds and 94 per cent of nine to eleven year-olds actively use the internet. Meanwhile, more than a quarter of parents said they were concerned about the content their five to seven-year-olds were accessing.
The Lee and Kim cartoons are available to view at www.thinkuknow.co.uk.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unIo2QVfO0w
Source: http://www.spinner.com/2010/02/05/pete-townshend-child-abuse-super-bowl/
In advance of the Who‘s Super Bowl halftime performance this Sunday in Miami, Pete Townshend has answered a local group of advocates that handed out flyers and postcards that suggested the legendary rock guitarist was a threat to area children. Townshend, who was cleared after being arrested in the during a 2003 child pornography sting, spoke about the matter Thursday in an NFL news conference before his band performed three of its classic songs for the media.
“I’ve been really saddened by it, and concerned about it. It’s an issue that’s very difficult to deal with in sound bites,” Townshend told the Associated Press. “I kind of feel like we’re all on the same side, I guess that’s all I can really say.”
Townshend has long maintained that he accessed a website with child pornography but said it was for research for his own campaign against child porn. Despite being cleared, Townshend — who alluded to his own abuse as a child and says he has been a children’s advocate for many years — was required to register as a sex offender.
“For a family that has suffered the issue of childhood abuse or anything of that sort, vigilance, common sense vigilance is the most important thing, not vigilantism,” Townshend explained. “Anybody that has any doubts about whether I should be here or not should investigate a little bit further.”
Despite the serious tone of the press conference, the mood turned celebratory when bandmate Roger Daltrey announced he was rooting for the New Orleans Saints. Townshend responded with “Then I guess I’ll go for the Colts.” Then, as a warm-up to Sunday’s set, the Who played ‘Behind Blue Eyes,’ ‘Pinball Wizard’ and ‘Won’t Get Fooled Again.’
Video Exclusive!
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrlFzv5x2Sw
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1KKnFTZVnI
I didn’t watch the show, but here is a quote from “Gone too Far” the intervention MTV bullshit reality show that aired last night. “The only thing left was Death, Institution or Jail.” Gee that is the exact same line that was preached by the one and only abusive Straight Inc. I realize Adam Goldstein (RIP) went through the same abuse as the tens of thousands of other kids in Straight Inc. He probably wasn’t an addict until after being told by Straight for 2+ years that he was. He was told along w/ all the other kids, that if he didn’t stop using he’d wind up dead, insane or in jail. If you hear something enough times and believe it, guess what, it will happen.
Most kids in straight were not addicts, but they couldn’t graduate the program until they not only admitted but basically believed they were addicted to drugs. Straight ruined lives, broke apart families and their message lives on in the form of other programs, shows like this, and people who still believe that force and confrontation is the only way to save a life. MTV has Gone too Far airing this bullshit! When are people going to wake the hell up! Children and adults should never ever be forced to rehabilitate. Tough love is a crock of shit! Pardon the language I’m a little pissed off.
I realize if someone is killing themselves using a hard substance like cocaine, meth or heroin, many people feel the need to step in. There are ways to do this that are humane and compassionate. That aren’t on public television airing it to the world or that aren’t using force or coercion. Ultimately it has to be their choice but more often then not humiliation will ONLY do damage in the long run. While there might be a handful of people that get helped by being totally torn down and humiliated in front of people they love, I can guarantee most of those people will feel the repercussions of said humiliation later in life and it can and might ruin them forever. It is abuse and abuse destroys lives.
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