Law enforcement is discovering that the Internet is not only used by traffickers to market children for sex, through venues such as private chat rooms and sites like Craig's List... but, traffickers are also using the Internet to lure girls and boys into their control by posing as friends on MySpace and Facebook. Through a process called "grooming", traffickers work on unsuspecting kids for up to one year, gaining their trust... until they can get them to come and meet in person. Then the trafficker initiates them into the world of drugs, pornography and commercial sex. For years the pedophile and predator have been online looking for their next victim... this new issue causing alarm is the way that traffickers are moving in to supply children for these perverts as thought they were Netfilcks movie rentals that can be ordered from home.
In Oklahoma, the OSBI and Cyber Crimes Unit work to find these online predators and rescue their victims. Parents and grandparents need to be aware of the possible dangers that the Internet can have on their young family members. Organizations and Churches are encouraged to host Internet Safety Awareness Presentations for their members and youth groups. Contact OATH to schedule one for your group.