Washington, DC - Attorney General Robert J. Spagnoletti announced today the partnership of the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) to help kids stay safer on the Internet. To kick off this partnership with NCMEC, General Spagnoletti will host an Internet safety assembly created by NetSmartz in partnership with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) Program. The assembly, held at Terrell Junior High School on January 11, 2006, from 10 am - 11 am, will educate 8th and 9th grade students, parents, and teachers about how to help protect children and teens from online predators.
Computers and Internet use are now part of the primary tools used by kids for not only classroom research and study, but for recreational use as well. Although the technology has literally placed the world at our fingertips, it is also a haven for child predators
"There is a very real need to offer children, parents, and teachers the tools they need to help keep kids safer on the Internet," said General Spagnoletti. "We must encourage kids to beware of interacting online with people they don't know. We can help prevent kids from becoming victims by teaching them to be cyber-savvy."
According to NCMEC's Online Victimization: A Report on the Nation's Youth, approximately 1 in 5 children online received a sexual solicitation or approach over the Internet. And 1 in 33 received an aggressive sexual solicitation that included an invitation to meet in person.
The NetSmartz Workshop is a free educational safety resource created by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children® (NCMEC) and Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA). NetSmartz combines the newest technologies available and the most current information to create high-impact, age-appropriate materials for grades K-12. Parents, guardians, educators, and law enforcement have access to resources for learning and teaching about the dangers children may face online. Select the link below for more information: