Operation Educated & Safe
Objective: Train and educate children in the City of Beloit to protect them from being prey for internet exploitation.
Facts
According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, CyberTipline has received more than 628,680 reports since it was established in March 1998. CyberTipline is a program of NCMEC and was developed to enable the reporting on internet victimization of children.
NETSMARTZ is another program offered my NEMEC to prepare and protect our children.
According to the latest online victimization research,
- Approximately one in seven youthonline (10 to 17-years-old) received a sexual solicitation or approach over the Internet.
- Four percent (4%) received an aggressive sexual solicitation - a solicitor who asked to meet them somewhere; called them on the telephone; or sent them offline mail, money, or gifts.
- Thirty-four percent (34%) had an unwanted exposure to sexual material -- pictures of naked people or people having sex.
- Twenty-seven percent (27%) of the youth who encountered unwanted sexual material told a parent or guardian. If the encounter was defined as distressing - episodes that made them feel very or extremely upset or afraid - forty-two percent (42%) told a parent or guardian.
Goals
Train and educate the children in the City of Beloit the basics in Internet Safety. The age group for this training would be 3-6. By teaching this age, the children would be better prepared to recognize report and avoid being a statistic. Work with groups in the community, including All Around Our World, INC and the school district to bring the nationally recognized program of NETSMARTZ to the students. Also bring in corporate sponsors to offset the funding that might be necessary.
Why
The above statistics are appalling and are enough to make any parent fearful. There is much research and statistics but much of this is not making it to the right place…the family. Unless there is a local connection, we hear little. If we do, many put it off saying it won’t happen to me or happen here. It can and does happen here and the time is right to prevent any of our most precious resource from being harmed.
When
Begin building the program now and roll it out to the first school in early March 2009. This gives time to prepare literature and develop the classroom presentations. This first school would possibly be Merrill Elementary.
Measurement
Internet exploitation is under-reported based on the above statistics. Therefore, as a means of measure, 1 week after the presentation, a card would be sent home with the children asking for parental feedback on the effectiveness of the program.
