CHILD EXPLOITATION ON THE INTERNET

The topic I have selected to write may seem very bold to you but I’m sorry to state that this is a reality which prevails in our society. It has to be tackled effectively in order to save the innocence of young children before they fall prey to those scavengers out there. Awareness of such issues can prove fruitful for those who consider the safety of children their utmost priority. I’m talking about child abuse on the internet through different mediums like for example chat rooms. Due to my interest in viewing CNN and surfing the web, I came across certain reports concerning this issue and how the government of USA is taking precautions to control this crime and catch hold of these sexual predators.
I suppose, gone are the days when children were considered the tulips and daffodils of our gardens that kept everything around them bright and happy with their smiles and childish ways. Today they are lured by sick minded adults for their own lust. This is a derelict problem in our society. Children are considered by the molesters like fresh meat ready to devour without any gilt or shame. According to an article by JoLynn Plato from Blessed Sacrament School, the reasons these predators get involved in such a shameful act are as follows:

(1) To stimulate themselves;
(2) To destroy the consciences and lower the inhibitions and resistance to sexual activity in their intended child victims;
(3) To teach a child what to model in the sexual encounter with the adult.

Tell me my friends, how sick does it get than this? Our children are not considered safe today despite of being in their own living rooms. The internet is a revolution no doubt but what can one do when advancement in technology gives way to bad people so that they can commit bad deeds? The answer is simple; Internet access should be supervised not only by parents but also by teachers, as children can gain access through computer labs at schools. Sitting long hours on the chat rooms, talking to strangers should be restricted. Parents should follow the “you should not talk to a stranger” policy with the Internet as well, when it comes to the kids. Parents should sit and talk to their children and educated them about such situations. Best of all, parents should always be there for their children in moments of depression, sorrow or defeat. In this way a child can feel how special he or she is for his or her parents. There is no need for some stranger’s shoulder to cry on when your mommy and daddy are right there beside you, helping you face your challenges and hurdles.
According to JoLynn Plato, “Many agencies exist which allow people to be part of the "cyber hood watch" on the Internet. These sites allow reporting of child abuse on the Internet”. Concerned parents should visit such agencies online and learn about the safety measures they have to offer. There is an urgent need to stop these child molesters who are a friend to no one except themselves.
Many of us perceive chat rooms as a place to meet loads of unknown friends, thinking that they are similar to us in hobbies and interests, but little do we know about the intentions of the other person. No doubt, we do meet good pals at times and enjoy our conversations with them but we should also keep in mind that chat rooms are the lurking grounds for these sick minded molesters. Play it safe! Make sure those you chat with discuss normal and routine stuff. If the person becomes too personal simply block him or her and move on.
I strongly felt for this issue when I saw it on CNN. Can you actually believe the guts of these people who will go to the extent of meeting the child at a particular place after chatting on the net and getting the impression that the child is not supervised by an adult? Such acts should be discouraged by the authorities as well as the parents and also by all of us who consider ourselves to be respectable citizens of the society. Yes, it is also the responsibility of the elder brothers or sisters to supervise their younger siblings when it comes to such issues. Since young ones are more frank towards their big brother or sister, this should be considered as an opportunity to educate the innocent minds of the advantages and disadvantages of using the net.
Time is a very precious treasure to waste on endless chatting. People tend to neglect “time” when using the internet. They would sit for long hours staring right at the monitor without preferring to even blink. This may cause a lot of stress on the eyes and back pain as well. If wise men say: “Excess of everything is bad”, then they are RIGHT! Divide your time between studies, playing, spending time with your dear ones and using the internet.
You can feed the hungry, support the distressed, encourage the defeated and even provide justice to the oppressed but you can never actually make a child who has been the victim of child abuse forget the pain he or she has been through. An incidence like this will register in that young mind as a terrible and haunting memory. It would take a lot of time, patience and psychological treatment for such patients to get treated. As disturbing and sad the issue of child labor may seem; child abuse is far worse and painful than that. I do not wish to sound preachy but I do hope that those who read this understand that safety of young children is vital and people who think other wise seriously need help!
“Alas! regardless of their doom, the little victims play! No sense have they of ills to come, nor care beyond today.” - Thomas Gray