 |
 |
February 15, 2006 |
 |
February, 2006
Shaq at the Center of Things
I don't know if you watch professional basketball or not. You probably either love it or hate it; the NBA has become as polarizing as NASCAR or figure-skating. Fans like what they like, and vice versa. But whether you're an NBA fan or not, no doubt you know who Shaquille O'Neal is. The former L.A. Laker and current Miami Heat All-Star center is undoubtedly the most recognizable player in the game, for many reasons, not least of which is his 7'1", 325 pound frame.
You're probably wondering if you accidentally got on Rick Reilly's mailing list. Why am I talking about Shaq? Because he's done something I admire, something that will make a much bigger impact than all his dunks, timely fouls, and blocked shots combined. Shaq, who likens himself to Superman, has become a crusader against Internet child predators.
O'Neal has long expressed his intention of becoming a law enforcement officer after he retires from the NBA. That, in itself, is worth noting. Wanting to go into public service is a far cry from the usual dream of owning a car dealership or a sports-themed restaurant. Not that there's anything wrong with either of those businesses, I just applaud anyone who wants to help others.
It is safe to say that he is getting a head start on his second career. Having already spent offseasons working with the Los Angeles Police Department, Shaq was sworn in as a reserve officer with the Miami Beach Police Department in December of last year. But while he's still busy being the most dominant player in the game, Shaq has thrown his weight behind a task force to lure and apprehend guys who troll the Internet looking to sexually exploit children-arguably the most insidious kind of criminals out there, and a growing problem for kids and their parents.
In March of 2005, O'Neal became an Honorary Special Deputy U.S. Marshal and a reserve deputy of the Bedford County (Va.) Sheriff's Office. He is the national spokesperson for the Safe Surfin' Foundation, the educational arm of Operation Blue Ridge Thunder, the Bedford County Sheriff's Office's Internet Crimes Against Children task force. Since 1997, Operation Blue Ridge Thunder has been a model for how to bring to justice those who misuse the internet to prey upon minors. Bedford County Sheriff Mike Brown, who assembled the BRT task force, was instrumental in bringing O'Neal on board. Not just a figurehead, Shaq began training with the Bedford County Sheriff's Office in August of 2005.
Scary Statistics
We all know, of course, how much the internet has changed our culture. After all, you're almost certainly reading this newsletter online. The ease with which one can communicate with others or gain access to an unprecedented amount of information on any possible topic is amazing. As always, however, this new forum carries with it the opportunity for new dangers. It seems the best and worst of humanity are both embodied and increased by the internet. And no one is more at risk than the innocent and inexperienced.
For those of us who remember life before the internet, a healthy skepticism of computers and other facets of the information age is automatic. It is important to remember that this is not the case for kids. Imagine being alive during the advent of the automobile. Think, too, of how legislative and law enforcement organizations have responded to the huge changes that cars brought (and still bring) to society. It is easy to see that we are still in the infancy of the internet and, as usual, law enforcement is having to both discover the ways in which this technology is being used for illegal activity and determine how best to respond to these threats.
The ability for communication with so many others in such a cheap and speedy way is one of the internet's biggest draws. In addition to staying in touch with people one already knows, the internet provides all manner of ways for people to meet one another online. Common interests - from something as mundane as living near one another to something as specific as the work of a little-known director of silent films - are all given an international stage, allowing people with similar interests to feel close to one another, friendships to develop, and communities to form. Kids, especially those who feel awkward or isolated, may take comfort from the knowledge that "they are not alone." Unfortunately, there can be a very dark side to that truth.
According to statistics provided by the Crimes Against Children Research Center in 2003, approximately 77 million children are online. The average teen spends 5.5 hours online each day. In addition to visiting websites and sending emails, most teens join discussions in chat rooms and utilize instant messaging. The very things that draw people to chat rooms - relative anonymity, sympathetic "ears," and the potential for new relationships - can make them very dangerous places. A staggering 65% of teens and children receive sexual solicitations in chat rooms. Just as alarming, 75% of these young people are willing to share personal information online.
Internet predators can be cunning and patient. By designing
their online identities to suit various situations, pedophiles
can slowly develop relationships with children, collect files
of information about them, win them over with understanding
or even gifts, and ultimately find ways to meet them in person.
This online stalking of unsuspecting children is a growing threat.
Statistics indicate that the internet was involved in
2 out of every 5 cases of missing children ages 15-17.
In 2002, the FBI estimated that there is a 100% chance of a
child encountering a predator in one of the growing numbers
of chat rooms.
Solutions
What can be done? While organizations like Sheriff Brown's Blue Ridge Thunder task force are always finding new ways to track down these predators, the best tool is education. In addition to the Safe Surfin' Foundation (www.SafeSurfinCentral.org), one of the very best online resources for concerned parents and community members is NetSmartz. Way back in 1994, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children first published a brochure dealing with safety for children and teens on the internet. Their early recognition of the growing problem has since developed into the NetSmartz interactive workshop. Any parent or caregiver of a child who uses the internet should visit (and utilize) this fantastic resource at www.NetsSmartz.org. Not only do they strive to make sure that each child enjoys a safe and happy internet experience, but they emphasize how parents can stay involved in the online lives of their children. One great NetSmartz resource is a parent's guide to online lingo - acronyms and other abbreviations that are commonly used in chat rooms and in instant messaging.
While there are lots of great tools for parents to keep their children safe online - filtering software, kid-friendly chatrooms and websites, and specialized browser settings - nothing replaces personal interaction. As holds true for drug education, the most important thing for parents and guardians to remember is to be involved in this facet of their children's lives. Just like you teach kids not to talk to strangers on the street, they need to realize that people they "meet" online are strangers, too.
Anyone You Want Me To Be
My last book, Anyone You Want Me To Be, dealt with
the Internet's first serial killer, John Robinson. This seemingly
benign grandfather of four used the internet to find lonely
and vulnerable women looking for business opportunities or who
shared his hidden interest in sado-masochism and made victims
of almost all of them. Two bodies were found in barrels on his
farm near La Cygne, Kansas and three more in a storage facility
he rented in Raymore, Missouri. Though many of the women with
whom he is connected were "simply" physically and/or sexually
assaulted, he has been linked to a total of eight murders, and
numerous disappearances. He was eventually convicted of three
counts of homicide, two of capital murder.
Robinson is an extreme example of the dangers of the internet - in particular the ability these predators have to tailor their online personas to achieve their own horrible goals - but he stands as a good example of how this technology can be abused in the worst of ways. It takes time and effort, but every parent or caregiver should monitor and participate in his or her child's online life. Shaq may be a force of nature (particularly on the court), but he needs your help when it comes to keeping our children safe.
Resources
Some links:
www.SafeSurfinCentral.org
- the educational arm of the Blue Ridge Thunder task force
www.NetSmartz.org
- an interactive safety workshop from the National Center
for Missing and Exploited Children and the Boys and Girls Clubs
of America. |
|
|
