There’s Nothing Funny About A Cyberbully by John WalshI've spoken out many times about the Internet's "dark side" - about how sick predators use online technology to hunt their victims. But sex predators aren't the only ones targeting our children online. Bullying has always been a problem for kids, but now some out-of-control youngsters do their menacing online. It's called Cyberbullying. These bullies use social networking sites, cell phone text messages, instant messages and emails to hurt or embarrass other kids. They know how to make themselves anonymous in their attacks, so the targeted kids often don't even know who's hurting them.According to the National Crime Prevention Council, 43% of teens have been victims of cyberbullying in the last year. Many of the bullies probably think it's a joke. Believe me, there's nothing funny about this. Kids have committed suicide over this kind of embarrassment.So, how do we deal with this? Well, for one thing, parents need to get involved with what their kids are doing online. I can't say this enough: as a parent, it's your responsibility to know what your child is doing in cyberspace, and to keep your kids safe on the internet. Don't count on your teen to come to you if they've been a victim. Most of the time, they won't.Put the computer in a high-traffic area of your home - never in your child's bedroom where you can't keep tabs on them. Make sure your teen knows never to give out any personal information online. Check out this video from Netsmartz.org for some good ideas about how to talk to your kids about cyberbullying. Download "Stop Cyberbullying Before it Starts" from the National Crime Prevention Council here. You can use the growing problem of cyberbullying as an opportunity to sit down at the computer with your kids and get to know what they're doing online. Taking a little time with your kid can go a long way to keeping them safe - and there's nothing more important than that!html_removed html_removedhtml_removed html_removedTalking To Your Kids About Online SafetyWith kids today spending so much time online, it's incredibly important for parents to know just what their kids are up to. While the Internet can be a great tool for kids to learn and keep up with friends, one of the biggest mistakes kids make online is sharing too much personal information about themselves. It can be incredibly dangerous: many kids think they're safe because they're only sharing things with their friends, but they may not realize that there could be other people accessing their details as well.The experts at the National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) offer tips that can help you talk to your kids about how to make their time online safer. Continue reading Talking To Your Kids About Online Safety » ..
WELCOME TO A MERICASMOSTED CATCH AMW ON FOX SATURDAYS 9 P.M E/ PT,8PM CALL OUR CONFIDENTAL HOTLINE 1-800-CRIME-TVIf Your Child is Missing Act IMMEDIATELY. Read more here or call 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678). A Message from John Walsh When my son Adam was murdered, I began my journey through an America that I wish I knew nothing about. An America where adults do appalling things to children. Saturdays @ 9pm Do your part to help stop crime in its tracks! America's Most Wanted recruits the television audience to help identify and capture the world's most wanted criminals. Detailed crime re-enactments and known information about the suspects are presented to viewers in hopes of bringing these fugitives to justice. America's Most Wanted has been instrumental in bringing many known criminals to justice throughout North America. America's 10 Most Wanted ListHost: John WalshTalk about it on our Message Boards!forums.achannel.caRelated links: Official SiteOther TV ShowsAChannel Victoria About A-Channel Contact Us FAQBack in 1981 when Adam was abducted, there weren't any resources for endangered children and their families. My wife Revé and I had no idea what to do. In an instant, our lives were turned completely upside down. We just began beating on doors asking for help. We called anyone and everyone. It felt as if we were in charge of the investigation. While we feared for our son's safety, we were also angry at the system that was supposed to protect our son and help us.Adam's abduction was our private hell -- but it was not an isolated incident. Life is an obstacle course for children in America today. Sadly, stranger abduction cases are just the tip of the iceberg. Physical and psychological violence and abuse, abduction, molestation, and sexual exploitation are all overwhelming in magnitude yet largely unrecognized and underreportedFrom the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children With viewers' help America's Most Wanted has helped reunite abducted children with their parents and put lots of perverts behind bars. But we're only on TV for 1 hour a week. NCMEC is there 24/7. Since 1984, they've handled 1.8 million calls, trained more than 180,000 professionals, distributed more than 28 million copies of publications, worked 94,000 missing-child cases, and helped recover 78,000 missing children.:.. .. ..Teenagers today are experiencing many of life's triumphs -- and trials. In the US, 89 percent of teenagers between the ages of 13 and 18 say they have been in dating relationships, and many of them are caught in a devastating cycle of violence. What's even more devastating is that many teens don't even realize that they are in an abusive relationship and sometimes even rationalize their partner's actions.He bought me flowers. He wrote me sweet notes. He said he was sorry. He said he loved me. Now, America's Most Wanted is hoping to bring awareness to the issue of teen dating violence and empower victims to get help.What Is Teen Dating Violence?Dating Violence is a violent act or a pattern of violent behavior that someone uses against a girlfriend or boyfriend. It can occur in both casual dating relationships and serious, long-term relationships. Dating violence can occur in heterosexual and homosexual relationships. Whether the victim is male or female, violence and abuse are not acceptable.Teen dating violence is a serious issue. One out of every four teens reports experiencing some kind of abuse in their romantic relationships. Young women aged 16 to 24 are the most at risk of domestic violence of any age group.The most obvious sign of dating violence is physical abuse, but teen dating violence can take many forms:Yelling Controlling behaviors Limiting access to family and friends Threatening Name calling Obsessive phone calling, paging or texting Extreme posessiveness"It was my first relationship...so I just went with it. I thought that was the way relationships worked. " Know The Signs Often, because teens in abusive relationships are experiencing the dating world for the first time, they do not know that their own relationship is unhealthy. Here are some signs that you may be experiencing dating violence even if you are not being physically abused. You may need to talk to a trusting adult if your boyfriend or girlfriend is exhibiting one of the following behaviors:Gets angry when you hang out with other friends or people of the opposite sex Bosses you around Controls what you wear Often gets in fights with other people or loses his or her temper Pressures you to have sex or to do something sexual that you don't want to do Swears at you or uses mean language Uses drugs and alcohol, and tries to pressure you into doing the same thing Blames you for his or her problems, or tells you that it is your fault that he or she hurt you Insults you or tries to embarrass you in front of other people Makes you feel scared of their reaction to things Always wants to know where you are going and who you are with Preteens and teens in abusive dating relationships may be embarrassed or afraid to talk about the issue. So, for parents, guardians and teachers here are some warning signs that something may be wrong in a teen relationship.Isolation from family and friends Suspicious bruises or injuries Loss of interested in activities and hobbies that were once enjoyable Making excuses for a dating partner's behavior Noticeable changes in eating or sleeping patterns, or alcohol or drug use Loss of self-confidence If you are worried about a teen you know, learn to recognize the warning signs and if necessary, get help.For Boys OnlyViolence is a difficult subject for many to talk about. But domestic violence is an especially hard subject for young men to discuss. While the U.S. Department of Justice reports that more than 85% of all relationship abuse victims are female and most abusers are male, men, too, can be victims of domestic violence.In society, boys are surrounded by messages telling them to "be a man," "be strong," "don't cry," "be in control," and "know how to fight." But it is important for young men to know that they can stop violence in dating relationships.When kids see friends act abusively and don't speak up, it shows abusers that their behavior is okay. Abusers may not realize that their behavior is inappropriate. It is important for kids to get involved and speak out against violence they witness.To Learn More Violence is not a sign of affection and no one deserves to be abused. If someone you're dating abuses you, it will happen again. Get help. Tell someone.To learn more about teen domestic violence, check out:www.chooserespect.orgwww.loveisnotabuse.com
" ....
msprm name="
Help Steer Kids Away From Gangs In Your Community With the number of gang related offenses on the rise, new laws and harsher penalties are being enacted to counter this activity. But what can you do to help keep your children and neighbors safe against this potential violence, before it's too late? Would you be able to recognize if these things were happening in your community?The National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) says there many reasons youths can be lead into gang life-from peer pressure, to family conditions, or a community filled with gang activity. Any one of these factors, or a combination of them could lead a teen down the wrong path. In order to be able to make a difference, it's important to be able to identify the signs and help kids and teens to understand that there are real positive alternatives to the dead-end lifestyle of a gang.According to the Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police Department, the best defense against gangs begins in the home. Here are a few tips to follow that as a parent can get you more involved:Parents should learn to identify symbols, tattoos, colors or other items that gangs in their community might use. Be aware if they appear on your kids clothing. Make sure that your home is not being used to hide weapons or drugs. Direct kids toward constructive activities and meet your kids' friends. Some graffiti may indicate gang activity. Remove any graffiti from your property as soon as possible, and as often as possible. Leaving it up gives the impression the community is giving in to the gangs. You shouldn't take unnecessary risks with gangs, but don't be intimidated either. Getting together with your neighbors to team up against gangs and working closely with law enforcement in your community helps to send a strong message against gangs in your area. Contact your local law enforcement agency to find out what they are doing against gangs and how you can help. Check out the NCPC site for some more resources for keeping kids in your community safe from violence. And check out our post on ways that you can get kids involved in crime prevention as well
jesus crist