Pou tout banne ti pitin ki ale trainer a soir...pas vine gueler apres 1 pilon ine bour zote
How to Reduce Your Risk
Although sexual violence can never be prevented, here are some suggestions to help you reduce your risk of being assaulted.
Trust your gut. If you do not feel comfortable in a situation, leave.
Be in charge of your own life. Do not put yourself in a situation where you have to rely on other people to take care of you. Also, when on a date, do not feel you owe that person anything.
Be cautious inviting someone into your home or going to some else’s home. Three out of five sexual assaults occur in the victim’s home or the home of an acquaintance.
Do not mix sexual decisions with drugs and alcohol. Your ability to make smart decisions is hampered when you are high or drunk.
When going out with someone new, do not feel you have to go alone. Go on a group date or meet in a public place.
Be aware of date rape drugs. Do not accept beverages from open containers and do not leave your drink unattended.
Walk near the curb. Avoid passing close shrubbery. Dark doorways or other places of concealment.
Avoid falling for lines such as “If you loved me…” if your partner lover you, he/she would respect your feeling and wait until you are ready.
Better do some prayer and stop bad life and perversity....si pas d'accord bousse liki aller
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Rape in Mauritius
Bane gogot pas vine lire sa parce ki zote pe raide la...lire pou apprane
Basic Information About Sexual Assault
Sexual assault is a broad category of actions in which sexual acts are performed without consent or upon a person who is not able to give consent. Sexual assault is an act of aggression, power and violence. Sexual assault includes such terms as incest, sexual abuse, molestation, rape, and sodomy. One in six women and one in thirty-three men report experiencing a completed or attempted rape sometime in their lifetime. Nearly half of all reports of rape in Alabama involve victims under the age of 18.
There are many myths about sexual assault. Here are some of the facts:
Sexual assault is most often committed by someone the victim knows, not by a stranger.
Most sexual assaults occur in the victim’s own home, rather than in dark alleyways.
Many sexual assaults involve alcohol or other drugs.
Sexual assault is about power, not sex or sexual attraction.
Any person can be sexually assaulted, even males.
No one asks to be sexually assaulted… it is never the victim’s fault, no matter what.
Although sexual assault can happen to anyone at anytime, there are certain things you can do to help reduce the risk. It is important to remember, however, that sexual assault is never the victim’s fault – regardless of anything he or she has or has not done.
Observe your environment.
Trust your feelings. If something doesn’t feel right or if you feel pressured or frightened, listen to yourself and get out of that situation. Do not be afraid to hurt someone’s feelings or cause a scene. Your safety is always the number one priority.
Be assertive. Stand up for yourself. It’s okay to get angry or to confront someone who is pressuring you.
Never accept a drink from someone you don’t trust. Never leave your drink unattended. Use the “buddy system” if you choose to use alcohol or drugs.
If you or someone you know is raped, try to remain calm. While some victims may be hysterical, others are in a state of shock. It is important to get to a safe place and call the police. Although it is scary to do this because the victim may be scared, embarrassed, confused, and might not want anyone to know what happened, it is important to file an initial police report. This report allows the police to secure the area and help the victim access the appropriate medical care and be eligible for crime victim’s compensation. Although shame is a normal reaction, this is a serious crime and is not the victim’s fault.
Helping Someone Who Has Been Raped
Finding out that a friend or loved one has been raped can be an overwhelming experience. You may feel shocked, confused and unsure of what needs to be done. For victims to overcome sexual assault, they need empathy, understanding and emotional support. It is important to remember that individuals react differently to trauma, but the following steps can help you when facing such a situation.
Remain Calm. It is normal to feel shock or anger, but expressing these to the victim may worsen their trauma, and they may feel that your anger is directed at them personally.
Take necessary steps to get the victim to safety. The best way to do this is by calling your local law enforcement department.
Seek medical attention immediately. Even if there is no outward sign of injury, encourage going to the local emergency department or the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Facility. Some injuries may not be noticeable or obvious. Also, evidence can be collected during an exam that may be needed if a future decision is made to prosecute.
Let the person who has been victimized express their feelings. It may be hard to listen to what has happened, but this is an important step in the healing process. However, if the victim wishes to remain silent, do not force discussion. And remember, if you don’t know what to say, that’s OK.
Let the victim know you believe them and offer non-judgmental support. Many victims may feel blame toward themselves for what has happened, or may fear that no one would believe them. Believing and providing unconditional support is one of the most important things you can do for someone who has been raped. After all, they have been through one of the most horrible things that can happen to a person, and survived. Here are some things you can say:
“I believe you”
“You survived, and did what you had to do to survive”
“It is not your fault, and nothing you did could possibly justify what happened”
“This does not change how I care and feel about you”
Refer your friend for professional assistance, and seek help for yourself. The crime of sexual assault can have psychological impact on family and friends as well. You may be likely to experience strong reactions when you hear of the assault, such as rage, helplessness, and a desire for revenge. Counseling is available to help you through these feelings.
How to Report a Sexual Assault
If you or a friend has been forced to engage in any form of sexual activity, report the incident to the police immediately. You will need to report the incident to police in the jurisdiction where the assault occurred.
There are advantages to reporting a sexual assault. Reporting is the first step in arresting and convicting the assailant. Most sexual assailants are repeat offenders, which means that they usually assault multiple victims. If you report the crime and the offender is apprehended, it could protect you and other potential victims from future harm. Reporting the crime demonstrates the seriousness of the crime because it becomes a statistic and can alert people to how often and where sexual assault occurs. There is no statute of limitation in reporting a rape, which means that you can report it, no matter how long ago it occurred. Remember to always report the assault to police in the area where it occurred.
Another advantage of reporting the assault to the police is that you may be eligible for Crime Victim's Compensation. Crime Victim’s Compensation can provide reimbursement for medical expenses, counseling, work loss, moving expenses and replacement services that were a result of being victimized.
Once the initial report has been filed, your case will be assigned to a detective who will contact you to get additional information. If the District Attorney decides there is enough evidence to go to trial, there will be several times when you will be called to testify in court.
Date Rape Drugs
Sexual assailants use a variety of methods to take advantage of their victims. One method sometimes used by rapists is to give the victim a so-called “date rape” drug. "Date rape drugs" can be any substance given to a victim to facilitate a sexual assault. Most often, these drugs are secretly put into an individual’s drink. The beverage may or may not be alcoholic. When the drug dissolves in the drink, it is usually colorless, odorless, and in some cases, tasteless. You cannot see it, smell it, or taste it. It is invisible.
After the drug is ingested, it may begin to take effect within minutes, or even seconds. The effects can last up to 24 hours. During this time, the victim may become weak, helpless, or unconscious. When the drug wears off, the victim may not be able to remember what happened, or even who assaulted him or her.
The 3 most common date rape drugs are GHB, Rohypnol, and Ketamine. GHB, known as “liquid ecstasy” or “easy lay,” GHB is extremely dangerous because of the wide variety of homemade recipes. Rohypnol, commonly known as “roofies,” is a very potent sedative, ten times more powerful than Valium. Ketamine, known as “special K,” “K,” or “kitkat,” is an animal tranquilizer. It is important to remember that any drug can be used to facilitate a sexual assault.
Signs that you may have been drugged include:
Feeling more intoxicated than you feel you should, given the amount of alcohol consumed
Feeling “fuzzy,” waking up very hung-over, unable to account for a period of time, or memory loss
Feeling as though you had sex with someone but can’t remember any or all of the event
Taking a drink from someone but not remembering what happened afterwards
How to reduce your risk:
Bring your own drink and/or watch your drink being poured
If you realize you left your drink unattended, get rid of it
Watch out for friends
What to do if you suspect you were drugged and sexually assaulted:
Get to a safe place
Preserve all physical evidence… don’t eat or drink anything, don’t change clothes, don’t shower, don’t go to the bathroom if possible
If you have to go the bathroom, urinate in a cup and save to give to the police so your urine can be drug-screened
Basic Information About Sexual Assault
Sexual assault is a broad category of actions in which sexual acts are performed without consent or upon a person who is not able to give consent. Sexual assault is an act of aggression, power and violence. Sexual assault includes such terms as incest, sexual abuse, molestation, rape, and sodomy. One in six women and one in thirty-three men report experiencing a completed or attempted rape sometime in their lifetime. Nearly half of all reports of rape in Alabama involve victims under the age of 18.
There are many myths about sexual assault. Here are some of the facts:
Sexual assault is most often committed by someone the victim knows, not by a stranger.
Most sexual assaults occur in the victim’s own home, rather than in dark alleyways.
Many sexual assaults involve alcohol or other drugs.
Sexual assault is about power, not sex or sexual attraction.
Any person can be sexually assaulted, even males.
No one asks to be sexually assaulted… it is never the victim’s fault, no matter what.
Although sexual assault can happen to anyone at anytime, there are certain things you can do to help reduce the risk. It is important to remember, however, that sexual assault is never the victim’s fault – regardless of anything he or she has or has not done.
Observe your environment.
Trust your feelings. If something doesn’t feel right or if you feel pressured or frightened, listen to yourself and get out of that situation. Do not be afraid to hurt someone’s feelings or cause a scene. Your safety is always the number one priority.
Be assertive. Stand up for yourself. It’s okay to get angry or to confront someone who is pressuring you.
Never accept a drink from someone you don’t trust. Never leave your drink unattended. Use the “buddy system” if you choose to use alcohol or drugs.
If you or someone you know is raped, try to remain calm. While some victims may be hysterical, others are in a state of shock. It is important to get to a safe place and call the police. Although it is scary to do this because the victim may be scared, embarrassed, confused, and might not want anyone to know what happened, it is important to file an initial police report. This report allows the police to secure the area and help the victim access the appropriate medical care and be eligible for crime victim’s compensation. Although shame is a normal reaction, this is a serious crime and is not the victim’s fault.
Helping Someone Who Has Been Raped
Finding out that a friend or loved one has been raped can be an overwhelming experience. You may feel shocked, confused and unsure of what needs to be done. For victims to overcome sexual assault, they need empathy, understanding and emotional support. It is important to remember that individuals react differently to trauma, but the following steps can help you when facing such a situation.
Remain Calm. It is normal to feel shock or anger, but expressing these to the victim may worsen their trauma, and they may feel that your anger is directed at them personally.
Take necessary steps to get the victim to safety. The best way to do this is by calling your local law enforcement department.
Seek medical attention immediately. Even if there is no outward sign of injury, encourage going to the local emergency department or the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Facility. Some injuries may not be noticeable or obvious. Also, evidence can be collected during an exam that may be needed if a future decision is made to prosecute.
Let the person who has been victimized express their feelings. It may be hard to listen to what has happened, but this is an important step in the healing process. However, if the victim wishes to remain silent, do not force discussion. And remember, if you don’t know what to say, that’s OK.
Let the victim know you believe them and offer non-judgmental support. Many victims may feel blame toward themselves for what has happened, or may fear that no one would believe them. Believing and providing unconditional support is one of the most important things you can do for someone who has been raped. After all, they have been through one of the most horrible things that can happen to a person, and survived. Here are some things you can say:
“I believe you”
“You survived, and did what you had to do to survive”
“It is not your fault, and nothing you did could possibly justify what happened”
“This does not change how I care and feel about you”
Refer your friend for professional assistance, and seek help for yourself. The crime of sexual assault can have psychological impact on family and friends as well. You may be likely to experience strong reactions when you hear of the assault, such as rage, helplessness, and a desire for revenge. Counseling is available to help you through these feelings.
How to Report a Sexual Assault
If you or a friend has been forced to engage in any form of sexual activity, report the incident to the police immediately. You will need to report the incident to police in the jurisdiction where the assault occurred.
There are advantages to reporting a sexual assault. Reporting is the first step in arresting and convicting the assailant. Most sexual assailants are repeat offenders, which means that they usually assault multiple victims. If you report the crime and the offender is apprehended, it could protect you and other potential victims from future harm. Reporting the crime demonstrates the seriousness of the crime because it becomes a statistic and can alert people to how often and where sexual assault occurs. There is no statute of limitation in reporting a rape, which means that you can report it, no matter how long ago it occurred. Remember to always report the assault to police in the area where it occurred.
Another advantage of reporting the assault to the police is that you may be eligible for Crime Victim's Compensation. Crime Victim’s Compensation can provide reimbursement for medical expenses, counseling, work loss, moving expenses and replacement services that were a result of being victimized.
Once the initial report has been filed, your case will be assigned to a detective who will contact you to get additional information. If the District Attorney decides there is enough evidence to go to trial, there will be several times when you will be called to testify in court.
Date Rape Drugs
Sexual assailants use a variety of methods to take advantage of their victims. One method sometimes used by rapists is to give the victim a so-called “date rape” drug. "Date rape drugs" can be any substance given to a victim to facilitate a sexual assault. Most often, these drugs are secretly put into an individual’s drink. The beverage may or may not be alcoholic. When the drug dissolves in the drink, it is usually colorless, odorless, and in some cases, tasteless. You cannot see it, smell it, or taste it. It is invisible.
After the drug is ingested, it may begin to take effect within minutes, or even seconds. The effects can last up to 24 hours. During this time, the victim may become weak, helpless, or unconscious. When the drug wears off, the victim may not be able to remember what happened, or even who assaulted him or her.
The 3 most common date rape drugs are GHB, Rohypnol, and Ketamine. GHB, known as “liquid ecstasy” or “easy lay,” GHB is extremely dangerous because of the wide variety of homemade recipes. Rohypnol, commonly known as “roofies,” is a very potent sedative, ten times more powerful than Valium. Ketamine, known as “special K,” “K,” or “kitkat,” is an animal tranquilizer. It is important to remember that any drug can be used to facilitate a sexual assault.
Signs that you may have been drugged include:
Feeling more intoxicated than you feel you should, given the amount of alcohol consumed
Feeling “fuzzy,” waking up very hung-over, unable to account for a period of time, or memory loss
Feeling as though you had sex with someone but can’t remember any or all of the event
Taking a drink from someone but not remembering what happened afterwards
How to reduce your risk:
Bring your own drink and/or watch your drink being poured
If you realize you left your drink unattended, get rid of it
Watch out for friends
What to do if you suspect you were drugged and sexually assaulted:
Get to a safe place
Preserve all physical evidence… don’t eat or drink anything, don’t change clothes, don’t shower, don’t go to the bathroom if possible
If you have to go the bathroom, urinate in a cup and save to give to the police so your urine can be drug-screened
stuti mauritius porn video
BLOODY BLOODY SUNDAY
Le Defi Sexo
Le Defi Sexo
For all those perverts who read le defi sexo....one useful advice for you perverts
Faire zote mama karter...tir photo so liki mete dans defi sexo apres zote gueter.... pas blier braine 1 cou banne pilon LANGUETE ZOT MAMA
how would you feel if some pervert exploit your child??
For all those perverts who read le defi sexo....one useful advice for you perverts
Faire zote mama karter...tir photo so liki mete dans defi sexo apres zote gueter.... pas blier braine 1 cou banne pilon LANGUETE ZOT MAMA
how would you feel if some pervert exploit your child??
Adult pornography - the debate rages...somehow!!
Far from being immoral, dangerous or any of the other epithets the anti-porn lobby may give it, Internet porn is playing a positive role in changing attitudes to sexuality and should not be seen as "harmful" according to leading UK feminist Avedon Caroll.
Caroll believes the Internet has forced the male dominated porn industry to change its attitude to customers, opening doors to a wider spectrum of opinions and expression. "There is a visible shift in the kind of material available and a greater acknowledgement that both men and women are looking for porn," which is she says, largely due to the populist nature of the Internet. "There is now for example, lesbian porn being made by lesbians, whereas before the stuff available had probably never been near a lesbian."
Such views clash with myriad anti-porn organisations who deem censorship of unsavoury material necessary -- something Caroll believes is an ignorant and dangerous reaction to pornography leading to repression, which in turn leads to sex crimes: "There is no evidence to show porn harms people and the tendency to believe it is harmful is more worrying in itself," she says.
While Caroll's statement is difficult to disprove, one study suggests children who gain access to pornographic material are instilled with a sense of shame. In December the research group NOP undertook a survey to look at what children were searching for on the Net and how they reacted to what they found. The study, `Family's Kids.Net', revealed that 20 percent of children had found content that upset, embarrassed or frightened them. Two-fifths said they found something `rude'.
Rob Lawson, a researcher with the NOP says the findings represent a case for more careful monitoring of the Net. "The need to police young people's usage of the Internet more effectively and to restrict access to pornographic and other unsuitable material should be carefully considered by parents, teachers and those developing online content for kids," he says.
The NOP's findings have been quickly adopted by the National Viewers and Listeners Association, the old stomping ground of censorship queen Mary Whitehouse. "Pornography is immoral and exploits people," says director of the organisation John Beyer. "It presents a distorted view of sexuality and creates unnatural desires in people. Pornography undermines marriage."
Whether unnatural desires are roused or not remains open to debate, but Beyer believes the government should provide effective legislation, regardless. "Governments around the world should have powers to make material illegal and take action against those who distribute it," he says.
For Beyer the bottom line lies with service providers who, he says, should not allow offensive material to be published on the Net. But Beyer's broad definition of offensive material -- any image which depicts human sexual activity, acts of force or restraint, human genital organs, and violent sexual acts -- enrages Caroll who sees Beyer's position as untenable. "It's outrageous that someone with such a negative view of sex should be telling the rest of us what we shouldn't be looking at or doing."
Caroll believes the Internet has forced the male dominated porn industry to change its attitude to customers, opening doors to a wider spectrum of opinions and expression. "There is a visible shift in the kind of material available and a greater acknowledgement that both men and women are looking for porn," which is she says, largely due to the populist nature of the Internet. "There is now for example, lesbian porn being made by lesbians, whereas before the stuff available had probably never been near a lesbian."
Such views clash with myriad anti-porn organisations who deem censorship of unsavoury material necessary -- something Caroll believes is an ignorant and dangerous reaction to pornography leading to repression, which in turn leads to sex crimes: "There is no evidence to show porn harms people and the tendency to believe it is harmful is more worrying in itself," she says.
While Caroll's statement is difficult to disprove, one study suggests children who gain access to pornographic material are instilled with a sense of shame. In December the research group NOP undertook a survey to look at what children were searching for on the Net and how they reacted to what they found. The study, `Family's Kids.Net', revealed that 20 percent of children had found content that upset, embarrassed or frightened them. Two-fifths said they found something `rude'.
Rob Lawson, a researcher with the NOP says the findings represent a case for more careful monitoring of the Net. "The need to police young people's usage of the Internet more effectively and to restrict access to pornographic and other unsuitable material should be carefully considered by parents, teachers and those developing online content for kids," he says.
The NOP's findings have been quickly adopted by the National Viewers and Listeners Association, the old stomping ground of censorship queen Mary Whitehouse. "Pornography is immoral and exploits people," says director of the organisation John Beyer. "It presents a distorted view of sexuality and creates unnatural desires in people. Pornography undermines marriage."
Whether unnatural desires are roused or not remains open to debate, but Beyer believes the government should provide effective legislation, regardless. "Governments around the world should have powers to make material illegal and take action against those who distribute it," he says.
For Beyer the bottom line lies with service providers who, he says, should not allow offensive material to be published on the Net. But Beyer's broad definition of offensive material -- any image which depicts human sexual activity, acts of force or restraint, human genital organs, and violent sexual acts -- enrages Caroll who sees Beyer's position as untenable. "It's outrageous that someone with such a negative view of sex should be telling the rest of us what we shouldn't be looking at or doing."
Politics in Mauritius mete kilote
Politicians in Mauritius does not have the guts to enact a useful law to protect children agaisnt perverts online.
Here is what David Finkelhor Director, UNH Crimes Against Children Research Center says-
The Commission on Online Child Protection delivered a report today about the issue of children and online pornography (www.copacommission.org). We offer below an op-ed for your use, written by David Finkelhor, director of the Crimes Against Children Research Center at the University of New Hampshire. He also is the author of the Online Victimization/Youth Internet Safety Survey that was mandated by Congress and released last June. Dr. Finkelhor can be reached by phone at (603) 862-2761 or email at david.finkelhor@unh.edu. The center's url is www.unh.edu/ccrc/index.html.
The Commission on Online Child Protection has now weighed in with its report showing how deadlocked our political community is about the issue of the problem of children and online pornography. That report and most of the debate on this issue have proceeded around the assumption that exposure of children to pornography is a problem of controlling young people.
Young people are presumed to be interested in pornography, but some parents object to the way in which the Internet facilitates this access and makes it hard or impossible to enforce parental wishes. To the extent it is framed in this way, the problem may be seen as involving primarily that group of parents who wish to foil their children's sexual curiosity, and a matter of how much assistance government and public policy should give parents in an historically long-standing intrafamilial tug-of-war.
However, searching for pornography is not the only avenue by which children can be exposed; they can encounter it involuntarily as well. Increasingly, information has circulated about sites that intentionally try to trick people, and maybe even especially children, into entry by using keywords that will capture surfers searching on non-sexually related topics (e.g. "sports") or capitalizing on common addressing mistakes (the infamous "whitehouse.com" or "disnie.com").
In a recent national survey of 1,501 regular Internet-using youth who were 10 to 17 years of age, my colleagues Janis Wolak, Kim Mitchell and myself found that 25 percent of Internet-using youth had been exposed in the last year to pictorial sexual material on the Internet when they didn't want it and weren't looking for it. About a quarter of these youth said they had been very upset by the exposure. One of the major historical changes introduced by the Internet may not be how many children get exposed to sexual materials -- youth access to at least some pornography may have already reached close to saturation with the erotic publishing revolution of the 1960s and 1970s -- but how many get exposed involuntarily. This issue relates to the question of how to conceptualize the Internet medium as a content provider. Regulatory policies in the U.S. have taken a very different stance toward television than they have toward book stores, for example, at least in part because consumers are deemed to have less voluntary control over television content, which is simply beamed into the home and whoever happens to be watching once the set is turned on. Many have considered the Internet more along the lines of a bookstore, in which consumers actively search out and bring home content that they choose. The Supreme Court alluded to this distinction in its opinion on the Communications Decency Act when it wrote, "The receipt of information on the Internet requires a series of affirmative steps more deliberate and directed than merely turning a dial."
But if, in fact, a great deal of sexual material is being viewed by individuals who are not taking "affirmative steps" to receive it, then the medium takes on more of the character of the television model. Whether or not this is an appropriate model to guide regulatory policies in regard to the Internet, there is nonetheless a very important difference for public policy if the problem is conceived as at least in part helping consumers and children avoid intrusive exposures they do not want -- as opposed to helping parents restrain children from exposures these children are actively seeking.
It would help the logjam if we addressed the unwanted exposure as a separate and priority issue.
David Finkelhor is director of the Crimes Against Children Research Center at the University of New Hampshire. He also is the author of the Online Victimization/Youth Internet Safety Survey that was mandated by Congress and released last June.
Here is what David Finkelhor Director, UNH Crimes Against Children Research Center says-
The Commission on Online Child Protection delivered a report today about the issue of children and online pornography (www.copacommission.org). We offer below an op-ed for your use, written by David Finkelhor, director of the Crimes Against Children Research Center at the University of New Hampshire. He also is the author of the Online Victimization/Youth Internet Safety Survey that was mandated by Congress and released last June. Dr. Finkelhor can be reached by phone at (603) 862-2761 or email at david.finkelhor@unh.edu. The center's url is www.unh.edu/ccrc/index.html.
The Commission on Online Child Protection has now weighed in with its report showing how deadlocked our political community is about the issue of the problem of children and online pornography. That report and most of the debate on this issue have proceeded around the assumption that exposure of children to pornography is a problem of controlling young people.
Young people are presumed to be interested in pornography, but some parents object to the way in which the Internet facilitates this access and makes it hard or impossible to enforce parental wishes. To the extent it is framed in this way, the problem may be seen as involving primarily that group of parents who wish to foil their children's sexual curiosity, and a matter of how much assistance government and public policy should give parents in an historically long-standing intrafamilial tug-of-war.
However, searching for pornography is not the only avenue by which children can be exposed; they can encounter it involuntarily as well. Increasingly, information has circulated about sites that intentionally try to trick people, and maybe even especially children, into entry by using keywords that will capture surfers searching on non-sexually related topics (e.g. "sports") or capitalizing on common addressing mistakes (the infamous "whitehouse.com" or "disnie.com").
In a recent national survey of 1,501 regular Internet-using youth who were 10 to 17 years of age, my colleagues Janis Wolak, Kim Mitchell and myself found that 25 percent of Internet-using youth had been exposed in the last year to pictorial sexual material on the Internet when they didn't want it and weren't looking for it. About a quarter of these youth said they had been very upset by the exposure. One of the major historical changes introduced by the Internet may not be how many children get exposed to sexual materials -- youth access to at least some pornography may have already reached close to saturation with the erotic publishing revolution of the 1960s and 1970s -- but how many get exposed involuntarily. This issue relates to the question of how to conceptualize the Internet medium as a content provider. Regulatory policies in the U.S. have taken a very different stance toward television than they have toward book stores, for example, at least in part because consumers are deemed to have less voluntary control over television content, which is simply beamed into the home and whoever happens to be watching once the set is turned on. Many have considered the Internet more along the lines of a bookstore, in which consumers actively search out and bring home content that they choose. The Supreme Court alluded to this distinction in its opinion on the Communications Decency Act when it wrote, "The receipt of information on the Internet requires a series of affirmative steps more deliberate and directed than merely turning a dial."
But if, in fact, a great deal of sexual material is being viewed by individuals who are not taking "affirmative steps" to receive it, then the medium takes on more of the character of the television model. Whether or not this is an appropriate model to guide regulatory policies in regard to the Internet, there is nonetheless a very important difference for public policy if the problem is conceived as at least in part helping consumers and children avoid intrusive exposures they do not want -- as opposed to helping parents restrain children from exposures these children are actively seeking.
It would help the logjam if we addressed the unwanted exposure as a separate and priority issue.
David Finkelhor is director of the Crimes Against Children Research Center at the University of New Hampshire. He also is the author of the Online Victimization/Youth Internet Safety Survey that was mandated by Congress and released last June.
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