By the Los Altos Police Department

Parents and children believe it is safe for children to be on the Internet. But there is a seedy side to the Internet. It can be a wonderful tool when used for homework, research, shopping and chatting with known friends in chat rooms or through e-mail. The dark side is that children can easily become victims of sexual predators.

The predators choose their victims in chat rooms by watching the children chat with others or by looking at their profiles. Predators are very good at finding children who just want someone to pay attention to them.

Here is a typical scenario: A predator starts a conversation with a child in a chat room and soon becomes the child’s “best friend” by telling him or her everything he or she wants to hear. The predator becomes very close to the child, especially when the child is having problems with friends or family, and needs a sympathetic ear. The child feels he or she now knows the predator and no longer views the predator as a stranger. At this point, the predator may try to lure the child to a meeting and convince the child to have a sexual encounter. The child may feel pressured and want to please the predator who has come to understand him or her. The child does not tell the parents of this “new friend” from the chat room or any subsequent meetings that might take place because of shame or fear of getting into trouble.

Most people believe that the victims of pedophiles are primarily female. This is only because females are more apt to report these crimes. In fact, research with convicted pedophiles has found that 89 percent of their encounters may have gone unreported and that most of the unreported victims are male.

We have all grown up with the idea that children should not talk to strangers on the street, in a car or at school. In today’s world, those warnings have to be extended to a broader range of children’s activities. Parents need to warn their children of the dangers not only of the street, but of the Internet as well.

One thing parents can do is create a set of rules for online safety. This includes monitoring or supervising time spent online, location, personal information included in a profile, and what Web sites and chat rooms are acceptable. Should a parent or child come across inappropriate materials or contacts, there are further steps they can take. They should not delete anything or turn off the computer. They should immediately notify the Los Altos Police Department at 947-2770.

The Los Altos Police Department is committed to working with parents and children on community awareness about these issues. Through educational brochures and community presentations, the police department is striving to educate the public on the dangers of the Internet. They hope to protect children from becoming victims and to prosecute offenders.

Educational brochures are available in the lobby of the Los Altos Police Department, 1 N. San Antonio Road. Community presentations on Internet safety are scheduled at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 5, and Jan. 21, in the Multipurpose Room at the Hillview Community Center.