Between the lines

If you look at the statistics and read between the lines, is the breakdown between a parent and child’s trust or communication the real issue?

NCMEC’s Online Victimization Report (bolded items). The italicized items are the between the line observations.

• One in five children online is sexually solicited.
  (80% of children online have not been sexually solicited)


• One in thirty-three received an aggressive sexual solicitation—a solicitor who asked to meet them somewhere; called them on the telephone; sent them regular mail, money, or gifts.
  (3% of those on-line have received an aggressive sexual solicitation)


• One in four had an unwanted exposure to pictures of naked people or people having sex in the last year.
  (75% have not had an unwanted exposure)


• About one quarter of the youth who encountered a sexual solicitation or approach told a parent.
  (75% of youth who encountered a sexual solicitation or approach did not tell a parent)


• Almost 40 percent of those reporting an unwanted exposure to sexual material told a parent or guardian.
  (60% of those reporting an unwanted exposure to sexual material never told a parent or guardian)