Abstract
Technological advances have exploded in the new millennium. The Internet provides many opportunities to enrich the lives of youth by providing greater access to learning opportunities, valuable resources, and positive social interactions with peers. However, the Internet is a relatively new and unregulated entity that can also place children and adolescents at risk for a variety of negative and potentially dangerous exposures. One such risk is online sexual solicitations and interactions with older adolescents, peers, and adults. This continuing education article will explore online sexual solicitation of child and adolescents in terms of definition, epidemiology, predictors, consequences, and implications for practice.
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OBJECTIVES
- 1.Define online sexual solicitation.
- 2.Discuss the epidemiology of the online sexual solicitation of children and adolescents.
- 3.Describe predictors of the online sexual solicitation of children and adolescents.
- 4.Discuss possible consequences to online sexual solicitation.
- 5.Explore practice implications related to the online sexual solicitation of children and adolescents.
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Technological advances have exploded in the new millennium. The use of mobile phones and the Internet has grown tremendously, transforming the lives of American youth. According to the
Pew Research Center 2018
, 95% of U.S. teens aged 13–17 years report owning a smartphone or having access to one, and 45% state that they are online on a near-constant basis. The Internet provides many opportunities to enrich the lives of youth by providing greater access to learning opportunities, valuable resources, and positive social interactions with peers (Madigan et al., 2018
. However, the Internet is a relatively unregulated entity that can also place children and adolescents at risk for a variety of negative and potentially dangerous exposures. One such risk is online sexual solicitations and interactions with older adolescents, peers, and adults. The disinhibitory and opportunistic nature of the Internet provides a new venue for the sexual exploitation of children and adolescents (Wright and Donnerstein, 2014
). Children and adolescents are more available to potential perpetrators via social networking sites, e-mails, and texting as these behaviors are largely anonymous and unsupervised by parents. In addition, perceptions of privacy and anonymity may make youth feel more comfortable talking about sex and engaging in sexual behaviors online rather than face-to-face. This continuing education article will explore online sexual solicitation of children and adolescents in terms of definition, epidemiology, predictors, consequences, and implications for practice.DEFINITIONS
Online sexual solicitation occurs when children or adolescents are asked to engage in sexual activities, sexual talk, or to give personal sexual information on the Internet (
Mitchell, Wolak and Finkelhor, 2007
). Online sexual solicitation can be wanted or unwanted. The online solicitor can be another minor or an adult. The online solicitation may or may not result in offline contact. Any online sexual solicitation of children and adolescents is concerning; when the solicitor is an adult, the level of concern is elevated, and when an offline meeting occurs, the concern is extremely heightened. Baumgartner, Valkenburg and Peter, 2010
explored whether certain online sexual solicitations are riskier than others. The following four behaviors were found to be especially risky if the communication was with someone unknown to the youth: searching online for someone to talk to about sex, searching online for someone to have sex with online, sending naked and/or sexual photos or videos, and disclosing personal information (address or phone number). These behaviors are also predictive of offline encounters (Noll, Shenk, Barnes and Haralson, 2013
).A sexual predator is defined as an individual who takes advantage of a characteristic of a victim to further sexually exploit that victim (
McGrath and Casey, 2002
). The Internet is a powerful, potential tool for sexual predators, especially pedophiles. It provides them access to children and adolescents for extended periods, allowing them to gain the trust and control of their victims. Historically, only adults known and trusted by parents, such as relatives, teachers, and clergy, had access to children. The Internet allows for virtually anyone to communicate privately with children in their own homes, often with a parent in the same room (McGrath and Casey, 2002
).When a child or adolescent is sexually solicited online by an adult or an adolescent who, by the state law, meets the criteria for being an inappropriate sexual contact for the child or adolescent, the child or adolescent is a victim of online sexual abuse. The face-to-face sexual abuse of children typically involves grooming behaviors on the part of the perpetrator (
Wolf and Pruitt, 2019
). Behaviors aimed at the systematic physical and psychological desensitization of the child to the sexual acts while normalizing boundary violations (Bennett and O'Donohue, 2014
). Perpetrators use grooming behaviors to gain access, develop trust, create opportunity, establish compliance, and secure secrecy of a victim (Williams, Elliott and Beech, 2013
). Grooming behaviors can occur prior to the sexual abuse, as well as during, and even after the abuse has stopped (Wolf and Pruitt, 2019
). Grooming behaviors often accompany online sexual solicitation of children and adolescents as well (Gámez-Guadix, Almendros, Calvete and De Santisteban, 2018
; Smith, Thompson and Davidson, 2014
). Online sexual grooming involves behaviors by which an adult or older adolescent uses information and communication technology to gain access to and the confidence of the minor or younger child to engage in some sort of sexual interaction with the minor online, offline, or both (Kloess, Beech and Harkins, 2014
). Studies suggest that the Internet may alter the grooming process by providing anonymity and increased access to a potential pool of victims (Smith, Thompson and Davidson, 2014
). The online grooming process is often shortened; it is not unusual for the first conversation between the perpetrator and the child to become sexualized (Jones, Mitchell and Finkelhor, 2012
). A variety of manipulative techniques are used in the online grooming of children, including bribes, threats, controlling, persuasion, and deception (Gámez-Guadix, De Santisteban and Alcazar, 2018
). The perpetrator may engage in deception to make the child or adolescent think that they are interacting with a same-aged peer, thus making the child and/or adolescent feel comfortable with and closer to the perpetrator, resulting in an increased likelihood of sexual participation (Quayle et al., 2014
). As in offline sexual abuse, the online perpetrator may use nonsexual online involvement with the youth to foster feelings of deep emotional attachment on the part of the child, thus making them motivated to connect with the perpetrator sexually online as well as offline (Tener, Wolak and Finkelhor, 2015
). The grooming techniques used are dependent on several factors, including the child and/or adolescent's response, the offenders’ personality, and the context in which the grooming takes place (Smith, Thompson and Davidson, 2014
).de Santisteban, Del Hoyo, Alcázar-Córcoles and Gámez-Guadix, 2018
conducted in-depth interviews of 12 incarcerated men convicted of sexual crimes against minors involving online sexual solicitation. The men described the Internet as a “facilitative environment to abuse.” The Internet assisted them in gaining access to the minor and provided them a venue for initial persuasion. The men also admitted to seeking and taking advantage of opportunities to interact with minors online, operating in multiple sites (chat rooms, social networks, and video conferencing), and interacting with many different potential victims at the same time. The convicts also expressed that the perception of anonymity afforded them the ability to establish certain strategies of persuasion to attract minors. The men reported that their online interactions allowed them to identify children's specific problems, deficiencies, and vulnerabilities (family conflict or school absenteeism and/or problems) that they then used to adapt strategies of persuasion to maximize their chances of success in sexual contact both online and offline.Studies suggest that there is a substantial overlap between online and offline sexual offending. Approximately half of the adults who used the Internet for sexual solicitation of minors admitted to an offline sexual offense (
Seto, Hanson and Babchishin, 2011
). Babchishin, Hanson and Hermann, 2011
described online sexual offenders of minors as more likely Caucasian men who were younger and more educated than offline offenders.EPIDEMIOLOGY
The epidemiology of online sexual solicitation of children and adolescents is difficult to describe. It is especially difficult to quantify numbers of youth experiencing solicitation by adults because, as previously mentioned, it is not unusual for a child or adolescent victim to think that they are interacting with a peer when indeed the individual is an adult. It is also often difficult to determine if the online sexual solicitation is by a known adult or an unknown adult. Youth may make many contacts online with people that they have not met face-to-face yet feel they know, resulting in a blurring of the concept of a friend versus a stranger. According to the European Union Online survey, 30% of European 9–16-year-olds had made online contact in the previous year with someone they had not previously met face-to-face; ranging from 13% of 9–10-year-olds to 46% of 15–16-year-olds (
Livingstone, Haddon, Görzig and Ólafsson, 2011
). Approximately 9% of youth reported having a face-to-face meeting with someone they first met online; again, this behavior was more common in teens than in younger children (Livingstone, Haddon, Görzig and Ólafsson, 2011
).The Crimes Against Children Research Center at the University of New Hampshire conducted a series of studies describing online sexual solicitation of children and adolescents. Three random national samples (2000, 2005, and 2010) of children aged between 10 and 17 years were interviewed regarding their online sexual solicitation (
Mitchell, Finkelhor, Jones and Wolak, 2010
). Approximately 19% of youth reported online sexual solicitation in 2000, and by 2010, only about 10% reported solicitation. Approximately 3% of these encounters involved the solicitor attempting to meet the youth offline. Older youth aged between 16 and 17 years were more likely to experience online sexual solicitation. However, youth aged between 13 and 15 years were more likely to be asked to meet offline. Females were solicited more frequently than males.Madigan et al., 2018
conducted a meta-analysis to attain a mean estimate of the prevalence of unwanted online sexual solicitation of youth. Nine samples with a total of 18,272 participants were included in the meta-analysis. A mean prevalence rate of 11.5% was noted; approximately one in nine youth. Age did not significantly alter the prevalence of unwanted sexual solicitation. North American and European youth experienced similar rates of unwanted online sexual solicitation. One fourth (25%) of youth experiencing unwanted sexual solicitation reported that they found these experiences extremely frightening or upsetting. Many youths (96%) reporting online sexual solicitation also reported experiencing offline victimization such as being sexually harassed, experiencing emotional abuse by a caregiver, assault, or rape (Mitchell et al., 2011
). Madigan et al., 2018
found male youth to be more at risk for unwanted sexual solicitation compared with females, largely because of the Internet sites visited by boys compared with those visited by girls.Jones, Mitchell and Finkelhor, 2012
surveyed U.S. children aged between 10 and 17 years regarding online sexual solicitation. They were asked, “In the past year, did anyone on the Internet ask you for sexual information about yourself when you did not want to answer such questions? I mean very personal questions, like what your body looks like or sexual things you have done?”, “In the past year, did anyone on the Internet ever try to get you to talk online about sex when you did not want to?”, and “In the past year, did anyone on the Internet ever ask you to do something sexual that you did not want to do?” The prevalence of online sexual solicitation varied from 2% among 10-year-olds to 14% among 16–17-year-olds, with an average of 9% across the age span. Most online sexual encounters were not continued offline: only 3% of 10–17-year-olds reported offline contact with an online aggressor.PREDICTORS
Societal factors exist that influence the potential risk of children and adolescents to exposure to an online sexual solicitation. Levels of socioeconomic stratification, Internet regulatory framework (more or less stringent), technological infrastructure (more or less developed), and educational systems (number of years, and inclusion of education technology) have all been found to influence risk for online sexual solicitation (
Livingstone and Smith, 2014
). Certain neuro-developmental factors increase adolescent vulnerability to an online sexual solicitation.As children enter adolescence, their brains are bombarded by a surge of hormones—driven by the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis—which essentially “flips a switch” underlying youths’ transition from general disinterest into a fascination with sex (
Feldstein Ewing et al., 2016
). Thus, both online and offline adolescent sexual behaviors are hormonally influenced. Other behavioral changes that can increase the risk for online sexual solicitation also accompany adolescence. Impulsivity, risk-taking, and sensation-seeking peak in adolescence, resulting in a heightened attraction to novel and exciting experiences despite the evident risk (Romer, Reyna and Satterthwaite, 2017
). Gender differences exist when considering potential risk for online sexual solicitation. Although boys are more likely to view online pornography than girls (Livingstone, Kalmus and Talves, 2013
), it appears that adolescent girls are more at risk for online sexual solicitation (Baumgartner, Valkenburg and Peter, 2010
; Jonsson et al., 2019
). Pujazon-Zazik, Manasse and Orrell-Valente, 2012
, in a content analysis of personal information posted on social networking sites, found that girls posted more risky and sexual content than boys.Although societal, developmental, and gender factors can influence potential risk for online sexual solicitation, individual predictors are more important to consider (Box 1). Individual socioeconomic background does not appear to influence risk; however, other individual factors do (
Jonsson et al., 2019
). Psychological and social problems, behavior problems, poor parent–child relationships, lower self-esteem, lower sense of coherence, and low cognitive ability place individuals at increased risk for online sexual solicitation as well as subsequent offline sexual meetings (Jonsson, Bladh, Priebe and Svedin, 2015
). Depression is a predictor of online sexual solicitation (de Santisteban and Gámez-Guadix, 2018
). Adolescents with depression have fewer coping skills to identify potential sexual offenders in their online interactions (de Santisteban and Gámez-Guadix, 2018
). Depressed adolescents have more difficulties socializing and establishing adequate offline as well as online relationships, thus increasing vulnerability.BOX 1
Predictors of online sexual solicitation
Psychological and/or emotional concerns
Affective disorders
Depression
Low self-esteem
Low sense of coherence
Behavioral factors
Lesbian and/or gay and/or bisexual and/or transgender
Low cognitive ability
Child maltreatment victimization
Sexual abuse
Physical abuse
Neglect
High levels online game use
High levels pornography exposure
Bullying and/or cyberbullying victimization
Other high-risk online behavior
Poor parental relationship and/or low level parental monitoring
Sexual assault victimization
Physical assault victimization
Note.
Mitchell et al., 2011
.A high degree of parent–child conflict often leads to less supervision of children, placing them at increased risk (
Wright and Donnerstein, 2014
). Youth identifying as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or questioning are also at increased vulnerability (Jonsson et al., 2019
). The Internet affords them a seemingly anonymous venue for exploring their alternative sexuality, thereby placing them at risk for online sexual solicitation. Chang et al., 2016
explored predictors of unwanted online sexual solicitation in 2,315 adolescents from 26 high schools in Taiwan. Higher levels of online game use, online pornography media exposure, Internet risk behaviors, depression, and cyberbullying victimization were predictive of online sexual solicitation victimization.Experiencing child maltreatment (sexual abuse, physical abuse, and/or neglect) is a risk factor for engaging in a variety of sexual risk-taking behaviors, including sexual solicitation, both offline and online (
Maas, Bray and Noll, 2018
). Adolescent females who have experienced child maltreatment, compared with their peers who have not experienced child maltreatment, are more likely to present as sexually provocative online and are more likely to agree to meet with someone offline, whose identity has never been confirmed (Noll, Shenk, Barnes and Haralson, 2013
). The link between online sexual solicitation victimization and child maltreatment may vary on the basis of the type of child maltreatment experienced (Wright and Donnerstein, 2014
). Sexual abuse victimization can distort the victim's perceptions of their sexual selves, leading them to engage in sexual experiences that are likely to result in negative outcomes (Noll, Trickett and Putnam, 2003
). Wright and Donnerstein, 2014
found sexual abuse or sexual assault victimization to be a significant risk factor for online sexual solicitation. Jonsson et al., 2019
found victims of penetrative sexual abuse or sexual assault (oral, anal, or vaginal penetration by a penis or other object) to be five times more likely to experience online sexual solicitation compared with their non-sexually abused peers. Physical abuse victimization may lower an individual's self-esteem and self-efficacy, which can lead to a path of general self-destruction and risk-taking, including sexual risk-taking (Norman et al., 2012
). Jonsson et al., 2019
found victims of physical abuse to be two times more likely to experience online sexual solicitation when compared with their non-physically abused peers. Children who experience neglect often live in environments lacking in parental warmth and monitoring, and parent–child relationships are often weak (Maas, Bray and Noll, 2018
), thus placing them at increased risk for online sexual solicitation. Noll, Shenk, Barnes and Haralson, 2013
studied high-risk Internet behaviors in girls aged 14–17 years; girls experiencing child maltreatment (n = 130) and those not experiencing child maltreatment (n = 121) were studied. Experiencing child maltreatment, adolescent behavior problems, and low cognitive ability placed adolescents at increased vulnerability for high-risk Internet behaviors, including online sexual solicitation. Nearly one third of the teens in the study reported having offline meetings with individuals they met online. Exposure to sexual content, creating high-risk social networking profiles, and receiving online sexual solicitations were predictive of meeting offline.CONSEQUENCES
It is important to note that although many online sexual contacts may be viewed by youth as positive experiences (
Jonsson et al., 2019
), engaging in online sexual solicitation can be associated with a variety of negative consequences for children and adolescents (Box 2). When the online sexual solicitation involves an adult or an older adolescent who by the law is an inappropriate sexual partner, that youth is a victim of online sexual abuse. Online sexual solicitation by an adult, older adolescent, or a peer can result in psychological trauma for the victim and is associated with a variety of negative psychological outcomes which can be both predictors of engagement in online sexual solicitation and consequences of online sexual solicitation, such as depression and poor self-esteem. Victims often feel shame, guilt, and embarrassment (Baumgartner, Valkenburg and Peter, 2010
). Experiencing sexual abuse and other forms of trauma can be risk factors for online sexual solicitation; in trauma-exposed youth, online sexual solicitation can exacerbate existing trauma symptoms (Maas, Bray and Noll, 2018
). Trauma symptoms can also develop in youth engaging in online solicitation who have not previously been exposed to trauma. Trauma symptoms can include anxiety, depression, externalizing problems, psychosomatic complaints, self-harm, and even suicide (de Haan et al., 2020
; - de Haan A.
- Landolt M.A.
- Fried E.I.
- Kleinke K.
- Alisic E.
- Bryant R.
- Meiser-Stedman R.
Dysfunctional posttraumatic cognitions, posttraumatic stress and depression in children and adolescents exposed to trauma: A network analysis.
Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and Allied Disciplines. 2020; 61: 77-87
Ossa, Pietrowsky, Bering and Kaess, 2019
). Online sexual exploitation is indeed a trauma exposure and can result in the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (Maas, Bray and Noll, 2018
).BOX 2
Consequences of online sexual solicitation
Negative psychological outcomes
Trauma symptoms and/or posttraumatic stress disorder
Depression
Low self-esteem
High-risk sexual behaviors
Multiple sexual partners
Low condom use
Anal sex
Earlier onset sexual activity
Use of drugs and/or alcohol with sex
Sexual assault and/or sexual abuse victimization (online and offline)
Revictimization (online and offline)
Commercial sexual exploitation of children
Intimate partner violence victimization
Sexually transmitted infections
Other victimization
Stalking
Harassment
Note.
Maas, Bray and Noll, 2019
.Engaging in online sexual solicitation can predict engagement in other high-risk offline sexual behaviors such as multiple sexual partners and inconsistent condom use (
Maas, Bray and Noll, 2019
). Having an offline partner during adolescence who was met online is associated with having more lifetime sexual partners, sex before the age of 14 years, using drugs and alcohol with sexual experiences (Buhi et al., 2013
), and decreased condom use (Rice et al., 2015
). Thus, youth engaged in online sexual solicitation are at increased risk for sexually transmitted infections, including HIV and pregnancy (Maas, Bray and Noll, 2019
; McFarlane, Bull and Rietmeijer, 2002
). Youth engaged in online sexual solicitation are more likely to experience other forms of victimization such as physical and sexual violence in their intimate relationships (Stanley et al., 2018
), stalking (Southworth et al., 2007
), harassment, and entry into the commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC; Mitchell, Finkelhor, Jones and Wolak, 2010
). The Internet can serve as a vehicle for the recruitment of vulnerable youth into CSEC (Mitchell, Finkelhor, Jones and Wolak, 2010
). The online grooming of CSEC victims is similar to the offline grooming processes. Traffickers canvass online for vulnerable youth, woo them online with promises of love, gifts, and caring, and then convince them to meet offline to continue the relationship (Moore, Kaplan and Barron, 2017
). Engaging in online sexual solicitation and sending sexual photos or videos can also be used as blackmail against the youth to force them into CSEC, to avoid the exposure of their online sexual behaviors (Goldberg and Moore, 2018
).Teens engaged in online sexual solicitation behaviors also place themselves at risk for later sexual revictimization, both online and offline (
de Santisteban and Gámez-Guadix, 2018
; Maas, Bray and Noll, 2019
). Sexual perpetrators may approach potential victims based on their profile pictures, other emotional vulnerabilities, and sexual readiness cues gleaned via online communications. Youth posting sexual pictures of themselves and engaging in sexual talk and acts online are determined by the perpetrator to be more likely to play the role of sex object resulting in an increased risk of both online and offline sexual abuse and/or assault (Maas, Bray and Noll, 2019
). Victims of online sexual solicitation frequently coexperience offline sexual victimization (Mitchell et al., 2011
).IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE
The online sexual solicitation of children and adolescents is a serious pediatric health care problem; a problem that pediatric nurse practitioners (PNP) must feel confident addressing. All children and adolescents are at potential risk. Preventing online sexual solicitation begins with the basics, encouraging positive parenting practices, and open communication between parent and child. Parents need to be a presence in their children's lives, both online and offline. Encourage parents to monitor their children's online use. Provide parents with up-to-date information on Internet technologies and online safety (Box 3). Although preventive software has been found to decrease exposure to unwanted sexual material, studies suggest that it is most effective when coupled with parental monitoring and healthy communication between parents and children (
Mitchell et al., 2011
; Ybarra, Finkelhor, Mitchell and Wolak, 2009
). Encourage parents to talk to their children about their Internet use emphasizing the dangers of communicating with strangers online, especially about sexual matters, and discuss risks associated with meeting Internet contacts offline (Genuis and Genuis, 2005
). Educate parents regarding the importance of being calm and supportive, should their child disclose online sexual solicitation. Help parents understand the profound sense of shame, embarrassment, and self-blame that their child may be experiencing (Madigan et al., 2018
).BOX 3
Tips for parents: Online safety
Technologies cannot catch everything: communicate with your child
Risks of sharing personal information
Identity theft
Online scams
Hacking
Online sexual solicitation
Sextortion
Address sexting
Talk about consequences (legal)
Never forward sexual images
Discuss healthy relationships
Discuss ways an image can spread online
Report sexting to cybertipline.org
Address sexual solicitation
Discuss healthy relationships
Talk about risks of offline meetings and set rules
Know your child's online friends
Discuss warning signs of online grooming
Call the police if online sexual solicitation occurs
Report to cybertipline.org
Note.
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children 2020
.Pediatric health care providers need to incorporate preventive interventions that educate youth about healthy relationships (Box 4). Understanding the prevalence of social media use by today's youth, coupled with its potential risks, PNPs must talk to youth about their online behaviors and provide anticipatory guidance. Ask a few general screening questions such as: Do you talk to anyone online that you do not know in real life (have never met face-to-face)? If yes, is that person older than you (quantify how much older)? Do you talk online about personal information such as sex or share sexual photos? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, a few additional screening questions are indicated (Box 5). Educate youth regarding the link between online sexual solicitation and offline sexual assault or recruitment into CSEC (
Madigan et al., 2018
). Discussions should also include information about online grooming behaviors, ranging from flattery, professions of love, or even threats of harm to the teen or their family, to solicit adolescents to engage in online sexual talk or interactions (Black, Wollis, Woodworth and Hancock, 2015
).BOX 4
Healthy relationships education
Healthy
Freedom to be yourself
Mutual respect
Limited jealousy
Support
Privacy
Boundaries
Good communication
Warning signs
Angry when you do not do everything with them
Criticize the way you look or dress
Say no one else would want to date and/or be with you
Keep you from seeing friends or talking to other guys and/or girls
Wants you to quit an activity that you love
Physical violence or threats
Sexual violence and/or force and/or coercion
Note.
National Domestic Violence Hotline 2013
; Nemours KidsHealth 2017
.Pediatric health care providers must possess a basic understanding of the state laws defining age-appropriate sexual partners. They must also understand that Internet-related sexual solicitation of a minor by an adult or an age-inappropriate adolescent is sexual abuse and must be reported to law enforcement and child protective services, even when no physical contact has transpired. As with other forms of sexual abuse, referral to a mental health provider skilled in evidence-based treatments such as trauma-informed cognitive-behavioral therapy or eye movement desensitization and reprocessing may be clinically indicated (
Gillies et al., 2016
). Teens engaging in online sexual solicitation could benefit from specific interventions to better ward off unwanted online sexual advances such as sexual refusal and assertiveness training (Schry and White, 2013
).BOX 5
Screening questions for online sexual solicitation
- 1Have you been asked for online pictures or videos of yourself with sexual contact?
- aAdult and/or older youth (legally inappropriate sexual partner)
- bPeer
- a
- 2Have you been asked questions about sex via the Internet or mobile device?
- aAdult and/or older youth
- bPeer
- a
- 3Have you been asked to have cybersex (i.e., webcam)?
- aAdult and/or older youth
- bPeer
- a
- 4Has anyone you met online asked you to have sex offline?
- aAdult and/or older youth
- bPeer
- a
- 5Has anyone sent you photos or videos of themselves with sexual contact?
- aAdult and/or older youth
- bPeer
- a
- 6Have you sent photos or videos of yourself with sexual contact?
- aAdult and/or older youth
- bPeer
- a
- 7Have you met a person offline who you met online?
- aAdult and/or older youth
- bPeer
- a
- 8Have you had offline sexual contact with someone you met online?
- aAdult and/or older youth
- bPeer
- a
Note.
Gámez-Guadix, De Santisteban and Alcazar, 2018
.American children and adolescents live in a virtual world, and it is a reality that they are potential victims of online sexual solicitation. Online sexual solicitation can result in a variety of negative mental and physical health consequences. PNPs should urge schools to provide comprehensive sex education programs that include principles of healthy intimate relationships as well as basic principles of Internet literacy (
Council on Communications and Media 2010
). PNPs should also encourage and participate in research into the impact of online sexual contact on children and adolescents. By participating in governmental advocacy, PNPs can lobby for the implementation of stricter Internet regulation to better control potential online perpetrators’ access to children and adolescents. Finally, PNPs can make immediate differences in the lives of children and adolescents by incorporating practice behaviors to assess for online sexual solicitation exposure better and provide appropriate intervention as needed. Online sexual solicitation is indeed a pediatric health care problem, and PNPs must feel comfortable and confident in addressing the problem.Appendix. SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIALS
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Biography
Gail Hornor, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Center for Family Safety and Healing, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH.
Article info
Footnotes
Conflicts of interest: None to report.
This manuscript represents an original body of work by the author.
Identification
Copyright
Copyright © 2020 by the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
