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Less Kids Are Sexual Targets

The University of New Hampshire`s Crimes Against Children Research Center had found in a recent research that fewer American children are being targeted by sexual predators on the Internet today than five years ago. Researches attribute the improvement to a growing awareness of the problem among young people.

The survey, which included 1,500 children between the ages of 10 and 17, had found that 13 percent were victims of unwanted sexual advances last year, compared to 19 percent in 2000. Those solicitations included attention kids didn`t seek, such as requests for sexual pictures.

However it was also indicated by the report, called "Online Victimization of Youth: Five Years Later," that more aggressive sexual solicitations, which involve off-line contact, remained at 4 percent of all solicitations, which is the same level as in the first survey conducted at 2000. Of those who were solicited aggressively, around 7 percent met their predators in person. Researchers claim the overall progress is all thanks to highly publicized campaigns fighting sexual predators on the Web, as well as efforts to teach children to avoid sharing personal information and talking to strangers.