Trends in Youth Internet Victimization: Findings From Three Youth Internet Safety Surveys 2000–2010

doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2011.09.015

Journal of Adolescent Health

Volume 50, Issue 2, February 2012, Pages 179-186

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2011.09.015 Get rights and content

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this research was to explore the trends in youth reports of unwanted online sexual solicitation, harassment, and exposure to pornography over time.

Methods

The study was based on three separate cross-sectional national telephone surveys of approximately 1,500 youth Internet users, aged 10 through 17 years. Data were collected in 2000, 2005, and 2010.

Results and Conclusion

Nine percent of youth reported an unwanted sexual solicitation in 2010. This continued the decline in unwanted sexual solicitations that occurred between 2000 (19%) and 2005 (13%), resulting in a total 50% decrease between 2000 and 2010. Twenty-three percent of youth reported an unwanted exposure to pornography, a decline from 34% in 2005, following an increase between 2000 and 2005 (25% to 34%). However, marking the only trend to show an increase over the past 5 years, 11% of youth reported an online harassment experience, which was an increase from 9% in 2005, and 6% in 2000. Some differences in these trends were noted for subgroups of youth across age, gender, and race. The trends in unwanted experiences online over the past decade identified by three Youth Internet Safety Surveys may contradict impressions that the general population, professionals, and the media have about what is happening. Trends provide evidence for some optimism that protective adaptations to the online environment have been successful; however, online harassment appears to be increasing for youth, particularly girls, and may require additional mobilization.

Section snippets

Methods

The YISS-1, YISS-2, and YISS-3 studies were conducted to quantify and detail youth experiences with unwanted or problematic Internet experiences, including sexual solicitations, harassment, and unwanted exposure to pornography on the Internet. Respondents in the YISS studies were youth between 10 and 17 years who had used the Internet at least once a month for the past 6 months, and a caregiver. Abt Schulman, Ronca, and Bucuvalas, Inc, a national survey research firm, conducted the sampling,

Results

There were significant changes in youth reporting unwanted or problematic experiences using Internet technology across the 2000, 2005, and 2010 YISS studies, but they varied according to the type of problem experienced (Figure 1). Unwanted sexual solicitations declined from 19% in 2000 to 13% in 2005, and finally to 9% in 2010; thus, there was a total 50% decline in reports of this problem between 2000 and 2010. However, aggressive solicitations (in which offline contact was attempted or made)

Discussion

The current intensive media attention to the problem of Internet safety can sometimes give the impression that Internet risks are increasing for youth. However, for two out of three online problems measured by YISS-3 in 2010, rates decreased when compared with earlier studies. A decreasing trend was identified for unwanted sexual solicitations of youth online, and also for unwanted exposure to pornography by youth, but a steady and significant increase in online harassment was identified as

Conclusions

Findings from the YISS studies suggest that trends in youth online unwanted experiences may contradict impressions that the general population, professionals, and the media have about what is happening. It is important that such trend data be collected and disseminated by professionals, integrated into prevention directions and material, and used to inform policy. Problems that have been highlighted and may cause parents to be reluctant to let their youth use the Internet are relatively

Acknowledgments

For the purposes of compliance with Section 507 of PL 104-208 (the “Stevens Amendment”), readers are advised that 100% of the funds for this program are derived from federal sources. This project was supported by grant number 2009-SN-B9-0002 awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. The total amount of federal funding involved is $734,900. Points of view or opinions in this document are those of the authors and

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The addition of the online abuse to the generic questions about child sexual abuse raised the overall prevalence rate from 13.5 % to 21.7 %. The rate for females increased from 19.8 % to 31.6 % and for males from 6.2 % to 10.8 %. The largest independent contribution to the overall combined increase were the offenses involving non-consensual image sharing and voluntary online sexual interactions with an impermissibly older adult partner. The inclusion of the online sexual abuse exposures also increased the ability to identify the survivors with the highest levels of current psychological distress.
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Many effects that impair children's development have been documented. The results found in this review are often contradictory. Therefore, further replication studies are needed. In addition, we propose several preventive measures, e.g., sexual health education at schools for both heterosexuals and LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender) people.
Ces dernières années, les enfants et les adolescents ont été de plus en plus exposés au matériel pornographique sur Internet. Cela suscite de grandes inquiétudes quant à l’impact de la pornographie sur l’attitude et le comportement des jeunes. C’est pourquoi nous décrivons l’état actuel de la consommation de pornographie sur Internet et ses effets sur les enfants et les adolescents. En outre, nous discutons l’attitude et les sentiments des enfants et des adolescents à l’égard de la pornographie et les raisons de son utilisation.
Une recherche systématique a été menée dans les bases de données de littérature en ligne ERIC, PsycARTICLES, PsycINFO, et PSYNDEX pour des articles anglais corévisés par la communauté et publiés entre 2000 et 2022. Après avoir soustrait les doublons et les articles inappropriés, la recherche a permis d’extraire un total de 86 articles issus de littérature primaire et 100 articles de littérature secondaire.
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Citation Excerpt :
Over half (57.3%) of youth in the study reported online interaction with individuals they had never met face to face, and for 30.2% of youth, that interaction involved some form of online sexual solicitation such as talking about sex, sending or receiving sexual photographs or videos, meeting someone offline, or having sex with someone offline. Previous studies have suggested that between 10% and 14% of children aged 10–14 years experience online sexual solicitation (Jones et al., 2012; Madigan et al., 2018). In addition, 10% of youth in this study reported meeting someone offline that they met online and/or having sex with someone offline, compared with approximately 3% of youth in previous studies (Jones et al., 2012; Madigan et al., 2018).
The Internet provides a powerful potential tool for sexual predators. Experiencing trauma, including sexual abuse, can increase child and adolescent risk of experiencing online sexual solicitation.
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The number of youth involved in online sexual solicitation illustrates that children who have been sexually abused are at increased risk for sexual solicitation. This study also suggests that young children are vulnerable to online sexual solicitation. Youth engaged in these concerning online behaviors with individuals of all ages.
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Original articleTrends in Youth Internet Victimization: Findings From Three Youth Internet Safety Surveys 2000–2010

Abstract

Purpose

Methods

Results and Conclusion

Section snippets

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusions

Acknowledgments

Am J Prev Med

J Adolesc Health

Online Victimization: 5 Years Later

Cell phone survey feasibility in the U.S.: Sampling and calling cell numbers versus landline numbers

Publ Opin Q

The impact of cell phones on public health surveillance

Bull World Health Organ

The Youth Internet Safety Survey (YISS) Methodology Report

Technology trends among people of color

Pew Internet and American Life Project

Pew Research CenterDemographics of teen internet users

Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS)

Social Media and Mobile Internet Use among Teens and Young Adults

Original article
Trends in Youth Internet Victimization: Findings From Three Youth Internet Safety Surveys 2000–2010