Child sex crimes expert to present workshop on Internet dangers

By RENEE WEBB, Globe editor
January 19, 2006

While advancements in technology and the establishment of the World Wide Web are positive for the most part, they have created a whole new playground for child molesters seeking girls and boys to victimize. With that in mind, the Diocese of Sioux City is hosting an Internet Safety Awareness Workshop to inform educators, parents, church staff and volunteers as well as the community at-large about on-line dangers.

"It will inform them how computers, the Internet and other electronic devices are used to commit crimes against children," said Kevin Vickery, superintendent of Catholic schools in the diocese. "Most of us are not aware of the vulnerability that having a computer in our home can be to our children. It is an open door to the whole world."

The workshop will be offered six times over three days - Jan. 24 to 26. It will be presented at St. Mary's School in Storm Lake at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. The workshop will be presented at Mater Dei School-Nativity Center in Sioux City on Jan. 25 at 1:45 p.m. and 7 p.m. Spalding Catholic School in Granville will host the workshop at 1 p.m. on Jan. 26 and another presentation will be made that evening at 7:30 p.m. at Gehlen Catholic School in Le Mars.

Sponsored by the Office of Education for the diocese and the Catholic School Foundation, the workshop will be facilitated by one of the world's leading experts on child sex crimes. Robert Hugh Farley is a 30-year veteran of the Cook County Sheriff's Police Department in Chicago, Ill. who has more than 28 years of experience conducting and supervising all aspects of child abuse investigations - from sexual abuse to child homicide.

In 1997, Farley created the Cook County Sheriff's Police Department Exploitation Unit to combat on-line Internet solicitation and sexual abuse of children. At that time, no other law enforcement agency in the United States or the world had a unit working these specific types of crimes. He has trained tens of thousands of police officers, attorneys, teachers, social workers and other professionals. Since 1980, he has conducted hundreds of training seminars for the United States Department of Justice and National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

"He literally pioneered a lot of the research and investigation techniques of child computer-related crimes," said Vickery.

The diocesan superintendent pointed out that the main purpose of the workshop to be presented in the diocese is to provide awareness to parents and educators about the importance of being informed.

During the workshop, Farley is expected to address: the historical background of child exploitation, the evolution of the on-line problem that began in 1997, the use of the computer and cell phone text messaging in child sexual exploitation, the dangers of Web-cams and file server, Web page dangers involving myspace, facebook, livejournal, xanga and more.

The Internet crimes expert will present tips for developing a safe environment for children in a religious and/or school environment. Farley, who also is a trainer for the VIRTUS programs, will also cover such things as the child molester's on-line seduction techniques as well as law enforcement's reactive and proactive response to the problem.

"Perpetrators who are likely to lurk out on the Internet in a chat room, they have no face. They have no picture, so therefore with a cute name they might appear to be a 14- or 12-year-old," said Vickery. "It gives children a false sense of security."

Through the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People that was signed by the U.S. bishops, he said that as a diocese they are charged with the responsibility of providing parents with educational programs.

"By giving this same information to teachers, we are hoping that those teachers will communicate it to the children. Part of this is driven by our obligation to provide an ongoing education program for adults and children on the issue of child sexual abuse," said Vickery.

This is not in response to any specific incidences other than the knowledge that the Internet threat is real.

"I would venture to say that everyday, kids who are in our schools and parishes - if they are in a chat room or are using instant messaging - have contact with people who represent themselves as teenagers or young people, who are not," said the diocesan superintendent.

After hearing Farley speak the first time, Vickery said it made him realize how lax he had been in using parental controls on his Internet provider at home.

"It is important that people are aware of how predators are utilizing the Internet to gain access to our children," he said.

Parents and teachers will gain knowledge as to the times and Web sites that these situations are most likely to happen. For instance, many perpetrators of child sexual abuse use the internet between 3 and 5 p.m. when parents may not be home from work and students get on-line after school.

For more information regarding the seminar, contact Kevin Vickery at (712) 233-7589 or e-mail him at kevinv@scdiocese.org. All adults are welcome to attend.