NAMBLA, Chat Rooms and the Internet: Is Your Child Safe?

This has been the toughest article to write but it's probably the most important. Through my journey of writing this piece, I had to visit sites that made me sick to my stomach. I urge everyone to read this article and start protecting America's greatest assets, our children.

While the internet can be a wonderful place to find information about specific topics, news, special events, etc., it can be an unsafe place for your children and a breeding ground for child sex abusers.

Is your child safe from sex offenders? Sadly, every child is vulnerable to the monsters who commit these terrible crimes.

In this article I will inform you about the threat of the internet to our children and then tell you how you can begin to protect them. We will look into NAMBLA, Chat rooms and the Internet.

NAMBLA - A disgusting organization protected by the ACLU and stands for North American Man/Boy Love organization (NAMBLA.com - enter at your own risk). I almost threw up when I visited the site). NAMBLA's goal is "to end the oppression of men and boys who have freely chosen, mutually consensual relationships".

This is ridiculous. Children can't freely enter into a sexual relationship. This sick organization (the largest but not the only man/boy love organization on the internet) claims that a consensual sexual relationship with boys is normal.

All the data I've read from crime sites to protective agencies has led me to believe that the vast majority of people who partake in sexual relationships with children have induced them into the relationship, either by force or other types of pressure.

Children and teenagers are susceptible to manipulation and may do things to please others. They want to have a sense of belonging and want to be loved and respected.

Monsters like members of NAMBLA will go to any lengths to manipulate children into having sex with them. Then these people try and say that their acts are normal.

Most studies done on victims of child sexual assaults say that many years after the abuse, these sex acts have harmed them immensely.

As young children become adults and realize the terrible nature of the crimes committed against them, they face having to deal with the pain that has been inflicted on them.

We must not tolerate groups like NAMBLA and the ACLU who try to protect horrible people who commit senseless crimes. My plea to you. Please don't vote for any politician who supports the ACLU.

One final point on the ACLU. If I advocated on my website, the violence against a minority group, I could be charged with a hate crime (and that would be the right decision). The ACLU wouldn't support my right to free speech in that case but they do defend the right of NAMBLA to advocate for sex with young boys. Isn't having sex with young boys a violent crime?

So the ACLU is supporting the right of adult men to violently harm young boys. This is sick and must be stopped.

Chat Rooms/Internet - Chat rooms and the internet can be great places for people to exchange ideas and thoughts. They can also be dangerous places for disgusting human beings to try and kindle relationships with children and teenagers.

Dateline NBC recently had a show where they had set up a sting with child sex abusers. They had actors posing as teenage girls who set up dates with adult men.

Chat rooms make it easy for offenders to perpetrate their crimes. These people can remain identity free from their potential victims. They can pretend to be who they want. Since few chat rooms verify the status of their members there's almost no way of knowing who the person you are corresponding with is.

The internet is similar. People can post text, video, audio and pictures on the internet at will. This makes it easy for people who transmit child pornography to share their information with many people.

The internet also allows child molesters to discuss their crimes and desires with other like minded criminals (http://www.prevent-abuse-now.com/pedoweb.htm). NAMBLA is an example of an internet membership group where sex offenders can go to receive encouragement for their crimes and are told that their behavior is normal. They can also discuss how to carry out a crime.

The resources to help these molesters are extensive on the internet. Their identity can also remain hidden on the internet, making it easier for them to plan their crimes. The sad truth is that all children are vulnerable to abuse if they aren't equipped with the right information to combat the abuse.

There are chat rooms and news groups that provide comfort to child sex offenders and also tell children that it's ok to have a loving sexual relationship with an adult. These chat rooms and news groups keep the identitites of the offender and the victim hidden from the public.

This makes it hard to fight and is contrary to all the teachings of parents, law enforcement and teachers.

Forensic investigation is getting much better at finding and tracking down these criminals but it doesn't stop the crime from being committed.

There are steps that parents can take to try and protect their children from sex offenders. Internet safety for your children is very similar to normal education that you would talk to your child about when it comes to sexual assault. You can visit Childnet International for more information.

1) Keep your child's information secret and don't give personal information to strangers online - Just like the physical world you should be very careful about transmitting personal information about your child, online. This includes personal information, pictures, videos, etc. Please tell your child not to give out personal information on websites, forums, chat rooms, news groups and other internet websites.

2) Check on the material that your children are looking at and agree about the ground rules of where your children can go - Monitor the types of sites that you child visits and monitor the content of that site.

3) Tell your children not to fill out forms that ask for personal information - The internet is full of pop-up ads, forms and other advertising that asks the user for personal information. Educate your child about the risks of filling out these forms and ask your child to stay away from them.

4) Warn your children of the risks of opening unsolicited emails - Even with the best email filters your child's email is sure to receive dozens of spam emails a day. These emails may come from sources that may not be in the best interest of your child. There's much more that you can do. Contact your law local enforcement agency for more information on how you can protect your child from child sex abusers.

The Warning Signs (Visit CyberAngels.org for more information)

1) Screen Switching - If your child turns off the monitor or changes screens when you enter the room, this can be a sign that they're on a website that is not suitable for children.

2) Odd Phone Calls - If your child starts receiving phone calls from unknown adults it can also be a warning sign that something is wrong.

3) Odd hours of the night - If you notice that your child is online at odd hours of the night, they may be in contact with someone that can potentially harm them or may be partaking in activities that may put them in danger.

4) Large amounts of cash - Be concerned if your child suddenly has large amounts of cash. Speak to your child and try to find out where the money came from.

5) A withdrawn child - If your child seems withdrawn from you and other loved ones including their friends, there may be something terribly wrong. It's important that you find out what the problems is.

There are other resources for you to check out:

1) Family Research Council

2) Enough is Enough

3) National Coalition for the Protection of Children & Families

The internet can be a potentially harmful place for your children and can also be a breeding ground for the sick and perverse attitudes and actions of child sex abusers. It's up to all of us to become informed and pass on the right information to our nations children so that they can have a safe experience on the internet.

Anthony B. is the founder and owner of ItsTheRightWay.com a news, political and sports commentary website.

Anthony has over 7 years of experience as a business professional