I got propositioned.

My chat-room experience

from JoeUser Forums

I feel that before I tell you about my experience I should add some type of disclaimer:

I do not recommend that the average person try this at home. Whilst I'm not law enforcement I have more experience than the average citizen because of what I've done in the past and what I'm training to do now (Private Investigator, in case you're wondering). All names (except mine) have been changed.

After reading and seeing what pervertedjustice.com does, I wanted to see for myself just how prolific these online pedophiles are.

So I went to yahoo and set myself up with a profile.  I gave myself the ID katie_is_bored2000 and made myself 14 again. 

I looked at the chat categories, and decided to start with the 'teen' room.  I browsed the room for my region, and then headed into the 'romance' room.  Within 2 minutes of being in the room, I got PM'd by someone.  He asked me my a/s/l.  I told him 14/f/SD.  He told me 21/m/GA.  I said that he was kind of old for me because I was only 14, and he said he didn't care.  We chatted for a few minutes about how bored we both were, the weather, etc, and then he said "I was gunna ask you a silly question". Ok, I thought, here we go.  He's going to ask if I have a cam or pictures he can see. 

And he did.  After I had explained that I didn't because my mom wouldn't let me, he sent me a picture of himself...or what he said was himself. He sure looked 21. He sait his name was Matt. I said he was "cute".  He said he wished he could see me to know if I was "hott or nott" We then got to talking about me. This guy didn't mess around, he went straight for the prize, asking personal questions. Like whether I had a boyfriend or not.  If I had ever been kissed.  If I had to wear a bra yet.  If I had fooled around with a boy, and if I had, what had I done (in detail - and I reminded him that I was only 14 at this point)  If I even liked boys, or if I preferred girls. Remember now, that this is a 21 year old talking to a 14 year old.  An adult, talking to a child.  A little girl.

The came the clincher: was I a virgin.  I said yes.  He said was he "hot enuff to make u wanna not be?"  I said "I dunno dood.  ur pretty old.  you might hurt me" 

He ran the typical 'it's only going to hurt a bit at first and after that you'll like it' line....and by this time I was literally nauseated and I logged out, disconnected, and went and sat on my deck, trying to contain my fury at what had just happened.

You see, I have an almost 12 year old daughter.  That could have been her he was talking to.  That's what makes me mad.  That's why organizations like pervertedjustice.com make me uneasy.  Because if someone had spoken to my child like that, I'd want them prosectued.  I'd want them to be on the Sex Offenders Registry for the rest of their lives.  I'd want to see them jailed and have to keep house for some big ol' cornfed boy named 'Bubba'.  It wouldn't be enough for me to see them humiliated on a web site..because after a while, that profile is going to go away and they're going to be free to offend again.  There's not going to be a permanent, legal record of their activites.

Oh, and as if one pervert wasn't enough, whilst I was chatting with Matt I got paged by another freak.  A 20 year old, living in Florida.  I was too busy with Matt to pay him too much attention, but he too asked me if I had a cam or pics he could see and if I had a boyfriend.

Internet pedophiles are out there, folks.  They're real.  Parents, if you have kids that frequent these chat rooms, your child could be having conversations similar to the one I had this morning. Keep an eye on them when they're on the net.

I know I will.

 

 

1,577 views 13 replies
Reply #1 from JoeUser Forums Top
Sheesh! That is so scary.

Been out tonight and am not of the sobriety to write anything of importance, but please know that my anger is burning with yours. maybe if enough of us get riled up about this we can do something? It is terrifying to think that people who would not normally have access to your kids can reach through your computer into your home. I am shivering at the thought.

Luckily you are a good mom. Actually, better than good. You show so much care and concern for your kids that it is obvious that you will do all you can to stop this happening to them. And the fact that you are aware of it means that you will be all the more vigilant.

You are an inspiration, dharma. Keep up the good work!

Suz xxx
Reply #2 from JoeUser Forums Top

Thanks, Suz.

We can do something.  We can be vigilant about where our kids are at when they're on the net.  We can be mindful of who they're talking to.  We can make other parents aware that these predators are out there, and that will take advantage of our kids if we give them a chance.  That's the key - don't give them the chance.

I would not, however, recommend that people practice vigilante-type justice and go looking for these guys in chat rooms and such.  Leave that to the police or trained professionals.  If you really want to get involved, call your local PD or Sheriff's Department and ask the Public Liason Officer what you can do to help, if there's an organization you can volunteer at.  Please don't pose as teenagers and go trolling for perverts on the internet; you'll ultimately do more damage than you will good. 

Galactic Civilizations III
Reply #3 from JoeUser Forums Top
Definitely not! I agree - it is something for the professionals. I hope you don't think that I was advocating vigilante behaviour! Good for you for keeping an eye on things
Reply #4 from JoeUser Forums Top

No, I didn't think that you were...I just feel the need to cover my ass and make sure everyone can see that I don't advocate it either!


You know you're going to have a hangover tomorrow, don't you?!

Reply #5 from JoeUser Forums Top
yikes!

i saw the link at the other article. just wanted to check this before i commented there. im in total agreement with your advice here, dharma.

the most important thing non-professionals can do to help curb the problem is to pay attention to what the kids under their guardianship are doing online. im gonna repeat this as a comment to your other article (if its a problem, feel free to delete one or both): any adult who allows (or doesnt prevent) a minor child from spending time in messenger-type chat rooms or with 'friends' the child has met in yahoo, aim or msn-type chats is acting as negligently as if they drove the same child to a carnival, theatre, shopping mall, beach, concert, etc. and dropped him or her off to wander around unattended. actually its probably more negligent because most of those venues implement some sort of security.
Reply #6 from JoeUser Forums Top

Yes! Yes, yes, yes, Kingbee! 

We are sooo careful about who we let babysit our kids, who our kids hang out with etc etc...so why aren't we that careful about their activities on the net, especially in chat rooms?

My kids have supervised access to the internet, and absolutely no access to chat rooms.  Especially not after today.

Reply #7 from JoeUser Forums Top

Good article and a good idea. It makes me ill when I see organization like AOL play on parents utter ignorance of technology with things like "Kids Only" chat. Parents actually think that this means that AOL would somehow "know" a persons age and stop pedofiles from entering these rooms! I submit that "Kids Only Areas" are in fact more like pedophile smorgasbords! Here AOL has done all the work of *profiling* the kids for easy tagetting! I kow the brains at AOL are aware of this and yet they are absolutely exploitng paretns fear and ignorance, childrens trusting natures, and most insidiously they are getting a massive chucnk of *pedophile* bussiness! Thats why they advertise so much!

Reply #8 from JoeUser Forums Top
ive no doubt youre right about the end result of that setup..id hope it wasnt done intentionally but im sure theyre aware of whats up.

very insightful observation.
Reply #9 from JoeUser Forums Top
Sadly, there are a lot of sicko predators out there.
Reply #10 from JoeUser Forums Top
Parents, if you have kids that frequent these chat rooms, your child could be having conversations similar to the one I had this morning. Keep an eye on them when they're on the net. [/quote}

Ever since we've been online, my girls...and my son until he was 16....were on accounts set up so they cannot enter chats, and they cannot receive messages from anyone they do not already know...family and friends from school. Not to mention the fact I am usually sitting with them or close by when they are online.
Reply #11 from JoeUser Forums Top

My kids can go to a few sites unattended...but I'm always in the room, and we put a time limit on their 'net session.  Luckily, my daughter has no interest in 'chat' and neither do my sons (yet).

 

Reply #12 from JoeUser Forums Top
As where i do not necessarily agree with the restrictions on the chatting, i do find it nice that you are making an effort to curb the abuse your children could be subjected to online. I am apalled at the audacity of the man you spoke to and i cannot fathom(being 21 myself) trying to coerce a young girl into losing her virginity. Whats worse is that there are surely plenty of men older than him aiming for girls who are younger. Frankly, it disgusts me.
Reply #13 from JoeUser Forums Top
OH my GOD!

I just tried it. I had to see it for myself. PARENTS, if your children have access to the net, I BEG you to try it yourself. I am so sickened by the results of my own experiment. I can't even begin to tell you what a lesson this has been. Thank you DharmaGrl, for shedding light on this issue for me. I don't even have children yet and I am outraged for their future. I would have a difficult time even repeating what was said to me when I posed as a 14 year old girl... I encourage you ALL to try this. It is eye-opening-- BEYOND BELIEF.