Advocates Warn Of Increased Online Predators Targeting Teens

Advocates in Tulsa say they are seeing a rise in teenagers being targeted by online predators and are urging parents to recognize the risks and take steps to protect their children.

Police reported that a 13-year-old girl recently ran away from home after communicating with a 21-year-old man on Snapchat. Such incidents are part of a growing national trend of predators using social media to exploit children.

>>> Girl Found Safe After Meeting 21-Year-Old Man; Two Arrested

Predators No Longer Lurk in Public

Kristin Weis, co-founder and CEO of The Demand Project, emphasized the changing tactics of predators.

“It’s no longer, ‘Hey honey, how was your day? How did school go?’ It’s, ‘Where did you go online? Who did you talk to?’” Weis said.

Weis, who founded the organization 12 years ago to combat human trafficking and online enticement, said unsupervised access to social media is a major factor in the rising number of cases.

“The numbers are out of control, and they are only going to grow unless we as adults start supervising and teaching how to manage yourself online,” Weis said.

Reports of Online Exploitation Skyrocket

According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, over 450,000 reports have been filed involving predators soliciting nude photos or arranging in-person meetings with minors.

Susan Kennedy, the center’s director of community engagement, said these reports help identify emerging trends and inform prevention efforts.

“It allows us to really understand what’s going on with kids right now ... so we are able to take that real-time information and put it right into our prevention messaging,” Kennedy said.

Parental Involvement Is Key

Weis stressed the importance of parents monitoring their children’s online activities.

“You don’t have to be sneaky about it. Ask them to show you what they do on the phone,” Weis said. “Be present and be in a conversation with your kids about what’s going on because I promise you, it’s not a matter of if a predator is going to talk to your child, it’s a matter of when and what they are going to say.”

Free Virtual Summit Offers Resources

The Demand Project is hosting a free two-day virtual summit starting Thursday, featuring more than 20 experts discussing online safety and prevention measures.

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children reports a 300% increase in online enticement cases in recent years, underscoring the urgent need for awareness and action.