Press Room

Online Victimization: A Report on the Nation's Youth - Statistical Highlights

Based on interviews with a nationally representative sample of 1,501 youth ages 10 to 17 who use the Internet regularly.

• Approximately one in five received a sexual solicitation or approach over the Internet in the last year.

• One in thirty-three received an aggressive sexual solicitation—a solicitor who asked to meet them somewhere; called them on the telephone; sent them regular mail, money, or gifts.

• One in four had an unwanted exposure to pictures of naked people or people having sex in the last year.

• One in seventeen was threatened or harassed.

• Approximately one quarter of young people who reported these incidents were distressed by them.

• Less than 10% of sexual solicitations and only 3% of unwanted exposure episodes were reported to authorities such as a law-enforcement agency, an Internet service provider, or a hotline.

• About one quarter of the youth who encountered a sexual solicitation or approach told a parent. Almost 40% of those reporting an unwanted exposure to sexual material told a parent.

• Only 17% of youth and approximately 10% of parents could name a specific authority (such as the FBI, CyberTipline, or an Internet service provider) to which they could make a report, although more said they had “heard of” such places.

• In households with home Internet access, one third of parents said they had filtering or blocking software on their computer at the time they were interviewed.

• The survey suggests that youth encounter a substantial quantity of offensive episodes, some of which are distressing and most of which are unreported. A comprehensive strategy to respond to the problem would aim to reduce the quantity of offensive behavior, better shield young people from its likely occurrence, increase the level of reporting, and provide more help to youth and families to protect them from any consequences.