© 2011 PCAV

CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE PREVENTION APPROACH
 Emphasizes adult responsibility
 Victim and perpetrator prevention and bystander education
 Train adults in sexual abuse and prevention
 Technology Safety Training

• Technology safety program for:
• Children and teens (4-8 grade)
• Parents/guardians
• Educators
• Trainers
• Encourages safe online behavior
• Addresses benefits and risks of technology use
• Provides adult participants with resources and concrete tools
• Presentation covers topics in manner that is age/role appropriate for group in attendance www.technicoolvt.org

Part I. Student Trends & Concerns for Educators
Part II. Ranges of Concerning Online Behavior
Part III. Educators Roles
Part IV. Application
Part V. Post-Test, Evaluations

Cell Phone
Ownership
Computer
Ownership
• 75% of teens overall
• 73% of 13 year olds
• 58% of 12year olds
• 69% of teens overall
• 60% of 12 and 13 year olds
Broadband
Internet Access
& Internet Use
• 76% of families with adolescents have broadband
• 63% of teen internet users go online every day
Gaming Devices
Ownership
• 80% of teens have a gaming console
• 66% of 12 and 13 year olds own a portable game device
Lenhart, Smith, and Zickuhr (2010) “Social Media & Mobile Internet Use Among Teens and Young Adults.” Pew Internet and
American Life Project.

• Expanding their worlds
• Staying in touch with those close to them (including parents and relatives)
• Increasing job skills
• Gaining new educational information (research for school)
• Increasing sense of community and support
• Cyberbullying (as target, bully, or bystander)
• Unhealthy relationship behaviors
(ex. sexting, Cyberstalking)
• Sharing too much personal information
• Exposure to inappropriate content and unhealthy media messages
• Poor communication skill development

Read the SITUATION CARD silently.
On a piece of paper answer:
1) What of this scenario may be of concern to you as an educator, either for the student involved or for yourself (or both).
2) What do you think you should do, if anything?

• The Online Child Privacy Act requires all SNS to set the user-age to 13
• Shared content and easy contact put children at risk of experiencing or being exposed to:
• Cyberbullying
• Sexting
• Misuse of personal information
• Social isolation or exclusion
• “Facebook Depression”
• Contact by adults with sexual interests in children
• SNS occurrences are often brought into school settings by youth

Cyberbullying : “willful and repeated harm inflicted through the use of computers, cell phones, and other electronic devices.”
(Hinduja & Patchin, 2011)
• Cyberbullying is the most common technology issue for mid-teens
• Correlations between bullying and…
• Substance abuse
• Poor academic performance
• Mental health problems
• Family violence
• Cyberbullying is NOT the same as Cyberharassment
• Cyberbullying (and bullying) are prohibited in VT schools

Sexting: “the sending or receiving of sexually explicit or sexually suggestive images or video via a cell phone.” (Hinduja & Patchin, 2011)
• Sexting trends:
• Sexting typically involves older teens
• Significant amount of this behavior is related to personal relationships
• Boys and girls typically participate equally
• Sexting situations fall on a continuum:
• Experimental  Criminal
• Core concern: youth creating images of themselves or other minors that are shared with others and that meet criminal definitions of child pornography
• Vermont’s stance  “Romeo and Juliet Provision,” court diversion
• Legal penalties may range from educational programming for first timeoffenders, to fines, felony charges, or short-term incarceration
• Other concerns: damage of reputation, academic failure, mental health issues

Potential Patterns of Harmful Peer-to Peer Online
Behaviors
(and other technologies)

Do you know the difference between bullying and harassment?
Test your knowledge.
Look at the words below the chart.
In which column do they belong: bullying or harassment?

• Student to student
• Student to student or between students and adults
• Bully the target about:
-Weight -Age
-Clothes -Hair
-Where they live -SES
-Height
• Happens over a period of time
• Happens repeatedly
• Based on actual or perceived target’s or target’s family member’s membership in a protected category:
-Race -Marital status
-Creed (religion) -Sex
-Color -Sexual orientation
-National origin -Disability
-Gender identity
• Happens over a period of time
• Happens repeatedly or a single severe incident

Rude,
Disrespectful
Behavior
Bullying Harassment
Criminal
Behavior
Adapted from Tracey Tsugawa, Vermont Human Right’s Commission, “ Continuum of Behaviors, ”
2011. Available for print at www.hrc.vermont.gov

Gather into small groups.
Take the words from the word bank and write them into their appropriate place along the progression you received
(either Cyberbullying or Sexting).
When you are finished, wait for the correct answers to review your work.

Minor
A couple key things to note:
1. Cyberbullying is illegal in the state of VT:
• Considered disorderly conduct with an electronic communication device
• May violate other laws and statutes depending on the severity of behavior
2. If behaviors are based on target’s or target’s family member’s ACTUAL or
PERCEIVED membership in a protected category it is
CYBERHARRASSMENT
• Ignoring
• Name calling
• Teasing
• Taunting
• Flaming
• Exclusion
Moderate
• Denigration
• Impersonation
• Outing
• Trickery
• Happy-
Slapping
• Photoshopping
• Posting pics online without permission
Serious
• Cyberthreats
• Cyberstalking
• Intimidation

CYBERBULLYING
ADDED TO THE
LEGAL DEFINITION
OF BULLYING!
CYBERHARASSMENT
ADDED TO THE
LEGAL DEFINITION
OF HARASSMENT!
From SUMMARY OF THE ACTS AND
RESOLVES of the 2011 VERMONT
GENERAL ASSEMBLY:
The act amends the definitions of “harassment” and “bullying” in the educational context to include actions committed electronically and permits school administrators to discipline students for actions conducted outside normal school hours and off school grounds where the conduct can be shown to pose a clear and substantial interference with another student’s right to access educational programs.
(Secs. 35–37 of 16 V.S.A.).
To read full text: http://www.leg.state.vt.us/docs/2012/BILLS/PASSED/S-
100.pdf

MINOR
RANGE OF CYBERBULLYING BEHAVIORS
MODERATE SERIOUS

Teasing

Ignoring

Name calling

Taunting

Flaming

Identity theft

Spreading rumors

Create video of bullying

Posting pictures online without permission

True physical threats

Stalking

Intimidation

Death threats
POSSIBLE RESPONSES OF SCHOOL PROFESSIONALS
MINOR MODERATE SERIOUS

Meeting with parents

Meeting with counselor

Creative consequences (design anti-cyber-bullying posters, write paper on the effects of cyber-bullying, etc.)

Revoke Internet and computer privileges at school

Meeting with principal

Behavior plan

Civility Education

Extracurricular consequences

Detention
• Legal or civil punishment which would be from outside personnel but could Involve the school
• Suspension
• Expulsion
Adapted from Bullying Beyond the Schoolyard; Preventing and Responding to Cyberbullying by Sameer Hinduja and Justin W. Patchin. Used with permission.

Common Sexting Situations
* Please note, situations that may fall under the category of ‘Experimental’ still require an appropriate and healthy response
Experimental Malicious At-Risk Significantly
Harmful
• Not intended to cause harm
• Romantic relationship
• Desired relationship
• “Show me yours…”
• Entertainment
• Attention-seeking
• Intended to cause harm
• Distribution
• Peer pressure or trickery
• Taken where privacy expected
• Fake image depicting real person
• Recipient does not want to receive image
• Teen shown engaging in high risk behavior
• Distribution to advertise sexual availability
• Soliciting sexual
“hook-ups”
• Demanded by abusive partner
• Revenge distribution
• Black mail
• Sexual solicitation of younger teen
• Abusive acquisition with intent to widely distribute

Providing support and modeling positive use of technology for youth can take many forms including:
1.
Communication
2.
Supervision (as you are able to in the educational setting)
3.
Staying informed
4.
Safety-checking your computer (if you have students that may have access)
5.
Keeping computer and cell phones in a safe-space
6.
Creating rules & boundaries (via school Acceptable Use Policy)

As educators we have the opportunity to nurture healthy behaviors and relationships which may extend beyond the school yard. We can do this by:
• Supporting students’ healthy and educational use of technology
• Fostering a healthy and safe school climate
• Understanding school obligations
• State Law, district/SU/school policy
• Maintaining awareness of student technology-related issues
• Responding consistently and empathetically to student technology related issues

As educators we have the role of modeling safe and healthy behaviors with the students we care for.
It crosses boundaries when we:
• Engage in online relationships with students
• Search students personal electronic devices
• Forward, copy, transmit, download, save, or show non-law enforcement personnel any sexual content evidence collected from an electronic device

By believing students and helping them access resources we can play a powerful role in minimizing the harm of technology related incidents.
The following are tips for responding:
• Find a private place for this discussion
• Let the student describe what happened in his or her own words
• Maintain a calm demeanor
• Believe the student
• Take action to assure that everyone is safe and respected
• Follow school policy for reporting
• If you suspect Cyberbullying or Cyberharassment report immediately to designated employee
• If it is clear student is distraught, make sure student receives services

You are not alone in responding to technology safety issues. There are many resources in the community to look to for additional support and guidance .
Prevent Child Abuse Vermont www.pcavt.org
(p) 802-229-5724
1-800- CHILDREN email: pcavt@pcavt.org
TECHNICOOL, A Technology
Safety Program www.technicoolvt.org
(p) 802-552-4269 ext 628 email: technicool@pcavt.org or aberthiaume@pcavt.org
VT Department of Children and Families (DCF): http://dcf.vermont.gov
(p) 1-800-649-5285
VT Department of Education (DOE): www.education.vermont.gov
(p) 802-828-3135
VT Human Rights Commission (HRC): http://hrc.vermont.gov
(p) 800-416-2010
VT Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC): www.vtinternetcrimes.org
(p) 802-540-2112
VT Internet Safety Project (VT ISP): http://vtisp.org/
VT School Board Association: www.vtvsba.org
(p) 800-244-8722
VT Principals Association: www.vpaonline.org
(p) 802- 229-0547

THE TALK IN THE HALLS
Round 2
Re-read the SITUATION CARD.
With the person sitting next to you:
1) Decide what of this scenario may be of concern to you as an educator, either for the student involved or for yourself (or both)
2) What, if anything, would you do in the moment?
3) What additional information might you need to make an action plan?
4) How would you support the students (and families) involved?
5) What follow up steps need to be taken and by whom?