Title
Proclamation encouraging parents and community members throughout Allegheny County to recognize and become educated about the potential online dangers facing children.
Body
WHEREAS, a study conducted by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2002 found that there were approximately 58,000 non-family abductions of children in one year ; and
WHEREAS, according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, one in five girls and one in ten boys are sexually exploited before they reach adulthood; and
WHEREAS, there are more than 600,000 registered sex offenders in the United States and the Internet has been found to be a prime instrument being used by predators to target our children; and
WHEREAS, safety should always be a top priority when addressing Internet technologies; and
WHEREAS, organizations like Stop Internet Predators seek to increase awareness and educate others on these technologies and the various safeguards available to protect our children and their privacy. Stop Internet Predators is working to encourage families to be proactive in preventing the sexual exploitation of our children through online applications; and
WHEREAS, by improving communication with their children and by diligently supervising online activities, parents can drastically minimize the chances of their children being victimized by online predators;
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, Allegheny County Council hereby proclaims a spirit of vigilance on behalf of this Council to recognize potential online dangers facing children and to inform parents and the community about these dangers that may exist with certain online technologies in an effort to better protect our children and our communities.