Recently, the Lompoc Vandenberg branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) held a public forum about the growing problems facing young people who are using the Internet and other telecommunication devices.
Local counselors Tonya Schultz and Ann Bockius related that the problems out in cyberspace are very prevalent in the Lompoc community, as it is in every community in the nation. Further testimony about this new ‘‘epidemic’’ came from a member of the public who has been dealing with the problem on behalf of his grandson for more than two years and from representatives from the Rape Crisis Clinic who are hearing more and more about young people being threatened because of giving out too much information on social Web sites.
According to one local school administrator, problems related to bullying via the Internet frequently arise on campuses. The local police force has two detectives who deal with threatening and demeaning exchanges which are harmful to the victim. Police Chief Tim Dabney reports that the detectives work as part of the Internet Crimes against Children program.
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