#anit-map

[4182015]

You have got to be shitting me.

[4182015]

Sextortion

•What is Sextortion?

Sextortion is a form of sexual exploitation that employs non-physical forms of coercion to extort money or sexual favors from the victim. Sextortion refers to the broad category of sexual exploitation in which abuse of power is the means of coercion, as well as to the category of sexual exploitation in which threatened release of sexual images or information is the means of coercion

Red Flags

Those involved in the sextortion of children will:

•Approach a child on social media after using it to learn about the child’s interests, friends, school, family, etc.

•Intentionally move their communications with the child from one online platform to another (e.g., moving from social media to private video chat or messaging apps)

Use tactics to coerce a child, including:

•Reciprocation (“I’ll show you, if you show me”)

•Initially offering something to the child, such as money or drugs, in exchange for sexually explicit photos/videos

•Pretending to work for a modeling agency to obtain sexual images of the child

•Developing a bond with the child by establishing a friendship/romantic relationship

•Secretly recording sexually explicit videos of the child during video chats

•Physically threatening to hurt or sexually assault the child or the child’s family members

•Using multiple online identities to contact a child

•Pretending to be younger and/or a member of the opposite sex

•Accessing the child’s online account without authorization and stealing sexual images or videos of the child

•Threatening to create sexual images or videos of the child using digital-editing tools

•Threatening to commit suicide if the child does not provide sexual images or videos

•Saving sexually explicit conversations with the child and threatening to post them online

Risk Factors

There are certain online behaviors that may increase the risk for a child to be a victim of online enticement or sextortion. Some of these behaviors include:

•Lying about his or her age to access platforms which would allow a child to communicate with older individuals

•Initiating contact with an individual online or offering to provide sexually explicit images to the individual in exchange for financial compensation, alcohol or drugs, gifts, etc.

•Sending sexually explicit photos or videos (known as “sexts”) of oneself to another individual

[4182015]

I Am Anonymous When I Use a VPN? 10 Myths Debunked

So, this individual was harassing a account probably thinks that they cannot be found because of the VPN they use well, I’m about to bust some myths so that individuals like this one. Can’t use the VPN excuse on you the next time you’re online.

•I can be anonymous on the Internet

Anonymity is defined as not being named or identified. You are not anonymous when you are online, even when using privacy tools like Tor, Bitcoin or a VPN. Every service has at least one piece of information that can be used to distinguish different users, whether it’s a set of IP addresses (VPN and Tor) or a wallet (Bitcoin). This information alone may not reveal any private details about the user, but it can be associated with other similar information to eventually identify an individual.

Several publications have correctly pointed out that neither Tor nor Bitcoin make you anonymous.

A VPN doesn’t make you anonymous either, but does greatly increase your privacy and security online. A VPN is similar to the curtains for the windows of your house. The curtains provide privacy for activities happening inside your house even though your house address is public.

Privacy is a more realistic goal, not anonymity. Privacy is inherently personal and has different definitions for different people, but privacy generally means the ability to exclude information about yourself. Privacy can also mean the right to express yourself:

“privacy is your right and ability to be yourself and express yourself without the fear that someone is looking over your shoulder and that you might be punished for being yourself, whatever that may be”.- Evan Greer, Fight for the Future, Panelist at Golden Frog’s

(“Take Back Your Internet Privacy Panel” at SXSW 2014)

•Anonymity and privacy are the same

Services that claim to make you anonymous attempt to eliminate any identifying data (which is not a realistic goal, as discussed above). However, services designed to protect privacy instead allow users to control access to their personal data, but do not eliminate all identifying data.

Internet users can use private web browsers, proxies, Tor, encrypted messaging clients, VPNs and other great tools to increase their privacy online. These privacy tools help defend against mass surveillance by governments or by private corporations “deputized” to collect information at the direction of the government (in the United States companies such as AT&T, Verizon, Time Warner, Comcast). But none of these tools, alone or in any combination, make you anonymous. Online privacy through secure communications is a realistic goal, but anonymity is a false promise.

Edward Snowden has encouraged Internet users to focus on increasing privacy to defeat “mass surveillance”

“basic steps will encrypt your hardware and … your network communications [making] you…far, far more hardened than the average user – it becomes very difficult for any sort of a mass surveillance. You will still be vulnerable to targeted surveillance. If there is a warrant against you, if the NSA is after you, they are still going to get you. (emphasis added) But mass surveillance that is untargeted and collect-it-all approach you will be much safer.”

A VPN called Golden Frog had one of its founders post to the Usenet, “You are not anonymous on the Net. You can run, but you can’t hide.”

•When my VPN provider advertises an “anonymous” service, that means they don’t log any identifying information about me.

Several VPN providers advertise an “anonymous service” on the marketing pages of their website, but have terms in the fine print of their privacy policy indicating they do log.

A VPN Provider in the UK that advertised an “anonymous service” on its website was outed for turning over customer information about a LulzSec Hacker to the authorities. As you will read below, limited VPN logging is not necessarily bad, as it helps the VPN provider troubleshoot customer issues, prevent abuse of its IP space and network and offer different VPN plans (such as multi-device or GB limited plans). But advertising one service and delivering another service is wrong.

Here are some examples of VPN providers’ marketing messages that appear to contradict the fine print on the Privacy Policy page:

•Hotspot Shield:

Website: “anonymous browsing” with “no logs of your online activity or personal information”

Privacy Policy: “when you use our Service, we may automatically record certain information by using different types of proprietary technology (such as cookies), which may include your IP address, unique device ID, or application information installed on your device…” It goes on to describe that details such as IP address and unique device identifiers are not considered personally-identifiable pieces of information by the service.

•Express VPN:

Website: “surf anonymously”

Privacy Policy: “In addition to the information you provide through our order-form, we may store the following pieces of data: IP address, times when connected to our service, and the total amount of data transferred per day. We store this to be able to deliver the best possible network experience to you. We keep this information secure and private. If we receive complaints regarding copyrighted materials such as music and movies being shared over our network, we may filter traffic to see which account is sending it, and then cancel that account.”

•Pure VPN:

Website: “PureVPN anonymous VPN service;” “makes you anonymous;” “anonymous web surfing”

Privacy Policy: “…we will never release any information about you or your account to anyone except law enforcement personnel with the proper documentation and paperwork.”

“Furthermore, in the course of using PureVPN services, you or someone else on your behalf may give out information about yourself or give access to your system. This information may include, but not limited to:

•Names and IP addresses

•Operating systems

•Operational logs”

•Zenmate:

Website: “surf anonymously;” “browse anonymously”

Privacy Policy: “In order to prevent attacks against ZenGuard your IP address will be saved temporarily on the server without being stored permanently or used for any other purposes.”

“When choosing an access point please note that only this server will process your IP address and request for the webpage you would like to access (the “Targeted Website”).”

“…on the server you selected, your site request and your IP address are received via an encrypted connection.”

•CyberGhost:

Website: “surf anonymously;” “top notch security and anonymity”

Privacy Policy: “CyberGhost keeps no logs which enable interference with your IP address, the moment or content of your data traffic.”

Note: The CyberGhost privacy policy has updated recently but previously stated they “may process and use personal data collected in the setup and delivery of service (connection data). This includes Customer identification and data regarding time and volume of use.” Despite this privacy policy, they still advertised an “anonymous” service. Unfortunately, their newly updated privacy policy is confusing. It appears they say they don’t log the content of your traffic, but what about connection data such as IP address? Due to their previous marketing messages contradicting their prior privacy policy, I have concerns about their current privacy policy.

•When my VPN provider’s privacy policy says they “don’t log,” that means I am anonymous

When a VPN provider simply says they perform “no logging” it does not guarantee online anonymity or privacy. Any systems or network engineer will confirm that some minimal logging is required to properly maintain and optimize systems or the network. In fact, any provider claiming “no logging” should cause you to immediately question what is happening with your private data. If a VPN provider kept absolutely no logs, they wouldn’t be able to:

•Offer plans with limits on GB usage or per user basis

•Limit VPN connections to 1, 3 or 5 on a per user basis

•Troubleshoot your connection or offer support for server-side problems

•Handle your DNS requests when using the VPN service. They might rely on a 3rd Party DNS provider that logs DNS requests

•Prevent abuse, such as spammers, port scanners and DDOS to protect their VPN service and their users

•Even if my VPN provider uses hosted or cloud-based VPN servers I can still be anonymous

Anyone that runs server infrastructure knows running infrastructure with ZERO logs is extremely difficult, if not impossible. Now imagine how hard it would be to eliminate logging if you DIDN’T run your own infrastructure and instead rented your VPN servers and network from 3rd parties! Aside from Golden Frog, virtually all VPN providers in the world do not run their own infrastructure. Instead, VPN providers “rent” their servers and network from a “landlord,” such as a hosting company or data center. When the VPN provider “rents” instead of “owns,” how can it guarantee that its “landlord” will respect the privacy of its VPN users?

a Dutch customer of a “no log” VPN Provider was tracked down by authorities by using VPN connection logs after using the “no log” VPN service to make a bomb threat. The VPN provider’s data center provider (“landlord”) apparently seized the VPN server at the direction of the authorities. The data center provider was also keeping network transfer logs of the VPN provider. The VPN Provider says they cancelled the contract with the data center but strangely didn’t address the other 100+ locations where they presumably rent VPN servers. Did they cancel contracts with those data centers too? Predictably, this same VPN Provider still prominently advertises an “anonymous VPN service” and claims it keeps “absolutely no logs.”

“No logs” EarthVPN user arrested after police finds logs – Wipe Your Data

In the forum of a different VPN Provider, a discussion thread conveniently disappeared when a user questioned whether users can trust data centers to not log.

In 2016, another VPN provider, Perfect Privacy, had two of its servers seized by police in the Netherlands. In this instance the authorities went straight to the hosting provider to obtain the hardware, bypassing the VPN provider completely. This again illustrates the danger of using third parties. If a provider uses third-party hosting and isn’t even contacted when the servers are seized, how can they possibly ensure your data and information are kept safe?

Police Seize Two Perfect Privacy VPN Servers - TorrentFreak

VPN provider Perfect Privacy has had two of its servers seized by Dutch police, as part of an active investigation. Police bypassed the VPN

Some questions to ask about VPN Providers who “rent” servers include:

•How can the “Server Renters/Cloud” protect their users from their hosting companies taking snapshots of their machines for backup purposes, DDOS purposes, or at the direction of law enforcement?

•How can “server renters” prevent a live migration of the hosted VPN server in which an entire image is taken of the computer, including operating system memory and hard drive, especially when live migrations can be invisible to the VPN Provider?

•What happens to the data when the hosted machine is no longer used by the VPN provider?

•If you don’t own the server, how can you be sure your landlord doesn’t have a key or backdoor into the hosted server?

•Even if my VPN provider doesn’t own and operate the network I can still be anonymous

Most VPN providers (except Golden Frog) don’t run their own network and instead let hosting providers run the network for them. “Running your own network” means you own and operate the router and switches. If your VPN provider does not run its own network, you are susceptible to their hosting company listening for traffic on both inbound and outbound connections. Listening to Internet traffic allows for a tremendous amount of correlation and identification of user activity.

For example, if you listen to two people talk in a restaurant you can learn enough from the conversation to identify who is talking even if you don’t know their identity when you start listening. If a VPN provider does not run its own routers, then it can’t control who is listening to its users. Even worse, a “no-logging” VPN provider admitted that it used a “packet sniffing” software to monitor traffic to prevent abuse.

VPN provider 'Proxy.sh' sniffed the traffic of US based server to Catch Hackers

VPN provider 'Proxy.sh' sniffed the traffic of US based server to Catch Hackers

•Any VPN logging is bad

By logging a minimal amount of data, VPN providers can vastly improve your experience when using a VPN. VPN providers should only retain the minimum amount of data to operate their business and delete that data as soon as they don’t need it.

Edward Snowden recently said at SXSW 2014:

“One of the things I would say to a large company is not that you can’t collect any data but that you should only collect the data and hold it for as long as necessary for the operation of the business.”

Minimal logging provides VPN users the following benefits:

•Improved speed and performance by allowing VPN providers to optimize network connections

•Improved reliability by allowing VPN providers to identify and fix low level service issues to prevent outages

•Troubleshooting of specific customer issues, including speed, connection and application issues

•Different levels of accounts to meet customer needs, such as connection limited accounts and byte limited accounts

•Protection against abuse from spammers, port scanners, DDOS, etc, so VPN providers can terminate customers who are abusing other Internet users.

•Privacy companies don’t collect or sell my data

I have seena disturbing trend of “so-called” privacy companies offering free services so they can snoop on users. Just because a company offers a privacy product or service does not mean they will keep your data private. This is especially true for companies that offer free services to users. When you use a privacy tool you are often are required to give access to more information than the tool can protect, so you need to trust the company. Marketing companies have rushed into the privacy space and are abusing that trust. Here are some examples:

•Onavo (by Facebook)

Facebook bought a VPN app called Onavo in 2013. Why would Facebook buy a VPN app? Because the VPN functionality gives the app visibility into the network connection for the entire phone. Consequently, information such as URLs and app usage is exposed, and Facebook can examine user activity for their own purposes. The price of free is just too high.

Privacy Policy: “When you use the Apps, you choose to route all of your mobile data traffic through, or to, Onavo’s servers. As a result, we receive information regarding you, your online activities, and your device or browser when you use the Services.”

•Hola

Hola is yet another offender masquerading as a privacy company. Hola offers “secure browsing” to its users, but was recently revealed to be selling the bandwidth of its free users without their knowledge, effectively turning them into a botnet.

Privacy Policy: “The Personal Information we collect and retain include your IP address, your name and email address in case you provide us with this information (for instance when you open an account or if you approach us through the “contact us” option), screen name, payment and billing information (if you purchase premium services) or other information we may ask from time to time as will be required for the Services provisioning.”

•VPN Defender (by App Annie)

App Annie is a mobile analytics firm that collects and sells app usage data to companies, such as venture capitalists, for competitive research. App Annie bought VPN Defender last year presumably, just like Facebook, so they could collect more app usage data. In the analytics industry, this practice is called “selling the insides.”

Privacy Policy: “Analyzing your use of mobile applications and data, which may include combining such information (including personally identifying information) with information we receive from Affiliates or third parties; Providing market analytics, business intelligence, and related services to Affiliates and third parties; Operating the Services, such as virtual private networks and device monitoring.”

•Web Proxy Services

Most proxies don’t encrypt your Internet connection, and to operate they have visibility to each and every URL you visit. A recent blog post that analyzed the security of free proxy services determined that only 21% of the over 400 services examined weren’t “shady,” and over 25% of proxies modified the web code to inject ads. Many companies who offer services to help you be “anonymous” online actually collect a great deal of personal and identifying information on their users information which they could sell.

• All VPN software is the same

As a study pointed out, some VPN products can suffer from IPv6 leakage and DNS vulnerabilities, causing many users to think twice about relying on a VPN to protect them online. However, not all VPNs are created equal. When it comes to the IPv6 leak, only VPNs that run through IPv6 are in danger, and those that use 3rd-party clients are most at risk. As for the DNS vulnerabilities, most VPN providers don’t offer their own DNS servers like Golden Frog does. When DNS requests are sent over 3rd-party networks to 3rd-party DNS servers, users are more vulnerable to monitoring, logging or manipulation.

•Tor is a better alternative than a VPN

Tor is frequently cited as an alternative to using a VPN. However, as several publications have correctly pointed out, Tor doesn’t make you anonymous. Even Tor admits that it can’t solve all anonymity problems and cautions users to proceed accordingly. Tor is difficult for the average Internet user to setup, and users often complain that Tor is slow. One publication even said “If you still trust Tor to keep you safe, you’re out of your damn mind.”

•http://motherboard.vice.com/blog/tor-is-less-anonymous-than-you-think

•https://www.torproject.org/about/overview.html.en#stayinganonymous

Tails - Why is Tor slow?

If you still trust Tor to keep you safe, you're out of your damn mind

Earlier today, a group of hackers who had previously shut down Playstation Network and Xbox Live turned their sights on a bigger target: the

I hope this helps you all understand Vpns a bit better.

To any child predators that actually use a VPN and think that they are anonymous you are not, VPNs do not make you anonymous they only make your connection private.

[4182015]

Why I haven’t been on this account as much.

Hello everyone, I haven’t been on this account that much, that’s due to my mental health being in a not so good place.

I’m currently dealing with a medication that has given be the feeling of depression (due to a high level of hormones in it) and senes I have a personal connection to what this account fights against. It makes those feeling essentially escalate. On a level that’s uncomfortable.

If I have periods where I’m offline that’s why. I hope you guys can understand. Also thank you for supporting this account it means a hell of a lot that you do.

[4182015]

If you’re looking for more places on tumblr that (actually help) this account does a pretty good job of it

@mapsneedhelp check out there page.

[4182015]

Help for Adults Concerned About Their Own Thoughts or Behaviors

Now is the time to seek help.

If you know someone who is having sexual thoughts about children or who feels sexually aroused by a child’s presence, this is the time to seek help. It is important to that they take steps now to keep themselves from being sexual in the presence of a child. 

With specialized treatment, a person who accepts accountability for their thoughts and behaviours can learn to make changes to keep themselves and children safe.

Misconceptions common to adults who have thoughts and fantasies about children

* “What’s in my head can’t hurt anyone.”

* “It’s not like I’m actually touching; I’m just thinking about it.”

* “Just because I’m thinking about it doesn’t mean I’d ever do it.”

* “I’m pretty sure they don’t realize what I’m thinking or doing.”

* “The child doesn’t seem to mind.

Why sexual fantasies about children are harmful

Fantasies can desensitize a person to acts that are harmful.

Thoughts like these make it harder to believe the real risk that lies behind fantasizing about children in sexual ways. Sexually offending a child is seldom a completely impulsive act, it follows a series of deliberate events. For most people who have offended, thinking about a sexual act with a child was the first step in a progression that led them to abusing.

Fantasies can precede abuse

Many adults who sexually abused a child have said that they initially had sexual fantasies about children. They said if only they could have “fast forwarded” their life and seen the damage they would do to themselves and others, that they would not have acted on their fantasies.

Adults can be affected by having harmful thoughts even when they don't act on them

Even when individuals don't act on the harmful thoughts they have about children, having these thoughts can bring about intense emotional difficulties that can affect how they function in their lives. It's common for such individuals to feel anguish, shame and guilt, and to think of themselves and others in negative ways.

Help to stop the thoughts

Many people want to stop having harmful thoughts about children but don’t know how. By getting therapy, they will get the opportunity to talk about the meaning and importance of their fantasies. For some people, opening up to someone about what is going through their minds, is a way to decrease the hold that harmful thoughts and fantasies and hold.

Other concerning behaviors

An adult who is at risk of abusing a child may minimize certain behaviors as “harmless”. Some may think that non-touching behaviors that are merely “suggestive” won’t harm a child. But pretending to accidentally touch a child, telling dirty jokes in front of children, referring to children in sexual ways while they’re present, can damage a child emotionally and, just like fantasies, can bring an adult who is attracted to children closer to sexually abusing them.

[4182015]

Warning Signs a Young Person May Be a Target of Online Sexual Abuse

We already know how difficult it is for children to talk about being sexually abused, whether by a man or woman or by another child. When sexually abusive behavior occurs online, some children may not even realize they are being exploited; and those who do may not tell, especially if they realize they have broken a safety rule or believe their Internet privileges may be taken away. This clearly adds another barrier to children feeling able to let someone know if they are worried about their friendships online or someone’s behavior towards them. Talk frequently and honestly with your kids about experiences they may be experimenting with online, and learn the warning signs in children who may be struggling.

Some of these behaviors may be part of growing up or caused by other factors in a child’s life. If you are worried, recognize that your child may be frightened, too. Talk to someone you trust, or seek the support of a professional.

Signs that a child or young person may be the target of sexual abuse online include:

Isolating themselves

•Spending increasing amounts of time on the internet.

•Becoming increasingly secretive particularly around their use of the new technology.

•Shutting the door and hiding what they have on screen when someone enters the room.

•Not being able to talk openly about their activity online.

•Becoming more possessive of their cell phone and concerned if someone else picks it up or wants to look at it.

•Agitated behavior when answering their phone and needing to take calls in private.

Social changes

•Developing a pattern of leaving the family home for periods of time with no explanation about where they are going.

•Vague talk of a new friend but offering no further information.

•Spending increasing amounts of time talking secretly with the new friend online.

•Not wanting to be alone with a particular adult or young person.

Emotional changes

•Sudden, unexplained personality changes and mood swings.

•Outbursts of anger and irritation.

•Self harming activities.

[4182015]

Am I being groomed?

Grooming is when someone falsely gains your trust to persuade or trick you into doing something sexual with them.

Grooming can take place online or face-to-face, and it can be done by someone you know or someone you don’t, whether they are an adult or another child.

•What is grooming?

Grooming is a form of sexual abuse, and if you meet the person who is grooming you they may try to sexually assault you, which is when they touch you in a sexual way that you don’t agree to.

They might use secrecy, blame, gifts or threats of violence to stop you from telling somebody. This is because they know that if you tell someone what’s happening, they will no longer have power or control over you.

•How does grooming happen?

Sometimes it starts by a person trying really hard to be nice to you, giving you more and more attention or buying you gifts to make you like them. When they have gained your trust and you start to depend on them, they find ways to turn the relationship into something more sexual abusing your trust and taking advantage of you.

You may not realise that this is what’s happening to you, as the abuser will try and use many different ways to take advantage of you, including saying that they are your boyfriend and girlfriend.

Grooming also happens online. ‘Groomers’ might try to make friends with you on social networks or other sites. They often use chat rooms pretending to be someone else – maybe someone younger, older, a different gender or different sexuality. They often use profile pictures of someone else to hide their identity, and talk to you like they are a similar age to you when they are not.

Even if they do not try to meet with you, the person trying to groom you my encourage you to visit pornographic websites, talk to you about sexual experiences, or ask you to send them pictures or switch on your webcam and do things which you may feel uncomfortable about. All of these things may be forms of sexual abuse.

It’s important to think carefully about who you talk to, and especially about what personal details you share. Being groomed affects many young people who often ask 'why is this happening to me?', so it’s also important to remember that this is not your fault, and to know that you can get help.

•How do I know if I’m being groomed?

It can be difficult working out whether someone is trying to groom you. There are some Early Warning Signs things that might help you realise that someone is acting in a way that isn’t ok.

Try asking yourself a few questions:

•Did they ask for really personal information about you or someone else, especially early on in your ‘relationship’?

•Do they want you to keep your ‘relationship’ a secret from other people?

•Do they want to meet with you alone or in secret?

•Do they want you to send them pictures of you or of other people, and/or want to send you pics of themselves?

•Do you feel pressured into doing or saying things that make you feel uncomfortable?

•Have they asked about your sexual experience, or how you feel about doing certain sexual things?

•Do they send or give you gifts or things that you think are either excessive such as things that are very valuable, or very personal or are very ‘grown-up’, such as alcohol, tobacco or drugs?

•Do they ask you to move your webcam so they can see certain things?

•Do they seem to already know things about you that you haven’t told them?

•Are they over 18 whilst you are under 18? (although you can be groomed by people your own age)

These are just a few of the signs that someone could be trying to groom you, even if you believe they are your boyfriend or girlfriend. If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then it’s important that you talk to someone preferably an adult you can trust, but if not then your friends about what is happening. And remember, if something doesn’t feel right even slightly then it probably isn’t

•”They are not grooming me they are my boyfriend/girlfriend, and I think I’m in love”

It can be difficult to realise or recognise that you are a victim of grooming. Quite often the person who is grooming you will want you to think that you are in a relationship with them, and that they are your boyfriend or girlfriend. But what is really happening could be child sexual abuse whether you know them or not, whether they are pretending to be a different person or are using their own details, the only reason a groomer gains your trust is to persuade or trick you into doing something sexual with them.

However old you are, sex should always be consensual. Remember you’re allowed to say no, you should never be pressured into doing something you don’t want to, and if someone does try to force you into doing something sexual, they are breaking the law.

Below are some things that people may say to pressure you to have sex with them and some things that you can say that help you say no.

“If you loved me you’d do it.”

If you loved me you, (a) wouldn’t have just said that, and (b) would respect my decision.

“Everyone else is doing it.”

I’m not everyone else

“You’re frigid.”

No. I’m just comfortable with who I am and what I want.

•I’ve made loads of friends online before so why shouldn’t I meet this one?

Children and young people often make lots of friends online. Although most of these friendships stay online, sometimes you may meet these people in real life too – such as if you are into the same band, or the same sports team. But it can be difficult to know if the person you are talking to online is really who they say they are, so it’s not a good idea to meet up with someone just because they want to have a relationship with you or get to know you better.

The best rule is that what starts online, stays online. And if you’re not sure or feel uncomfortable about anything that someone is saying to you online, talk to an adult you can trust or your friends about what is happening, and block the person, or leave the chat room or forum where you’ve been talking to them. You can find more information about staying safe online at other places on this website.

Even if you do decide that you want to meet someone who you have got to know online, there are some important rules which everyone children and young people, as well as adults, should follow:

•Check as much as you can (age, school, address etc) to make sure they are the person they say they are you can’t be too cautious.

•Tell an adult you trust about meeting this person, who they are, and when and where you’re meeting.

•Call them with an unlisted number turn your caller ID sending off (remember text messages always give your number), and call rather than text, as you can tell a lot from someone’s voice.

•Arrange to meet somewhere public, and be sure to bring either two or more friends or a trusted adult.

•Even if you’ve arranged to meet, still don’t put too much personal information on your social networking pages they may not turn up, but they can still use that information.

•What can I do?

Grooming is often quite difficult to recognise. Many children and young people don’t realise that they are being groomed, or that what is happening or has happened is abuse. Sometimes you might even think you are being groomed when someone is just trying to be friendly.

But as it’s your safety at stake, it is always better to be over-cautious. You may feel worried, sad or angry if you think you are being groomed, or you’re worried that a friend is, and it can be really hard to deal with this all on your own. However, lots of people find that if they talk to someone it can help. Some things you can do are:

•Tell an adult you trust. This could include a teacher, a family member, your youth worker or support worker. Tell them what is going on and ask for their help and advice. With this adult, you could develop a safety plan that would help you to choose how best to keep yourself safe.

•If you have been sexually assaulted or sexually abused, speak to a doctor or a nurse so they can check that you are ok and give you any medical help.

•Talk to your friends. A good friend will listen to you and may help you speak to an adult.

•Think about reporting it to the police. If the grooming has taken place online, you should also report what’s happened to the websites or forums where you met and chatted to the person who groomed you.

•Learn how to keep yourself safe online this includes reporting what’s happened to the websites or forums where you met and chatted to the person who groomed you.

•Who can help me?

•You&Co – you can talk to one of our support workers on a one-to-one basis, and we can offer you help and support. We can give you advice on how grooming and sexual assault can affect you and how to cope with it, what to do and what to expect if you decide to report a crime to police, and how to move on from being a victim of crime. You can find out about the support available nearest to you on this website.

•Rape Crisis – this organization provides information and support for women and girls who have been raped or experienced sexual violence; call 0808 802 9999.

•Rape Crisis Scotland – provides information and support for anyone in Scotland who has been raped or experienced sexual violence; call 08088 01 03 02.

•ChildLine – ChildLine offer 24-hour support for young people, both on the phone and through online chats and message boards, on grooming, sexual assault and a range of other issues; call 0800 1111.

•The Mix – this website provides information and support for 16-25 year olds on a whole range of issues, including rape and sexual assault as well as safe sexual relationships. Get confidential help by telephone, email, text or webchat, for young people under 25; call 0808 808 4994.