Are one in five kids sexually solicited online?

Answer 1

That is a common statistic that is seen online and has been on television news. The source can be traced back to "The Youth internet Safety Survey," a 2001 Department of Justice study issued by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, The survey asked 1,501 American young people between 10 and 17 about their online experiences. Among the study's conclusions: "Almost one in five (19 percent)…received an unwanted sexual solicitation in the past year." What coverage of the report often leaves out is not one of the solicitations led to an actual assault and almost half of the solicitations came from other young people and not from predators or adults. Coverage often also fails to mention that most of the solicitations were ignored and did not upset the youth, and that youth effectively dealt with them by blocking the offender, leaving the site, etc.

Studies since have found that online bullying is a greater problem for children and teens.