First Youth Internet Safety Survey (YISS-1)

Results indicate that approximately one in five youth (19%) received a sexual solicitation or approach over the Internet in the last year while one in thirty-three (3%) received an aggressive sexual solicitation where a solicitor asked to meet them somewhere, called them on the telephone, sent them mail, money or gifts. One in four (25%) had an unwanted exposure to pornography online in the last year. One in seventeen (6%) youth was threatened or harassed online in the last year. A small percentage of young people who reported these incidents were distressed by them. Only a fraction of all episodes were reported to authorities such as a law enforcement agency, an Internet Service Provider, or a hotline. About one-quarter of the youth who encountered a sexual solicitation or approach told a parent. About 40% of those reporting an unwanted exposure to pornography told a parent.

Investigators: David Finkelhor, Ph.D. University of New Hampshire Durham, NH

Kimberly J. Mitchell, Ph.D. University of New Hampshire Durham, NH

Janis Wolak, J.D. University of New Hampshire Durham, NH