Net extends pedophiles' reach

Name any special interest group and odds are that there are any number of Web sites, chat rooms and bulletin boards that connect people of like interests.

The same is true of pedophiles, a four-month investigation by The New York Times has revealed. Pedophiles, communicating in cyberspace, share tips on gaining access to children through employment at camps, through foster care agencies and community gatherings. They trade stories about encounters with minors. Some use these platforms to campaign for the legalization of child pornography and liberalization of age-of-consent laws. They champion children's "rights" to engage in sex with adults, a fight they liken to the civil rights movement.

While some may argue that these exchanges are tantamount to freedom of expression, other experts say these discussions are dangerous because they can "normalize" pedophiles' attractions and enable them to act on their urges without guilt. "It is rationalization that allows them to avoid admitting that their desires are harmful and illegal," said Bill Walsh, a former commander of the Crimes Against Children Unit for the Dallas Police Department, who founded the most prominent annual national conference on the issue, and who is quoted in the New York Times series. "That can allow them to take that final step and cross over from fantasy into real-world offenses."

Regardless of fantasy promulgated in these cyber settings, there is no rationalization or justification for adults taking liberties with children. It's dead wrong.

This two-part series, which is titled "Dark Corners," is a must read for parents. They need to know how pedophiles use technology to form networks and to lure children into their worlds. Parents should take advantage of this knowledge, as they attempt to stay a step ahead of men and women bent on damaging children for the sake of their own gratification.

If nothing else, "Dark Corners" is a stark reminder to parents that they must be diligent about protecting their children. They need to closely monitor their children's activities and pay close attention to their Internet and e-mail use. They should demand background checks of people who will have unsupervised access to their children such as teachers, tutors, coaches, Sunday school teachers, club advisers and others. More importantly, children need to know that they can bring their concerns to their parents about adults who act inappropriately with them. Children should have confidence that their parents will act on their concerns.

Although the Internet has many positive uses, it should surprise no one that people of criminal bent would use chat rooms and bulletin boards to further their prospects. It's chilling, though, that pedophiles use these means to reinforce their twisted views, to rationalize their behavior and to target innocent children.