The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Page 8 ♦ THE CANADIAN STATESMAN ♦ April 26,2006 aumamregion.com Buckle up your kids on the Information Highway Talks focus on dangers of porn and predators BY JEFF MITCHELL Staff Writer BOWMANVILLE - Like any super highway' the Internet can be both a convenient route to a destination - and a high-speed thoroughfare fraught with danger. And children need protection from the perils of pornography and predatory pedophiles as they navigate the worldwide worldwide web, according to psychologist Peter Marshall. "What applies in the physical world applies in cyberspace," the Barrie psychologist psychologist said during one of a series of seminars held in Durham Region. "If we want to know who they're with and where they are in the physical community, community, we want to know who they're with and where they are in cyberspace." Dr. Marshall spoke to a group of residents residents last Tuesday in Bowmanville as part of a series of lectures sponsored by the Durham Family Court Clinic. The focus of the talks is educating parents parents and guardians and the perils facing children who use the Internet, and ways in which to protect them. Two primary issues are the prevalence of pornography, which can cause children children discomfort and skew their views of healthy sexuality, and luring by pedophiles pedophiles who inhabit chatrooms and other sites used , by youngsters, trawling for candidates they may groom and eventually eventually meet for sexual exploitation,-Dr.- Marshall said. In fact, the Internet has provided • a haven and a network for pedophiles. Dr. Marshall said. They share information information and images of child pom and know where young people meet online. "The Internet has allowed pedophiles to get together in a way that was safe," he said. "Online relationships can lead to some pretty horrific experiences." Durham has seen its share of such instances. This week Phillip Fernandez, a former elementary school teacher, is to be sentenced for sexually exploiting a young teenaged girl he met in an Internet chatroom; pretrial proceedings continue for another man who police say encountered encountered an Oshawa girl online and eventually eventually met and sexually assaulted her in a motel room here. Predators target lonely, unhappy and naive children, often spending time grooming them in online chats before meeting and sexually assaulting them. Children who are lured by these men often feel isolated or misunderstood and welcome the attention of a sympathetic correspondent, Dr. Marshall said. While software can •filter out some images and subject matter, it wpn't catch everything. The key to protecting young Internet users is to be aware of what they're doing online and to inform them of the hazards they face in corresponding corresponding with strangers, he said. Dr. Marshall encourages parents to open a dialogue with children and reinforce their need to use the Internet safely and responsibly. Internet searches, chatrooms and instant messaging are part of everyday life for young people. The ubiquity of the worldwide worldwide web - and its usefulness - means it must be managed, not prohibited. Just as parents would carefully entrust a youngster with a bicycle, and eventually a car, so should they instill the need for caution and good judgment in using the Internét. "All the points about safety need to take place in the context of good communication communication with kids, in the same, way we prepare them for other areas of life, where they need to be responsible," Dr.,' Marshall said. ■ ; More lectures are planned. For more information, contact the Durham Family Court Clinic at 905-436-6754, or online< at www.dfcc.org. APRIL 27-30 ONLY UP TO 76% OFF BOWMANVILLE J & L Home Hardware 160 Church Street (905) 697-0433 OSHAWA Dayco Distributing 875 Wilson Rd. S (905) 436-5336 OSHAWA In Season Oshawa Centre, 419-507 King St. W (905) 571-0562 PADERNO Pots for Eternity ~- i v- «-»/%: ■ er i-DflhV'- f»r VIÎ ryi.'.*i|cit •Mr.-Hfry-.'-m . j •-.tpou 1 •'•••" , hy !i\*IHm i* _7'f ' V team Save $170 total tirhen you buy the te KENM0RE® SUPER CAPACITY WASHER AND PÜYER Save $707Tdp-fôacl wasRér. • 6 cycle options #26332. Sears reg. 469.99.399.99 Save $50. Dryer. • 7 drying options #66542. Sears reg. 449.99.399.99 Team price includes additional $50 savings ORDER: R2684 NE044F A A now SAVE $400. SEARS-0-PEDIC® 1865BD HORIZONS QUEEN SIZE SLEEP SET • comfort layers help provide a luxurious feel •firm or plush comfort Sears reg. 1099.98. Twin, Double and King sizes also on sale IS? ORDER: R0184 NE044F5 B A ' r '" ""i- - -> - r,-v ■■■ T, c, -1...... ,i*. l . • ' l ii Plus, save *50 on sale-priced sleep sets mth our Sleep and Saveur V Ask In store hr details When you use your Sears Card on all sleep sets and major appliances, you can choose. '•fmi 1,! fa : wrtll May 2007, onapprowd credit, only with your Sea» Card. Minimum $200 purchata. $70 deferral let and all appllcabta tem and dWw are savaMoat IxeludM Kerns In our L quIcMIon/Outtot itorai. Payment options and plan datails may ba changed or dlKontlnuad at any time without bettce! AakfsrdeUMriLothtr Offor in offoct from Mon., April 24 until Sun., May 7,2006. Untesi otherwise itatod, optional financing program!"^ . "Offer does not apply to taxes, delivery or maintenance agreement charge* a i Sale prices start Thurs., Apr. 27 and end Sun., Apr. 30, 2006, while quantities last Five Points Mall Use your Seats Card and collect valuable Sears Club Points" rt JuZ. Visit www seats.ca/searsclub (or details on .inpiown .whi Oshawa (905) 429-2330 Use your Sears Card and collect valuable Sears Club Points" Visit www seats.ca/searsclub (or details on HppumMi nmiit Jfc Look for this symbol and shop by phone ■ V « 1-888-607-3277 Whitby 1 Whi-n you see this phone symbol on an item shown here, it means you can buy it at your local Sears store, or order it over the phone by calling the above toll free number. If you shop by phone, you can pick up the item at any Sears store or, for a nominal tee, you can have it delivered to your home. 1629 Victoria St. E Whitby (905) 579-4048 Good life. Great price.