Dating and the Single Mom
Being a mom can be a tough job. I cannot imagine doing it solo. Hopefully, I won't have to worry about that, but I know a lot of people who are parenting solo. Add a career to that, and how does one find a potential mate? And, of course, as a parent, you want to be sure to find a person who is supportive of that role.
You know I've been a proponent of online dating in the past. Now there's a special dating site especially for Single Moms to try to meet someone who is interested in all they have to offer.
Of course, it's great for single parents to be able to check people out from home. And, the site is free. Check it out! As always, be safe!
~t
3 comments:
Terri,
It's great that you're reaching out to single moms, but I must share with you that they are one of the most vulnerable groups for pedophiles who use online dating sites to begin dating the parent in order to gain access to and victimize the child. Take, for instance, the Larry Snow case from Arizona (I've provided the article below for your convenience).
Whereas you make some EXCELLENT points I totally agree with about the convenience of online dating, especially for busy mothers, estabilishing an online dating site just for single moms makes it that much easier for pedophiles to search for and target victims. Please look out for guys that say something like, "I love kids, but have never been able to have any of my own. Can I see a picture of yours?" There could be a sinister motive there.
As the most precious commodity of your life, please be protective of your children. Don't post their pictures on your profile, don't email pictures of them to every guy that asks right off the bat, wait several dates before talking about your kids, and run a background check on your dates before you meet them in person (if your online dating site doesn't already provide criminal background checks).
There are a ton of great agencies out there like SafeDate who run background checks and that organization even allows you to become "SafeDate certified." Who knows...you could get SafeDate certified and then make it a personal requirement that before you talk with a guy on the phone and/or definitely before you meet them in person, that they become SafeDate certified too. That way, you don't have to bear the cost of a background check for all the guys you want to have a date with. I'm sure there are other organizations that offer this service, but they're the group I'm most familiar with.
For more safety advice, please visit the Safer Online Dating Alliance's website at www.saferonlinedating.org. And, as always, happy dating!
~Celeste
INTERNET PREDATORS
Arizona is reforming laws on crimes against children
By LYNN K. BARRA
The Daily Courier
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
He may be sipping coffee at an Internet café or seated comfortably at the computer section of the local library, but wherever he lurks, his target is clear: find a child ¬or her mother.
"Across the board you have sexual predators targeting the kids themselves," said Special Agent Deborah Mcarley of the FBI, Phoenix division. "You have sexual predators targeting single mothers to enter into a relationship to get to the child."
No child is safe, according to Mcarley, who said sexual predators target girls and boys of all ages, even as young as 6. Mcarley referred to a 2004 case in which a man was convicted in Phoenix after molesting the 6-year-old daughter of a woman he met online and subsequently married, only to gain access to her daughter.
"(The sexual predator) married this woman for her daughter," said Mcarley adding that crimes involving minors may be prosecuted on the federal level as wire fraud charges when the Internet is used as a means to solicit a child for sex or for naked photographs.
"Kids go into chat rooms and strike up conversations with who they believe is an adult," said Chief Deputy Dennis McGrane of the Yavapai County Attorney's Office about a more recent trend among sexual predators.
"He (the predator) warms them up to 'this really cool (younger) guy, John Smith,' and he's John Smith. It's a scumbag's way of getting his way into the life of a kid. This is apparently a growing concern."
McGrane said that while he is unaware of any current luring cases in Yavapai County, the dissemination of nude or partially nude photos is more widespread in the county.
"We don't see luring as much as child pornography," McGrane said. "We've seen a proliferation of child pornography (in Yavapai County). Images (of minors) are circulated and re-circulated on the Internet. It's not that a person is having the child do that (pose and e-mail the photos) but taking advantage of the exploitation."
Luring or attempted luring of a minor are crimes involving an adult communicating with a minor ¬ most commonly through the Internet ¬ and arranging to meet the boy or girl.
Under the Arizona statute concerning the luring of a minor for sexual exploitation, which is a Class 3 felony, McGrane said an adult can face up to 27 years in prison, depending on the age of the child and whether or not the minor was raped.
Arizona, McGrane said, is at the forefront of reforming laws involving crimes against children and currently, he said, there are no statute of limitations on most child sex crimes.
"We've seen images beyond description at times of little kids in acts they shouldn't be involved in," said McGrane who added that sexual predators typically view multiple images of naked children.
If convicted, an adult can face up to 10 years on each count concerning nude images of minors.
McGrane also said the possibility exists in which a sexual predator may attempt to lure either a boy or a girl but most predators, he said, have preferences toward specific age groups.
Contact the reporter atlbarra@prescottaz.com
Well, okay, then.
I was going to pop in here and say that I liked the idea of that site, too. And I can totally understand exercising caution when it comes to your children - I am a survivor, myself.
But I do hope my comment here isn't longer than your post - heh.
Oh yeah - and I tagged ya, baby! A fun music meme! Music from when you were 18!! Wooohooo!
http://hippiespelunker.blogspot.com/2007/03/1988-rocked-my-socks-off.html
ROFL, Lisa! I'll try to reMEMEber to do the meme. :)
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