VANCOUVER, BC--January 10, 2018--Most lesbian and bisexual girls don’t know they can get sexually transmitted infections (STIs) from other girls, because sex education is mostly designed for their straight peers. This knowledge gap could be placing them at increased risk for getting STIs. That’s one of the conclusions of a new study led by researchers at the Centre for Innovative Public Health Research, a non-profit research group based in California, conducted in collaboration with researchers at the University of British Columbia and the City University of New York. Previous UBC studies show that lesbian and bisexual girls face higher risks for teenage pregnancy than straight girls, says study co-author and UBC youth health researcher Jennifer Wolowic. In this new study, the … [Read more...]

CHICAGO – Nearly 1 in 10 people 21 years of age or younger reported perpetrating some type of coercive or forced sexual violence during their lifetime, and perpetrators reported more exposure to violent X-rated material, according to a study published by JAMA Pediatrics, a JAMA Network publication. Sexual violence is a public health problem with more than 1 million victims and associated costs of almost $127 billion each year, according to the study background. Sexual violence can start in adolescence but estimates of adolescents who perpetrate sexual violence are lacking, according to the authors. Michele L. Ybarra, M.P.H., Ph.D., of the Center for Innovative Public Health Research, San Clemente, Calif., and Kimberly J. Mitchell, Ph.D., of the University of New Hampshire, Durham, … [Read more...]

SANTA ANA, Calif., Nov. 18, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Viewing violent x-rated material may contribute to sexually aggressive behavior among 10-17 year olds. X-rated material without violent content does not appear to have the same impact, finds a new study conducted by Internet Solutions for Kids and funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Published in Aggressive Behavior, the study is expected to be highly influential. "Because of the obvious ethical problems of purposefully exposing kids to pornography," Dr. Michele Ybarra, the primary author of the study, explains, "little was known before about how viewing x-rated material may be related to sexual aggression in children. We asked kids whether they had looked at x-rated material before, and then looked to see if … [Read more...]

Enhancing Child Safety and Online Technologies Final Report of the Internet Safety Technical Task Force to the Multi-State Working Group on Social Networking of State Attorneys General of the United States. Executive Summary (51KB PDF) Full Report, including Executive Summary and Appendices (2.7MB PDF) Appendix A: Joint Statement on Key Principles of Social Networking Safety (400KB PDF) Appendix B: Task Force Project Plan (50KB PDF) Appendix C: Literature Review from the Research Advisory Board (266KB PDF) Appendix D: Report of the Technology Advisory Board and Exhibits (419KB PDF) Appendix E: Submissions from Social Network Sites (1MB PDF) Appendix F: Statements from Members of the Task Force (600KB PDF) The Internet Safety Technical Task Force was created in February 2008 in … [Read more...]

CyberBully411.com, a ground breaking website focusing on cyberbullying and created by Internet Solutions for Kids, recently has been highlighted as a key resource in the fight for youth safety online.  Parents will find this as well as other informative sites and helpful information in Net Cetera: Chatting with Kids about Being Online, an important new parent guide published by the Federal Trade Commission. CyberBully411.com is listed as one of the essential online tools for parents and teens alike.  The site presents a  well researched roadmap to thwarting teen cyberbullying.  “While there are many sites out there that talk about bullying online, few speak to teens.  We are pleased that CyberBully411 has been recognized as a leading resource in this area.  Not only is it data-based, but … [Read more...]

Center for Innovative Public Health Research is one of two national research organizations to be awarded funding from the Division of Violence Prevention, NCIPC, at the Centers for Disease Control to investigate the possible relationship between exposure to violent new medias, and aggressive and violent behavior among young people.  The three-year study will focus on the possible effects of violent images accessed on the Internet. There has been a longstanding concern about the consequences of youths’ exposure to violence in the media, with particular concern about the effects of such exposure on violent behavior.  Recent studies have documented the profusion of different types of media in United States homes and the widespread presence of violence in these media outlets. The emergence … [Read more...]

San Diego – A new research study has found that youths with minimal exposure to violence in movies, television, music, games and Web sites are significantly less likely to report violent and aggressive behaviors than those exposed to more violent media. The study, presented at the American Public Health Association’s 136th Annual Meeting & Exposition in San Diego, examined data from the Growing up with Media survey, a national survey of almost 1,600 youths between the ages of 10 and 15. Researchers found that youths reporting that “none or almost none” of the media they consume depicts violence were 85 percent less likely to report seriously violent behavior than youth exposed to more violent media; youth reporting “some” violent media were 50 percent less likely. The results were … [Read more...]

While most incidents of child and teen Internet harassment are isolated, non-harmful exchanges between peers, some incidents are distressing and result in aggressive offline contacts, sometimes perpetrated by adults. In the study, “Examining Characteristics and Associated Distress Related to Internet Harassment: Findings From the Second Youth Internet Safety Survey,” researchers reviewed results from The Second Youth Internet Safety Survey, conducted among 1,500 Internet users between the ages of 10 and 17.  In the survey, 9 percent of the children reported to be targets of harassment during the previous year, with 32 percent of those targets reporting repeated harassment. One in four targets reported an aggressive offline contact, with the harasser either telephoning the victim, visiting … [Read more...]