A new film directed by David Schwimmer portrays the dangerous scenario of young girls getting sucked into an on-line relationship with an internet predator.
In “Trust” the predator “grooms” his 14-year-old victim Annie, played by Liana Liebrato, into a trusting on-line romance with Charlie, a boy she believes is 16, but who is actually a man in his 40s.
Her parents, portrayed by Academy Award® nominees Catherine Keener and Clive Owen, are horrified to discover the relationship. After the grooming process, where a predator builds trust and a romantic infatuation from his victim, many times, the predator and prey meet multiple times. The film details this process with Annie and Charlie and the subsequent destruction of Annie’s family.
Schwimmer, who is known most famously for his role as Ross on Friends, told Bill O’Reilly on The O’Reilly Factor last night that he has been involved with the Rape Treatment Center in Santa Monica, California for over 14 years. He also mentions in a recent New York Times article that he has known many victims and seen the effects so he wanted to do something to help. Although he has no children currently, he told O’Reilly he and his wife are expecting a child soon.
The movie is rated R for mature content and brief nudity and language. It was filmed in Michigan and, while fictional, was painstakingly accurate to the point of having every line of the script approved by counselors. Schwimmer and the other directors actually sat with FBI agents who were live chatting with predators to make the script as realistic as possible. To see a trailer, please go here.
Internet is dangerous place for kids now. Access to adult content, loss of privacy, and exposure to other kinds of inappropriate or offensive material are just some of the possibilities that could give you a virtual nightmare. Here’s great article on how to protect your kids online:
http://www.pretendplaykitchenshop.com/blog/children-safety/internet-filtering-for-children-how-do-i-protect-my-kids-from-online-hazards
This happened to me almost 25 years ago when I was 16. (yes, there was an ‘online’ then!) Predators will always find a way to prey on young women. I believed the boy I was going to meet was 19…he turned out to be in his 30’s. The experience of my abduction turned my family inside-out and stole my innocence, and yet I am lucky to be alive and thakful for this every day.
I beg all parents to closely monitor their children’s actions online, and get over feeling like you are ‘intruding’. It is your responsibility to protect your children, not be their best friend. Please use my story and the one highlighted here (thank you Mr. Schwimmer) to create a dialogue with your children and put their online safety high on your priority list!
~Ara