1. the 14 year old believes that “all adults are lame!” and “adults are so, old and so mistrusting”…along with “things like this don’t happen nowadays or would happen to me, I’m smart!”…
a. i know this because a few years ago, a friend of mine, cyn’s daughter, who was only 12 was ditching school and going to the library to pass time away. not a SCHOOL library, no, a PUBLIC library. we both told her that a person could use anything to lure her into a car and whisk her away. to prove the point, my friend cyn, had her then boyfriend re-enact the scene and soon, her daughter realized if in fact that would ever occur…indeed no one could save her for…sound does not travel too well in cars.

b. another friends daughter was walking with her 3 friends from a park one day….being followed but feeling ‘girl power’ will prevail…ignored it. when it came time for all the girls to go home, the one girl was followed to a public school…this was at 5pm…she was walking with her friends and the other 2 live before this particular girl so, the last girl walked alone…all the while the man was following her…finally when she saw a groups of boys she knew and called out to them, the man took off *yes…she was running the whole time*…she came back to the house and literally collapsed from fear. my first question was “why didn’t you call me? you know i am always home, i can always come pick you up”….guess what the answer was? “i didn’t believe it was happening to me and when i realized it was real, i was too numb to think what to do next…i didn’t even think about the cell phone”…

2. parents nowadays are a dual income…it’s very hard to figure which battles to take on…trust…fun…”quality” time…however, when is the kid *who is on the computer* actually spending quality time when they are on the computer?….parents…you need to spend some quality time…like play playstation 2 with them, surf the net with them, go watch movie with them…earn their trust and in turn, you can only hope for the same….

3. parent(s) claiming they “don’t know how to use a computer”…seriously…when you started that job recently or in the past…did you DIVE right in? NO? really!? you got TRAINED!? omg! so you do have a brain? ok…then you can learn how to use a computer. My hubby, i love him to death, but he uses this as an excuse. I said to him “hon…if you can work that remote the way you do…YOU CAN USE A COMPUTER!”….to this day…he tells me to “look something up”…but he can’t complain when i veer off to find some shoes instead!

4. Children/kids…need to feel that you understand them…i have neighbors kids that come to me and tell me things and in turn, i try and tell them what I would do but that they have to make the best decision themselves…that is part of growing up…i do point out what i would NOT do…i have confronted a few of their “enemies” and made some “enemies” along with them, but being almost a “big sister *think 36* you gotta back them up you know? then, they feel you truly do “love them” and in turn, you earn their trust…now this only works if you tell them from the get go “if you tell me something that raises a red flag, i will let your parents know eventually you know that right? and yes…i do want you to be friends with my 2 year old and earn her trust but you BETTER tell me something if it raises red flags!”….

long story short…earn trust…be trusted…trust them…BUT MONITOR and EXPLAIN WHY! Spend time…play with them…educate them…be a parent…soon, they will be married and off on their own…and you will realize you don’t even know them…trust me..i’m one of those and my mom and i are trying really hard to understand one another…oh and I am teaching her how to use the computer!

Perhaps at this day and age people might say, well the technology is out there, and the age limit for things keeps getting lower. More minors smoking than older ones, more drugs being used at 14 rather than 19.

The 2 things I must say. If the girl was educated enough to have her own website and myspace page then she probably watches television as much, then sees and hears about predators on the internet. She should not be giving out personal info and especially a personal meeting ???? Honestly what was she thinking? Where were the parents? They allowed this to happen?

Or perhaps they were not educated enough themselves, but the average human being I would hope, thinks that its not okay for a 14 year old girl to go on the internet make a website, talk to strangers and meet with them?!

This is the parents fault as well. NO peer pressure, if any 1 or 2 teenagers can say no to something, than she can say no as well. The parents feel guilty now, so they need to blame someone else for their mistake.

The funniest thing is that myspace specifically says: ” DO NOT GIVE OUT YOUR PASSWORD OR PERSONAL INFORMATION “. But apparently that memo just didn’t appear on her page, and just everyone else who has an account.

Yes, it is sad she was assulted, but common, if you were a parent, would you let your 14 year child on the net to create a website in which she talks to people she doesnt even know and meets with them??? COMMON SENSE. Was not used here.Yes harsh, but its reality.

We do not live in the land of the faries where everything is perfect and everyone is nice. Thank you now… and welcome back to earth.

As for the parents, where were they? Alright, they may not be able to be there 24/7 but this only shows their lack of responsibility for her. Had she known better, this might not have happened.

All in all, what’s done is done. Hope she learnt her lesson.

(The amount is ridiculous by the way. Can we sue the parents instead for lack of responsibility?)

It is wrong that she was sexually assaulted, but the man responsible already got punished. MySpace should NOT be sued. I agree with those who said that the mother’s looking for quick money. It’s ridiculous. I’m fourteen years old too, I keep my MySpace at friends only, and ignore those who try to befriend me (that I don’t know). It’s almost common sense. She chose to trust him, she chose to see him. It’s honestly her fault, she just doesn’t want to believe it.