RUTHERFORD COUNTY, Tenn. (WGNS News) – Monday marked the first full day back in the classroom for students across Rutherford County, and as the new school year gets underway, parents are being reminded of the rapidly growing nationwide problem of online bullying that continues to affect teenagers locally and across the country. WGNS asked Rutherford County Detective Austin Wortman if bullying online has taken the place of bullying in the classroom...
Of even greater concern is the increasing threat posed by sexual predators who target teens and younger children directly through cellphones, social media, gaming platforms and other internet-connected devices, prompting renewed warnings from local law enforcement. If your child has a phone or your thinking about getting your child a phone, Detective Jeremy Murdock suggested...
The consequences of the wrong digital interactions can be severe, ranging from financial “sextortion,” as highlighted in previous newscasts, to serious mental health crises and, tragically, in some cases, teen suicide... Numbers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that suicide is the leading cause of death among both youth and adults in the United States.
The Unseen Danger in the Palm of Their Hands - While parents go to great lengths to protect their children in the physical world, the digital realm often remains unmonitored. Detectives emphasize that handing a child a smartphone without boundaries carries extreme risks...
The root of this modern crisis stems from the sheer amount of time youths spend connected to the internet... Around-the-clock access to social media apps and online gaming platforms leaves children and teens highly vulnerable to bad actors and cyberbullying, with little opportunity to escape the pressures and dangers of the digital world...
Hunting Grounds: Where Predators Find Victims - Predators typically pretend to be alluring young girls to befriend teen boys, frequently utilizing social media and gaming platforms... Roblox is a gaming application used by a wide ranging age group... Scammers trick these teens into exchanging explicit material, which is used to blackmail the victim for money, or for more explicit photos in some cases. Detective Murdock said that Roblox is frequently exploited by predators who mask their true identities to target young users...
Parents need to understand that social media apps are not the only threat that exists online. Interactive online video games have become incredibly common hunting grounds for child sexual predators, according to Detective Wortman...
The Tragic Toll on Mental Health - The pressure of these digital threats, combined with an inability to disconnect, is fueling an unprecedented youth mental health crisis.
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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in five high school students seriously considered attempting suicide in 2023.
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Over the past 12 months, data from the CDC show that Tennessee has one of the highest rates of fatal injuries in the nation. The CDC’s “fatal injuries” category includes suicides, among other causes of injury-related deaths, and encompasses all age groups. Statewide, Tennessee’s fatal injury rate stands at 78.8 deaths per 100,000 residents. In Rutherford County, the rate is lower, at 63.7 deaths per 100,000 residents.
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Suicide deaths among individuals aged 10 to 24 increased by 62% from 2007 to 2021.
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The suicide rate among Black youth ages 10-17 saw a staggering 144% increase between 2007 and 2020, marking the fastest-growing rate among racial groups.
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Almost 30% of female students reported that they seriously considered attempting suicide in 2023.
Protecting Our Youth - Law enforcement urges parents to actively monitor their children's online actions across cellphones, gaming systems, and computers. Teaching children about the dangers of the internet before they encounter trouble is crucial...
If your child becomes a victim of an online sextortion scam, detectives advise that they should not respond to the demands, as scammers will only escalate their threats and ask for more money. Instead, parents should report the crime to local authorities immediately.
