Provocative online personas put teen girls at risk

(HealthScout) UPDATED 2009-05-26

Researchers have found that teenage girls who choose provocative representations of themselves for their online personas are more likely to be approached sexually and to meet the people who approach them. For the study, investigators recruited 173 girls aged 14 to 17 and asked them to create an online "avatar." An avatar is a digital representation of one's self and is used on Web sites. The teens also were asked to complete a questionnaire addressing Internet use, substance abuse, peers, and sexual activities. The researchers found that girls who chose provocative avatars were more likely to be approached online by strangers than those who did not use a sexually provocative avatar. Investigators also found teen girls who had been abused were more likely to be approached. Read full story >

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