MAR Summer 2017

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PRIME MINISTER
Message from Prime Minister
Justin Trudeau
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to SOS Safety
Magazine for their role in the education of Canada’s young people
on pressing and relevant issues that affect our youth in every
corner of this country.
Since its inaugural publication in 2002, SOS Safety Magazine has
gained renown as an innovative forum to spark a discussion on
the challenges that face our young Canadians. The critical and
engaging issues captured in this magazine, which range from
health, suicide, bullying and relationships, help our youth navigate
an often challenging time in their lives.
I believe that young Canadians are not the leaders of tomorrow,
they are the leaders of today, and it is important that they see
the issues significant to them reflected in the media. Publications
such as SOS Safety Magazine provide an important toolset for our
youth to activate their leadership potential.
Thank you to the team at SOS Safety Magazine for their efforts
to educate young Canadians. I wish them all the best, as we
look forward to many more years of their relevant and engaging
coverage.
Justin Trudeau
Ottawa
2016
The SOS Children’s Safety Magazine
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SOS Safety Magazine

PREMIER OF NOVA SCOTIA
Message from Hon. Stephen McNeil
Premier of Nova Scotia
On behalf of the citizens of Nova Scotia, I would like to thank the
staff of SOS Safety Magazine for their role in supporting youth
and families as we work together to build a safe, respectful, and
accepting society.
Stephen McNeil
In our recently released Nova Scotia’s Action Plan for Education,
The 3Rs: Renew, Refocus, Rebuild, we focus on the need to
continue to build and support the kind of future we want for
Nova Scotia, one in which all people feel safe and where we
accommodate differences, celebrate diversity, and show respect
for all students and adults.
It is the youth of Nova Scotia who will take the reins to lead our
province forward. In doing so, they must be well-informed critical
thinkers who have an understanding and commitment to personal
responsibility. It is organizations such as SOS Safety Magazine
that are helping to give our youth the tools and knowledge needed
to lead us into the future. Thank you to SOS Safety Magazine for
accepting their part in this essential endeavor.
Together we all have a role to play in ensuring our communities are
safe and nurturing places.
TOBIQUE
First Nation
Tobique First Nation is one of six Wolastoqiyik or Maliseet Nation
reserves in New Brunswick, Canada. Tobique is the largest of the
Wolastoqiyik and Maliseet Nation reserves in NB with a population
of approximately 2500.
Serving our Community
with Pride & Excellence
The SOS Children’s Safety Magazine 5

PREMIER OF NEW BRUNSWICK
Message from Hon. Brian Gallant
Premier of New Brunswick
As a society, protecting our children and youth is of the utmost
importance. It is our obligation to protect and provide them with
the support they need to reach their full potential.
Brian Gallant
SOS Safety Magazine helps to inspire the young minds that will
lead us into the future. It not only educates today’s generation
about the issues affecting them, it also connects our vulnerable
children with a means to overcome challenges. It provides our
children with the tools they need to better protect themselves.
It is so important for our children to feel safe in their schools
and communities. By providing them with the support they need
to proceed with confidence, it will help them to build a strong,
healthy foundation that will enable them to become active citizens
and lifelong learners.
On behalf of the people of New Brunswick, we would like to
offer our sincere gratitude to the team at SOS Magazine for their
contributions in educating our young people on important issues.
We look forward to you continued success.
Educating our youth,
for a better and
brighter tomorrow!
Elsipogtog School
356 Big Cove Rd. Elsipogtog First Nation, NB E4W 2S6
Tel: 506 523-8240 Fax: 506 523-8235
6
The SOS Children’s Safety Magazine

PREMIER OF NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR
Message from Hon. Dwight Ball
Premier of Newfoundland & Labrador
SOS Safety Magazine is a tremendous resource for youth in Canada.
The journey to adulthood is an exciting time, but it is also full of
challenges. Young people face many social issues as they grow up.
Some of these have affected youth for generations, but a whole host of
others – such as cyberbullying and Internet safety – are brand new, and
rapidly evolving.
That’s why publications like SOS Safety Magazine are so important.
SOS’s ability to respond quickly to the changing social environment for
our youth, and to provide young people
with current and in-depth resources for issues as they arise, makes it
one of the very best resources for Canada’s youth.
The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador considers the safety
and wellbeing of the province’s young people to be one of our biggest
priorities. Our youth are the future of Newfoundland and Labrador,
and we are committed to providing them with a safe environment for a
happy and healthy adolescence.
Dwight Ball
SOS Safety Magazine helps us to accomplish this objective by serving
as a beacon for youth as they face the many challenges and social
issues of growing up. I would like to express my heartfelt thanks on
behalf of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador for everything
that you have done to make life better for young people in Canada.
Esgenoopetitj
First Nation
NOW WE ARE STRONG…
IT WILL GO ON FOREVER.
WE HONOR THE GREAT SPIRIT.
Serving our Community
with Pride & Excellence
The SOS Children’s Safety Magazine 7
3

PREMIER OF PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
Message from Hon.
Wade MacLauchlan
Premier of Prince Edward Island
On behalf of the Government of Prince Edward Island I am
pleased to express our continued support and appreciation for
the on-going work of those associated with the SOS Safety
Magazine.
Wade MacLauchlan
This publication plays a crucial role in educating youth, parents,
and community leaders on various topics facing our youth
including bullying, internet safety, drug abuse, teen suicide,
and racial intolerance. The magazine serves as a guidebook,
providing invaluable resources and information to young people
as they navigate these challenges.
I am pleased to see such a wide circulation of the SOS Safety
Magazine and commend the publisher and staff for reaching
a large target audience using a relatable format and message.
Thank you for the important work you do for the benefit of youth
across Canada.
Best wishes for continued success.
Healthy Kids...
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education material and refer community members to resources.
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The SOS Children’s Safety Magazine

MARITIMES EDITION
Summer 2017
Online Safety
22
Kids and
Screens
26
Sexual
exploitation 24
How to Identify
a “CATFISH”
31
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Happy Valley-Goose Bay, NL
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Book Publishers
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506.395.9436
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SOS Safety Magazine

Experiencing any form of sexualized violence, including
sexual abuse and sexual assault (whether violent or not)
can be traumatic and cause very uncomfortable reactions
and responses. Sexual trauma can have a very powerful
impact on a person’s brain, body, emotions, behavior
and attitude. Normal and common responses
a person may experience after a sexual
traumatic event include:
Sexual
Trauma
+Addiction
• Problems with thinking and concentration such
as confusion, not being able to make a decision,
unwanted memories and memory loss.
• Emotional responses such as shock, fear,
nervousness and anxiety (“feeling like something
bad is going to happen”), feeling overwhelmed or
lost, feeling numb or not sure how you feel, feeling
“dirty”, intense sadness, feelings of shame, selfblame
and guilt (like you have done something
wrong), fear of harm to self or others, feeling alone
and like no one can relate to what you are going
through, re-experiencing the event over and over,
experience thoughts of suicide, .
• Physical responses such as nausea or feeling “sick
to your stomach”, feeling lightheaded or dizzy,
increased heartrate or racing heart, shakiness,
jumpy or easily startled, headaches, feeling tired,
and grinding teeth.
• Behavioral responses such as irritability (“moody”),
wanting to be alone and withdrawing from friends
and family, sleeping more or sleeping less, eating
more or eating less, increased alcohol and/or drug
use, not wanting to be touched in any way, and
changes in sexual behavior.
So what is the connection between sexual trauma and
addiction – let’s take a look.
From the list above you can see that sexual trauma
can have a powerful impact on a person and how they
think, feel and act. Many of the normal responses to
sexual trauma can be very uncomfortable and make a
person feel terrible
or “abnormal”. It is
“normal” to feel “abnormal”
after a traumatic event. In order to feel “normal” or
“better” a person may seek out ways to reduce the
discomfort they are experiencing. Some people will
try to self-medicate with substances such as alcohol,
and/or prescription and “street” drugs. Getting a
“buzz” can provide a sense of relief or escape from
the uncomfortable feelings and help a person feel
“normal” or better. Who wouldn’t want relief from
intense negative feelings like fear, shame, guilt,
and feeling “dirty”. Unfortunately the relief a person
experiences is temporary and does not last long, unless
you keep doing it. This is how a person can develop a
dependency or addiction to alcohol and/or drugs.
Simply put, when a person is feeling “bad” they want
to feel better and they seem to feel better or to cope
when they use alcohol or drugs. The downside of
self-medicating with alcohol or drugs to cope with
uncomfortable feelings is a person can develop an
emotional and physical dependency where they
“need” it more and more. A person who uses alcohol
and/or drugs to cope can find themselves in a cycle
where they use alcohol or drugs to feel better, and
then when the effects wear off they feel
worse and then they have to use again to
cope with feeling worse. This can become a
very dangerous downward spiral where a person
develops a dependency and need to have alcohol
and/or drugs regularly to feel “normal”. Now a person
is not only dealing with the impact of trauma but also
the effects of dependency and addiction. There is
support, resources and help available to anyone who
has experienced the trauma of sexualized violence.
“Trauma creates change you don’t choose. Healing
is about creating change you do choose” (Michelle
Rosenthall). “Life is very interesting… in the end,
some of your greatest pains become your greatest
strengths.” (Drew Barrymore)
If you have experienced sexualized violence, sexual
abuse or sexual assault please know it was not your
fault, you are not alone and there are non-judgemental
people out there who sincerely want to help and
support you. You do not have to carry this alone. Talk
with someone you trust and feel safe with about what
you are going through and dealing with. For more
information on sexualized violence please visit our
website at colchestersac.ca.
Courage, strength & hope.
Margaret Mauger
Executive Director and Counselling Therapist
Colchester Sexual Assault Centre
Twitter : @CSAC16
Colchester Sexual Assault Centre
80 Glenwood Drive | Truro, NS
Hours: Monday - Friday 9:30 - 4:30
Call Us At: 902-897-4366
info@colchestersac.ca | www.colchestersac.ca
Instruments: Guitars, Accordions,
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709.466.3265
Mon-Sat
10am-5pm
SOS Safety Magazine
21

Important
Rules for
ONLINE
SAFETY
Technology has come a long way in
the past few decades. It is utilized
in our daily lives, commonly for
connecting with others. You should
understand that while the internet
has its pros, there are some cons
that should be assessed before its
use.
1. Be your true self on the internet.
It can be easy to get caught up in
the anonymity of the online world -
you can be whoever you want to be!
Unfortunately, it is this very statement
that can make you disconnect from
who you are. Be very aware of your
actions and try to be as honest as
possible with yourself.
2. Be kind to others. The Golden
Rule, treat everyone as you would like
to be treated, applies on the internet.
If you wouldn’t say certain things to
someone’s face, it isn’t okay to hide
behind a keyboard and computer
screen to say it. Those who are rude or
violent online are often at a larger risk of
being harassed or bullied themselves.
If someone happens to be mean on
the internet, it is best to not react and
fight back as that typically makes
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SOS Safety Magazine

the problem worse. There are several
privacy tools available to block these
people - check them out on each social
website that you visit.
3. Passwords are meant to be
private. They are best kept between
yourself and a trusted parent/guardian.
While it may seem like a good idea to
tell a friend, be aware that friendships
can change over time and the level of
trust that you once had with someone
might not always last. When creating
a password, try to make it something
that is easy for you to remember, but
difficult for someone else to guess.
For example: “I lived on Main Street in
2010!” Being turned into “IloMSi2010!”
4. Be cautious of strangers and
conversations about sex. It can be
very easy for a stranger in a game
or chat room to come off as friendly.
Who doesn’t love new friends?
Unfortunately, this is an easy way
for people on the internet to lie and
gain your trust. Don’t allow anyone to
manipulate you. Similarly, do not talk
about sex with strangers. If someone
begins to discuss very provocative
things with you, such as going on
webcam, asking about sex or physical
details, or meeting up in-person, end
the conversation there. Tell a trusted
parent/guardian or even local police if
the situation becomes serious enough.
5. Don’t meet internet “friends”
without a safety net. If you meet with
someone from the internet in-person,
you are at risk of being physically
harmed. If you feel that you must
get together with someone from the
internet, do not go on your own. Meet
in a public place and try to have a
trusted parent/guardian with you. If
nobody can come with you, always
tell them where you will be going and
take a cellphone with you. However,
these situations are not recommended
as your personal safety always comes
first.
6. Practice cell phone safety. If you
are texting a person who you met
online, be very careful as to not share
your location with them. Avoid using
any apps that would lead them on to
letting you know where you are without
your consent. As well, refrain from
sexting - the act of sending sexually
explicit messages or photographs with
your cell phone - as it can have very
negative consequences.
Sources
http://www.safekids.com/kids-rules-foronline-safety/
http://www.connectsafely.org/socialweb-tips-for-teens/
Author
Lindsey Locke, Columnist
www.quinsea.com
Shellfish, Groundfish, Pelagics
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23

Online
sexual
exploitation is
different from
cyberbullying &
peer pressure.
Online sexual exploitation is when one person manipulates
another person to get them to be sexual – it is an ongoing cycle
of emotional and psychological abuse. This can include lots of
things, like getting a young person to send sexual images or
videos of themselves or perform sexual acts over webcam. Online
sexual exploitation can come from peers or from adults.
It is never ok for someone to make you uncomfortable. If someone
is doing stuff that creeps you out or scares you, this is a sign that
something is wrong. If you are communicating with an adult online,
a teen who is much older than you, or even someone your own age,
these are some signs that they may be sexually abusive:
• They send you nude photos or photos of their genitals, or flash you
on webcam
• They ask you sexual questions about yourself or make inappropriate
sexual comments
• They expose you to pornography
• They encourage you to watch
them do sexual things (on
webcam or they send photos/
videos)
• They encourage you to do
sexual things that make you
uncomfortable
If you are being sexually exploited
or abused online, it is important to
remember that you are not alone.
Even if you feel trapped or alone,
there are people and resources out
there that can support you through
this. People who exploit and abuse
others gain power from isolating
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the people they target. Speak with
a trusted adult, get support, and
take action to make sure you are
safe.
• Never respond to threats: No
matter how persistent or scary
the threat is, do not give in (e.g.
do not do what the exploiter has
asked of you).
• Stop all forms of
communication with this
individual: Do not reply to this
person’s texts, e-mails, or social
media posts, and block them
from all of your accounts.
• Deactivate all accounts that
you used to communicate with
this individual: Deactivate all
social media, chat forum, e-mail
and other accounts that you
used to chat with this person.
• Speak to a trusted adult about
what is happening: This could
be a counsellor, teacher, parent
or other family member. If you
aren’t sure who you can talk to,
remember that you can contact
Kids Help Phone anytime by
calling us at 1-800-668-6868.
• Contact Cybertip.ca, Canada’s
tip line for reporting concerns
about online sexual exploitation.
Information that is reported to
Cybertip.ca may be shared with
police and/or Child Protective
Services.
Do you have a friend who’s’
being sexually exploited or
abused online? Here’s how you
can help:
Your friend is going through a lot
right now. Online sexual abuse
and exploitation stirs up a bunch
of emotions that can include
fear, anger, confusion, hurt and
sadness. Your friend might start
saying negative things about
themselves. You might also see
your friend trying to cope in ways
that might damage their health,
such as by isolating themselves or
using alcohol or drugs.
It’s a good idea to let your friend
know that you’re worried. Say: “I
care about you, and I want to help
you.” Don’t get upset if your friend
isn’t ready to talk about it. Knowing
that you care might be enough for
now. Your friend might be ready
to speak to a trusted adult, but
too nervous to reach out. Offer
to help. Go with your friend to
speak to someone at school, such
as a teacher, principal, guidance
counsellor or coach. Or you could
ask them if they would like for
you both to call Kids Help Phone
together.
If you or a friend are in
immediate danger
If you feel like you or a friend’s
physical safety is at risk, or if
you are in immediate danger, it
might be best to call the police.
Like Cybertip.ca, the police may
share your personal information
with Child Protective Services and
others. But the police are able to
act immediately to make sure you
are safe if you are in imminent
danger. Follow the below steps to
make a call to the police:
1. The easiest way to reach the
police is to dial 9-1-1.
2. When the operator picks up,
you’ll be asked if you want
the police, fire, or ambulance
services. Say that you want the
police.
3. You will be prompted to say your
name, address, and phone
number.
4. You might also be asked your
age. It’s okay to give this
information right now.
5. You will also be asked to
explain a little bit about what’s
happening. For example, if you
think that someone you met
online knows where you live, and
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SOS Safety Magazine 25

Kids and
Screens:
A New
Worry
When you hear the term “digital dangers”
what comes to mind first? Cyberbullying?
Online predators? Sexting? Internet
addiction? These are all worrisome risks of
using electronic devices and the internet and
the ones we hear about at school, from law
enforcement and the media. But few teens or
parents are aware that a potentially greater
danger exists in the lure of that screen.
Whatever device or program a child is
using, the simple act of interacting with an
electronic screen has the potential to cause
a long list of negative emotional, physical
and behavioral problems. Smartphones have
changed the landscape of internet use to
constant availability, and since over 90% of
teenagers are now online daily, we should all
become familiar with its effects.
Emotional and mental health problems caused
by electronic screen use have now been studied
extensively. Excessive internet use is most
commonly linked to depression and anxiety.
Dr. Douglas Gentile’s longitudinal study of over
3,000 children published in 2011 demonstrated
that pathological video game use causes
depression, anxiety, and social phobias. A large
Swiss study published in 2011 of over 7,000
adolescents aged 16 to 20 defined heavy internet
use as over two hours per day and found that
heavy users were significantly more depressed.
The alarming statistics provided by Common
Sense Media in a 2015 survey are that the
average teen spends nine hours per day on
entertainment media (not including school-
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26
SOS Safety Magazine

elated) and the average “tween”
spends nearly 6 hours per day.
At the same time medications for
psychological problems are being
prescribed at unprecedented
rates. Data from the National
Health Interview Survey (2011-
2012), showed that 7.5%
of children aged 6–17 years
used prescribed medication
for emotional or behavioral
difficulties.
Physical problems associated
with heavy internet use include
eye disorders, repetitive injuries
including carpal tunnel syndrome,
headaches, craving sweets,
obesity and poor physical
conditioning. Specific behavioral
issues of hyperactivity and
attention problems are also on
the rise and have been linked to
internet use.
In addition to these individual
conditions, there is a
constellation of problems that
arise from interactive screen
use. Dr. Victoria Dunckley, an
integrative psychiatrist, uses
the term “Electronic Screen
Syndrome”.
In her 2015 book, Reset Your
Child’s Brain: A Four-Week
Plan to End Meltdowns, Raise
Grades, and Boost Social Skills
by Reversing the Effects of
Electronic Screen-Time, she calls
this an unrecognized disorder.
Interactive screens act as a
physiologic stressor and cause
troubling emotional, physical,
behavioral and social effects.
Typical symptoms are irritability,
mood swings, oppositionaldefiant
behavior, sleep difficulties,
memory and attention issues, poor
executive functioning, worsening
school performance, decreased
empathy, anxiety, and depression.
Parents may attribute worsening
grades to “stress” and defiance to
normal teen behavior. Professionals
may misdiagnose the hyperactivity
associated with screen time to
ADHD and prescribe medications
with little benefit. Children are
labeled with serious mental health
diagnoses such as depression and
anxiety. It is imperative that the
effects of screens be part of the list
of possible causes of all of these
types of behaviors, yet most parents,
physicians and even mental health
professionals are not aware of this.
How can families cope with this new
information?
• Learn about the negative effects
of screen time on children. There
is currently no coordinated
government or school program to
educate the public of these facts.
• Recognize the symptoms of
Electronic Screen Syndrome in
your child.
• Reduce technology use in your
household, and consider an
electronic “fast”, especially
before a child is medicated for
symptoms that may actually be
caused by screen use.
• Add in alternative activities to
replace screen time. Use the
Lifestyle Pyramid for School
Age Children as a guideline.
Entertainment media should only
be used when all other areas are
functioning well.
• Consider getting professional
advice from an expert in treating
internet-related disorders.
Families should feel hopeful about
treating electronic screen syndrome.
If emotional or behavioral problems
are caused by screen time, they are
often reversible with a reduction
or even temporary elimination of
digital media. Increasing the public’s
awareness of this increasing problem
is the first step.
Ann H. Steel, MD, MA*
*Ann Steel is a former practicing physician
who works as a licensed mental health
counselor in Bellevue, WA specializing in
the treatment of digital media overuse and
addiction.
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SOS Safety Magazine 27

A Snapchat
Guide for Parents
Snapchat is a mobile app that
allows its users to send pictures
and videos that are viewable for
a limited amount of time, often
between 1 and 10 seconds. We
will refer to pictures and videos as
“Snaps” in this article. When Snaps
are posted to someone’s story
(viewable to all friends), they are
visible for 24 hours. Snapchat has
creative tools that allow its users
to create art pieces out of their
Snaps. These tools include stickers,
pens of various colours, and filters.
Below, we have defined terms that
are commonly referred to when
talking about Snapchat.
Snap: A Snap is a photo or video
sent to one or more friends. The
photo or video can be layered with
text, stickers, doodles, and various
filters. They can be made visible from
1 to 10 seconds and can be replayed
only once. A user’s privacy settings
determine the users that Snaps can
be received from.
Stories: Stories are visible to
users’ friends for 24 hours.
Snaps can be sent to a
story just as they would
be sent to friends,
and they appear in
chronological order.
For example, you
could send Snaps
to your story
throughout the day to show your
friends what you did in the morning,
afternoon, and evening.
Live Stories: Live Stories is a feature
from Snapchat that compiles Snaps
from certain events around the
world. For example, New Year’s Eve
may have its own live story, where
submitted Snaps have the chance
to be viewed worldwide. Likewise,
events within a certain geographical
area may be eligible for Live Stories,
such as a music festival.
Discover: Publishers (ie. magazines)
who curate their own content have
their own channels in the Discover
section. Users can view brief, easily
digestible material in this section.
Discover also includes some of the
Live Stories from the day.
Text Chat: One-on-one chat is
possible with Snapchat. Similar to
Snaps, text chats self-destruct when
the recipient closes the Chat screen;
however, there is an option to save
messages that the recipient wants to
keep.
Lenses, Filters, Doodles, and
Stickers: Customization is a huge
draw for Snapchat users! While taking
a photo or video, a user can activate
a lens, which gives them the flexibility
to add special effects or sounds. Once
the photo or video is taken, there
are options for filters. These include
different colour overlays, the weather,
or a geofilter based on location.
Further to this, stickers and doodles
can be added.
Memories: Memories are a private
collection of Snaps and Stories that
the sender decides to save before
they disappear. Memories do not
disappear, unlike regular Snaps and
Stories. Memories can be used to
create new Snaps and Stories. As
well, Memories have the option to be
saved in a “My Eyes Only” section,
which is password protected - a very
important feature to be aware of,
especially for parents.
Source http://www.connectsafely.
org/a-parents-guide-to-Snapchat/
Author
Lindsey Locke, Columnist
28
SOS Safety Magazine

Apps
That Parents Need
to Know About
As the rise of smart devices occurs, so does
the number of apps. To this day, it is hard to
keep up with the new releases, what their
updates entail, and how children are being
affected by them. Today’s children grew up
with the internet. It’s infused into so many
parts of their lives that, in some ways, they
know their way around technology better
than their parents. This article is to educate
parents on five common apps that are
important to watch out for on behalf of your
child’s well-being.
Audio Manager
Audio Manager definitely sounds like
something you may use to manage your
music, but don’t be fooled. Audio Manager
is actually used to hide other apps, photos,
videos, and messages, concealed only by a
password. For example, if your child has an
app or a nude photo that they don’t want you
to know about, they could hide it in Audio
Manager and you may never know about it.
Calculator%
Calculator% is similar to Audio Manager - it
is an app posing as something it is not. Users
can hide nude pictures from whoever they
don’t want to see them. In fact, there was
a report of a high school in Colorado where
teenagers had used these sort of apps to
conceal a large sexting ring from their parents
and school officials.
Segrid Lewis, online safety expert,
recommends that parents add their
children to their iCloud account.
When the children download an
app, it will download to the parent’s phone
automatically.
Tinder
Tinder, simply put, is a dating app. It lets users
to connect with other users based on if they
are seeking relationships or wanting to “hook
up”. One of the dangers of Tinder is that a
user may encounter a catfish - someone
who isn’t who they claim to be (ie. an adult
pretending to be a teenager). Another thing
to look out for is cyber-bullying as there is a
rating system on Tinder.
This rating system can make it easy for users
to target one another by intentionally making
their rating decrease.
Omegle
Omegle allows users from around the world
to talk with strangers online via text and
video.
Common Sense Media reviews Omegle as
“an anonymous chat client with which users
discuss anything they’d like.” Unfortunately,
“anything” can include foul language, drugs
& alcohol, violence, or even sexual content.
Age, gender, and location are
often the first questions asked, so
it is important for your children to
understand the importance of keeping these
things secret.
Of course, straying from using this chat
service altogether is recommended.
ASKfm
ASKfm is a Q&A platform where users
anonymously ask each other questions. The
hazard with this is that users can easily target
one another with harmful questions without
getting caught.
According to one source, in 2012, there were
“nine documented cases of suicide” among
teens in the United States and the United
Kingdom. A couple of years later, in 2014, the
new owners of ASKfm committed to cracking
down on cyberbullying.
These are five common examples of apps
that parents should be aware of. There are
certainly many more, but we wouldn’t be able
to fit them all in this magazine! SOS Safety
Magazine recommends keeping yourself
informed every few weeks or months of the
next trendy app among children & teens. It
could help protect and save your child’s life.
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SOS Safety Magazine
29

Porn
Literally
re-wires
your brain
Science is finally backing up what many
people have been saying for years: Porn
is harmful.
Aside from filling your head with lies and
unrealistic expectations, porn literally
messes with your head by rewiring the
actual chemistry in your brain.
In our brains, there is a neurotransmitter
called dopamine. It is key to our brain’s
understanding of pleasure and rewards.
This chemical is released when we
experience pleasure, and it feels good!
Under normal circumstances, this release
is a good thing. It helps our brains
understand which things are good and
keeps us healthy and happy. It’s also
a key ingredient in our ability to form
relationships and fall in love.
However, if the stimulus of pleasure is
prolonged or happens too frequently –
or is unnaturally stimulated – the brain
creates an oversupply of dopamine. This
happens in the brain of all people who
struggle with addictions.
Now think about all the hours and hours
spent watching porn. The click bait that
leads viewers to witness every type of
sex imaginable – and unimaginable. With
every new picture or video, the brain is
shocked. This is most certainly unnatural
stimulation. It forces the viewer into a
prolonged surge of pleasure chemicals,
and the brain begins to become
desensitized.
30
And they need more.
The hidden harm in porn is when the brain
becomes desensitized to dopamine and
the brain can no longer recognize signals
The worst part
is the more you
satisfy this
itch … the
stronger it gets.
of pleasure. You see, the brain is very good
at adapting. When there is constantly
prolonged rushes of pleasure chemicals,
the brain lessens its neuroreceptors to
compensate. This makes it harder to
recognize smaller doses of the chemical
release. So the brain craves more and
stronger hits to feel something. This need
can become all consuming and steals
focus from other important things.
A person suffering from any kind of
addiction is most likely also suffering
from dopamine desensitization. However,
this compulsive quest for pleasure has
another effect. It causes dysfunction in
the stress circuitry of the brain. Because
of this dysfunction, when an addict
encounters stress of any kind they will
desperately seek any way to numb the
pain. This relapse exposes the brain to
more addictive stimuli, consequently
bringing more dysfunction in the stress
circuits, and essentially brings the addict
back to square one.
The part of your brain that is directly
responsible for tasks such as decision
making and impulse control is called the
frontal cortex. When there is a decrease in
the function of the brain’s reward center, it
can cause function in the frontal cortex to
decrease as well. This messes with your
ability to solve problems in relationships,
make decisions at work, or focus on
school.
Of course, when you register that you have
all these problems because of porn, the
dysfunctional stress circuits in your brain
will drive you to watch more porn. And
thus, the cycle continues. As this cycle
drives you deeper into your addiction, it
will also send you further away from living
a happy, healthy, and passionate life. Porn
literally messes with your head. Do you
still think it’s harmless?
SOS Safety Magazine

How to Identify a
“Catfish”
The definition of “Catfish” is when a
fake online persona lures someone
into a relationship. The person
lured in has a false perception of
the Catfish’s true identity. There
are several signs as to if you are
being Catfished. They can vary from
said Catfish avoiding in-person
confrontation to your own gut
feelings.
Here are some ways you may be able
to identify a Catfish:
1. If the person seems too good to
be true, they probably are. Fake
lives can be easily made up on
the internet, so people can create
whatever lifestyle they want to
portray. There is no definitive way
to validate this information, so be
careful.
2. Be wary if the relationship gets
serious over a short period of time.
If someone tells you that they
care about you and other
sentiments that signify a
serious relationship, don’t
give in.
3. If you’ve been chatting
online, but they have
issues getting video chat
software such as Skype
to work, take it as a red
flag. These excuses may
be a Catfish’s technique
of avoiding revealing their true
identity.
4. If they say that they are always
travelling for work and avoiding
meeting you in-person, they could
be a Catfish.
5. If you are contacted by a stranger
all of a sudden and they try to
romance you, there is a chance
that the person may be a Catfish.
6. Watch out for pictures that may
resemble celebrities. A Catfish will
often try to make themselves
look attractive, so they take
pictures from the internet and
make them appear as their
own.
7. Follow your gut. If something
just doesn’t seem right, it
probably isn’t.
Take the above points into
consideration when starting
an online relationship. It is very
easy to be fooled over the
internet as people can portray
themselves as whoever they
want to be. Always exercise
extra caution - your safety
always comes first.
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