| AT 14, KATHERINE TARBOX WAS
THE FIRST PERSON TO SUCCESSFULLY BRING CHARGES against a
pedophile who found his victims in Internet chat rooms. But seeing
her abuser brought to justice was only part of Tarbox's campaign.
Katie.com My Story (Penguin 2000), the high-schooler's frank account
of the incident, raises awareness not only about safety on the Internet,
but also about the emotional lives of girls today. Written in her
distinctly teenaged voice, it looks at issues of social status, workaholic
parents, and the difficulty of 'blended families." And it details
Tarbox's long journey from feeling "love" for the guy she
thought was a 23-year-old cyberpal to feeling angry at and betrayed
by the 41-year-old man she eventually encountered. Despite her ordeal,
Tarbox, now 18, doesn't advocate restricting online activity. She
thinks relationships sparked through the Web can be great, but where
kids are concerned, there should be a high level of adult supervision.
The author heads to college next year to study writing, and she's
contemplating a new book about the stress kids endure applying to
colleges. - Moira Brennan Ms. JUNE / JULY 2000 |
Copyright 2004