A new study, called “Online ‘Predators’ and Their Victims: Myths, Realities and Implications for Prevention,” revealed some interesting findings about the Internet sex offenders.

After surveying close to 3,000 Internet users between the ages of 10 and 17, the researchers said that most Internet sex offenders are not adults who target young children by posing as another youth, luring children to meetings, and then abducting or forcibly raping them.

Instead, they are adults who tend to seduce their victims and they take time to develop the trust and confidence of victims, so that the youth see these relationships as romances or sexual adventures.

The youth most vulnerable to online sex offenders have histories of sexual or physical abuse, family problems, and tendencies to take risks both on- and offline, the researchers concluded.

The authors also found that adolescents’ use of popular social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook do not appear to increase their risk of being victimized by online predators. Rather, it is risky online interactions such as talking online about sex to unknown people that increases vulnerability, according to the researchers.

“Most Internet-initiated sex crimes involve adult men who are open about their interest in sex,” Janis Wolak, lead author of the study said. “The offenders use instant messages, e-mail and chat rooms to meet and develop intimate relationships with their victims. In most of the cases, the victims are aware that they are talking online with adults.”

The study also found that most internet-linked offenses are essentially statutory rape: non-forced sex crimes against minors too young to consent to sexual relationships with adults. Most victims meet online offenders face-to-face and go to those meetings expecting to engage in sex. Nearly three-quarters have sex with partners they met on the internet more than once, the report said.

“To prevent these crimes, we need accurate information about their true dynamics,” said Janis Wolak. “The things that we hear and fear and the things that actually occur may not be the same. The newness of the environment makes it hard to see where the danger is.”