This project was supported by Cooperative Agreement Supplemental Number 2003-LD-BX-K002, administered by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice through Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA). 

Points of views or opinions contained within this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.

Julie's Journey. A true story in her own words.


The Internet. It's a tool that has to be used properly. You know, it's like a knife. It's very helpful, but it can also cut you.

My name is Julie. When I was 13 I started talking to Tom. He didn't act or even sound like a 56-year-old man. So he was different on the computer.I knew that I wasn't supposed to be talking to him. But I did it out of retaliation against my parents.

It felt nice to have somebody who wasn't always trying to tell you what to do. It…started to get more,like a relationship. Where it went from just friends to best friends. A more personal relationship than best friends. I would Instant Message him between 3 and 6 hours a day.

I was really upset whenever I couldn’t get on the Internet, because I knew that he would be like, What were you doing? And he E-mailed me like 10 times wondering where I was at. Then you feel like extremely bad about it. 


It was an opportunity for him to manipulate more.


I trusted him more than anybody else. He mentioned wouldn’t it be nice if we were together all the time? And then the thought came up of running away.

The night I left I kissed all my brothers good night. He was in his truck and we just rode out.

I ran away for 3 weeks. The day I was found we were on our way to Reno.  Somebody reported us and saw our truck. I knew pretty much-it’s over. I never really thought the day would come.

He’s gonna be in jail for 25 years. He sent a letter to me saying that it was my fault. And that he was going to kill me if he ever got out of jail.

I was really upset because he didn’t say anything about caring about me. I didn’t think of his background. And I didn’t apply it to myself. So maybe he could have done anything to me, even killed me.

And so you know, now that I’m back. I feel like there’s this huge emptiness inside of me.

If I could have talked to people maybe I would have had a different view on some things.If you’re planning to run away,it doesn’t help solve anything. If it does anything it makes it worse.

Little things can end up becoming a big thing. I kind of wish that I never would have run away in the first place. I would never do it again.

If you or someone you know has been victimized, make a report at www.cybertipline.com or call 
1-800-843-5678. 

www.netsmartz.org

Net Smartz is a program of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.