NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 1, 2012

Contact: Lulu Todorov (215.825.8202 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

Workshop Shows Professionals How to Help Teens Stay Safe on the Internet

PHILADELPHIA – On Friday, October 5, Joseph J. Peters Institute (JJPI), a leading provider of services in response to sexual abuse, and the Philadelphia Society of Clinical Psychologists co-sponsor an all-day workshop called “@helpingprofessionals: Understanding, Assessing, and Intervening with Problematic Sexual Behavior of #youthonline.” The workshop provides education and resources regarding youth internet safety to professionals who work with teens.

“We wanted to offer a workshop that will discuss the online sexual behavior of youth and the vulnerabilities associated with youth developing online problematic behavior,” says Theodore Glackman, executive director of JJPI, an affiliate of Public Health Management Corporation. “Youth are at high risk for both exploiting others online and being victims of online sexual exploitation,” he adds. The workshop will provide a live, online demonstration of areas on the internet where youth engage in sexual behavior online. Participants will be introduced to technologies such as peer-to-peer file sharing, Twitter, Pinterest, chat rooms, online gaming and Second Life.

Duquesne University professor David Delmonico, PhD will speak at the workshop. He directs the school’s Online Behavior Research and Education Center and is a leading expert on internet safety who conducts research, consultation and training on topics such as cybersex, cyberoffense and cybersafety for adults and youth. Delmonico frequently lectures on topics such as general internet psychology and sexually addictive and compulsive behaviors. He is a co-author of In the Shadows of the Net, Cybersex Unhooked, and Cybersex Unplugged. He has published numerous scholarly articles on a variety of addiction and sexuality topics.

The workshop will address implications for youth accessing the online venues including the ways online sexual experiences may impact developmental issues and offline behaviors. The psychology of the internet will serve as a basis to understand why many youth find themselves in trouble online. Additionally, the workshop will offer professionals practical suggestions for assessment, management, and intervention.

The full-day training begins at 9:00 am. It will be held at the offices of Public Health Management Corporation, 260 S. Broad Street, 18th floor. Registration is required. For more information, contact Jennifer Arrington at 215.701.1570 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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About JJPI

The Joseph J. Peters Institute (JJPI) is a non-profit mental health agency providing outpatient assessment and treatment services in the area of sexual abuse. JJPI's mission is to reduce the causes and overall results of sexually abusive behaviors through research, training, prevention, and treatment. For more information on The Joseph J. Peters Institute, visit www.jjp.org.

About PHMC

Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC) is a nonprofit public health institute that creates and sustains healthier communities. PHMC uses best practices to improve community health through direct service, partnership, innovation, policy, research, technical assistance and a prepared workforce. PHMC has served the region since 1972. For more information on PHMC, visit www.phmc.org.