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Press Release

BATAVIA, NY -- "Addressing Cybersafety and Cyberbullying" will be the topic of discussion at an upcoming workshop to be held at Genesee Community College on Wednesday, April 29, 2009 from 7:00PM - 8:15PM in room T102 at the Batavia Campus.  The free workshop, sponsored by the Genesee Region Teacher Center, will feature Dr. James Colt, Coordinator of School Safety and Security at Monroe BOCES #1.

Designed to familiarize participants with the scope and magnitude of internet crime, the discussion will also provide ways in which to protect children and adults from online victimization.  This workshop is appropriate for students, teachers, administrators, law enforcement, parents and any interested community members.

According to Christine Belongia, coordinator of the Teacher Education Transfer Program at Genesee, as well as Genesee Region Teacher Center (GRTC) Policy Board member, "People are only just beginning to realize the scope and magnitude of internet crime.  This workshop is designed to familiarize participants with this important topic as well introduce ways in which we can protect children and ourselves from online victimization."

The workshop will include startling data from a local 2007 survey of 40,000 K-12 school-aged students.  Results from the survey, conducted by a team of researchers lead by one of the nation's leading cybercrime experts, Dr. Sam McQuade of the Rochester Institute of Technology, indicate that "the more time children spend online and the more ways they access the Internet, the more vulnerable they become to being a victim of cybercrime and the more likely they are to slip into offending behaviors."

This workshop is an excellent learning opportunity for area residents interested in cybercrime and ways to prevent victimization. This workshop is free and open to the public. Pre-registration is not required.

For more information, please contact Christine Belongia at 585-343-0055 x6278.