The Dubuque Community School District will host “Internet Safety for Parents and Community,” presented by a representative from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), on Thursday, Jan. 7, at 6:30 p.m. in the Washington Middle School Auditorium. The event is free and the public is invited to attend.
The Internet has drastically changed the way children interact with the world. Along with offering a fascinating new way to connect with the world, the Internet also offers new risks, such as cyberbullying, exposure to inappropriate material, sexting, online predators/online sexploitation, and revealing too much personal information. In the presentation, FBI Victim Specialist Karen Gale will share information for parents, children and community members on how to stay safe in the technology age. According to Karen, parent and guardian knowledge and involvement of their child’s technology use can help make the Internet a safer place for their families.
Karen has been the FBI Victim Specialist for over 10 years. Her experience assisting victims and their families covers all types and aspects of federal crime. She works with federal victims of crime as identified by FBI Special Agents in crimes such as bank robbery, human trafficking, child prostitution, financial institution/mortgage fraud, on-line sexual exploitation, kidnapping/murder cases and mass casualty events.
Karen coordinates assistance and resources for crime victims throughout the state of Iowa and provides comprehensive victim services. She also works with local and state agencies to present at state and national conferences, schools, businesses and civic groups on a variety of topics. Prior to coming to Iowa Karen was the Victim Advocacy Coordinator for the Army, as a civilian, in Alaska for six years, building the first victim assistance program for the Army. She is the recipient of numerous awards, including the FBI Director’s Award for Distinguished Service for Assisting Victims of Crime, bestowed for her work with the families and community at Sandy Hook School in Newtown, Connecticut.