Sequence of events all too common

TEENAGER Ashleigh Hall is the latest in a long line of vulnerable young girls to fall victim to the predators who have latched on to the various social networking sites. Ashleigh, who had difficulty finding a boyfriend, was instantly attracted to the handsome 19-year-old boy who posted pictures of himself and flirted with her on Facebook. Their online conversations became more intimate and Ashleigh had no hesitation agreeing when her new friend suggested they meet. It was to cost her her life, for the handsome boy was, in fact, 33-year-old misfit sex offender Peter Chapman, who raped and killed Ashleigh before dumping her body in a field.

It is a sequence of events that is becoming all too common, and, while few girls lose their lives, many lose their innocence and self-respect after being seduced by the compliments and chat of online predators like Chapman.

Ashleigh’s death has led to her friends putting together a set of guidelines which they hope will prevent future deaths. To many, the advice is commonsense: take a chaperone; meet in a well-lit, public place and tell someone who you are meeting and where. Too often, however, commonsense goes missing when romance comes knocking.