Ariel Winter Discusses Going Undercover to Combat Child Predators
Ariel Winter, known for her role as Alex Dunphy on “Modern Family,” has shared the challenging experience of posing as a preteen girl to help catch a child sexual predator. Working with a nonprofit focused on online sexual abuse, she participated in a covert investigation featured in the true crime documentary, “SOSA Undercover.”
In the premiere episode, the 27-year-old actress took on the persona of a 12-year-old girl, attempting to lure a 31-year-old predator in Oklahoma City. Reflecting on her decoy role in an interview, Winter expressed her thoughts on the impact of her collaboration with the nonprofit.
“Teaming with SOSA is definitely cathartic; I know that it can make a difference,” she said. While it was intimidating to interact with older men while pretending to be 12, she felt validated in her efforts to expose those who harm children.
Winter remarked on her own experiences in the entertainment industry, emphasizing the importance of protecting young women from the difficulties she faced. She described how, in her role, she wore wigs and adopted a childlike demeanor to engage with potential predators.
“I was surprised at the number of men trying to talk to young girls, ages 12 or 13. That’s hundreds of thousands of men,” she noted, pointing out that many appeared to be “normal” guys—often married with children—who presented themselves as friendly, even showing off pictures of their pets. She highlighted the unsettling reality that their intentions were anything but innocent.
Winter elaborated on a particularly alarming encounter: “One guy was almost 40 years old and wanted to go shopping with an 11-year-old girl.” This statement underscored the disturbing normalization of such predatory behavior.
She found it “wild” to see adult men seeking girls as young as 12 or 14. “This experience has been heartbreaking, thinking about how young these girls are and the kinds of situations they’re getting into,” she said, revealing her personal insights into the dangers of online interactions.
With a background in Hollywood from a very young age, Winter shared that she had encountered inappropriate messages herself. “I don’t want to go into too much detail, but by the time I was on my laptop and phone, I was already getting these kinds of messages,” she explained, reflecting on how these occurrences have profoundly impacted her life.
Winter also pointed out how easily vulnerable children can become targets for adults with ill intentions. “Children are often looking for connections online because they feel lonely or bored,” she explained. “They think they can find friends but are, in fact, interacting with predators.” Her commitment to raising awareness around these issues remains strong.
The Virginia native expressed a desire to continue her work with SOSA, stating, “I like being part of SOSA because it’s about empowering women.” She emphasized her commitment to doing as much as she can to help.
In February, Winter released a clip on social media in anticipation of the documentary’s premiere, reflecting candidly on her own experiences with child sexual abuse. “I was a victim of online and real-life grooming,” she shared, underlining the lasting effects these experiences can have.
“Predators have more access to children than ever before, especially in our digital age,” she continued. Winter called for heightened awareness about these issues, emphasizing the need for collective action against such serious crimes. “The work we do at SOSA is not easy, but it’s incredibly rewarding to know that we’ve helped protect even one child,” she concluded.
