Ariel Winter, best known for her role as Alex Dunphy on Modern Family, has taken on a powerful new mission—posing as a preteen girl to help catch online child predators. The 27-year-old actress partnered with the nonprofit Safe from Online Sex Abuse (SOSA) to participate in an undercover sting operation. Her efforts are documented in the true crime docuseries SOSA Undercover, where she pretends to be a 12-year-old girl in an attempt to lure and expose adult men seeking inappropriate contact with minors.
Undercover Role Rekindles Trauma as Winter Exposes Alarming Number of Online Predators
Winter described the experience as both validating and traumatic. She wore a blonde wig and acted out the role of a 12-year-old during FaceTime conversations with suspected predators, even referring to one as “Daddy.”
She acknowledged the emotional toll the operation took, admitting how triggering it was due to her own experiences with abuse and inappropriate contact from older men in the entertainment industry. “I’ve been the girl we are trying to save,” Winter said, underlining the deeply personal nature of her involvement in the project.
Ariel Winter Poses as 12-Year-Old in Sting Operation to Help Catch Online Child PredatorsWinter was shocked by the sheer number of men targeting young girls online. She shared with the Daily Mail how predators often appear harmless, typically married, pet-loving men who hide behind a friendly facade. She recounted disturbing examples, including one man nearing 40 who expressed interest in taking an 11-year-old shopping for a bra. These experiences opened her eyes to the alarming volume and variety of child predators who blend seamlessly into everyday society.
Using Her Voice and Experience to Help Catch Dangerous Online Child Predators
Drawing from her childhood in Hollywood, Winter revealed that she had been a victim of both online grooming and in-person abuse from a young age. She discussed receiving inappropriate messages once she had access to a laptop and phone, which led to long-term trauma and therapy. “The movie and TV industry is a dark place,” she remarked, emphasizing how early exposure to such environments made her passionate about protecting other young girls from similar harm.
Winter plans to continue working with SOSA, appreciating its mission and the supportive, female-led team behind it. She emphasized how the digital age has made it easier than ever for predators to access children, highlighting the urgency of exposing and stopping these crimes. By contributing to real investigations that result in convictions, Winter finds purpose and healing. “It is not easy to do this work,” she said, “but it is so rewarding to know that we’ve helped protect even one child.”