A good study that I support being done, though I worry that there is a risk here; though the article does note:

One significant factor that helped decrease the risk to girls was the presence and influence of caregivers, the authors found.

It also falls back on one of the typical statements about female behavior:

That risk is tied not just to an avatar, but to the overall image a girl projects online, they say. On sites that don’t use avatars, such as MySpace or Facebook, simply compiling suggestive photographs or narrative descriptions can increase girls’ vulnerability, they say.

… without examining or commenting on the behavior of males online – ie: that females open themselves up to this type of attention, but that the attention itself is expected and “normal” apparently.

Perhaps that’s the next study? Let’s hope…

Study: Abuse, provocative images increase Internet risks for girls – CNN.com.