Those Who Victimize Children Are Usually Not Strangers

Those Who Victimize Children Are Usually Not Strangers

by Ernie Allen, President and CEO

National Center for Missing & Exploited Children

The recent events at Penn State University and Syracuse University serve as reminders that the sexual abuse and exploitation of children is an all-too-present fact of modern life. Yet, millions of Americans do not believe that this problem exists at all. Why?

Overwhelmingly, the child victims do not tell. Leading scholars and researchers tell us that at least 1 in 5 girls and 1 in 10 boys will be sexually victimized in some way before they reach the age of 18, and just 1 in 3 will tell anybody about it. These are America’s hidden victims. We have made progress as a nation in attacking this problem but even today, two out of three child victims suffer in silence. They don’t tell Mom, they don’t tell Dad, they don’t tell anybody.

Millions doubt the existence of these heinous crimes for another reason. The offenders do not match society’s stereotype. Most Americans want to believe that someone who would prey upon a child sexually is evil-looking, a menacing, frightening stranger.

Yet, we have learned that most often those who victimize children are not strangers to the child, they are known to the child. They seek out legitimate access to the child. We should never be shocked when someone who abuses a child is a volunteer or employee of a youth-serving organization, or a school, or a daycare center, or many other settings that provide easy, low-risk access to children. That is why the leading child-serving organizations have taken bold steps to do background screening of their staff and volunteers, and then monitor and supervise the interactions between adults and children.

In monitoring sex offender treatment groups and programs, one hears a chilling word, “grooming.” Most often, these offenders who prey upon children do not snatch their victims randomly from the streets, they groom their victims, win their confidence and trust through friendship, kindness, and then they violate it. In so many of these cases, the child is made to feel responsible, like it is his or her fault. And the child is often intimidated or threatened by this person of trust and authority.

Even if they decide to tell, will anyone listen to them? Will anyone understand? These children feel that no one will believe them even if they do speak out, and too many adults simply do not listen to or understand what children try to tell us.

The offenders are not dirty, menacing strangers, they are respectable citizens – doctors, lawyers, businessmen, teachers, police officers. Often they are people who outwardly show deep and enduring commitment to helping children in need.

What can you do? What can every citizen do? First, communicate with your children and empower them. Make sure that they understand that you love them, trust them, believe them and that if anyone ever touches them in a way that makes them feel uncomfortable, they should tell you or a trusted adult.

Second, the first line of defense is a vigilant public. If you see it, know about it or suspect it, report it. Call your local police and then call 1 (800) THE LOST or report it to www.cybertipline.com, at the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.

The sexual exploitation of children is not a problem that only happens somewhere else. It is happening in big cities and small towns across America. Thousands of children fall victim to sexual exploitation
every year. We need to do more. Because every child deserves
a safe childhood.

http://www.missingkids.com/missingkids/servlet/NewsEventServlet?LanguageCountry=en_US&PageId=4592

PSU Child Sexual Abuse Conference: Ernie Allen

Ernie Allen, President and CEO, International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children; Founding Chairman, National Centre for Missing & Exploited Children.

Topic: What Can You and Your Community Do about Child Sexual Abuse.

Introduced by Delilah Rumburg, CEO, Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape

How many people listened to Hollie Grieg ? How many people believed what she was saying ? How many people acted on it ?

There are some doubtful issues regarding the Hollie Greig case and I don't think that it is clearcut. It does not appear that Hollie ever spoke to anyone apart to her mother so we only have the latter's word for what happened. If there is conclusive proof on the Internet that she was abused, I haven't seen it.

Some people might ask "Surely Hollie's mother wouldn't have carried on for so long if she was telling a pack of lies?". As we know, there are other people who have done just that.......allegedly.

I certainly agree though with the original article.

I believe the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board believed her, and paid out.

Yes, it was a comparatively small sum, somewhere around £13,000.00 from memory.

I wondered if it was thought worth it just to get rid of Mrs Greig.

I certainly do believe that there are organised groups of paedophiles in all walks of life but I'm just not convinced yet that Hollie was a victim.

Jean wrote:Yes, it was a comparatively small sum, somewhere around £13,000.00 from memory.

I wondered if it was thought worth it just to get rid of Mrs Greig.

I certainly do believe that there are organised groups of paedophiles in all walks of life but I'm just not convinced yet that Hollie was a victim.

I haven't followed the case so know nothing about it apart from the allegations of sexual abuse but I'll say a £13k payout doesn't appear to be a small sum to me. It's a lot of money! Having said that, I don't know how much other victims in the same category get

Jgamble ‏@Jgineqe 4h

@RosalindaHu @Jayelles1 Why wouldn't you want people to support the work of NCMEC & ICMEC? Have you ever been there? seen what they do?

WHAT CAN YOU AND YOUR COMMUNITY DO ABOUT CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE?

PENN STATE UNIVERSITY
CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE CONFERENCE
29 October 2012

Ernie Allen, President & CEO
International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children and
Founding Chairman,National Center for Missing & Exploited Children

President Erickson, Ladies and Gentlemen:

I am honored to be a part of this extraordinary conference, and want to express my sincere thanks and admiration to Dr. Erickson and to the entire Penn State community. I know that the past year and a half have been difficult for this university. However, this is not a problem that only touched Penn State. It is a problem which affects countless institutions, communities and organizations. Penn State was thrust into the national limelight, but you have chosen to lead. You have chosen to make a difference, and to send a loud message across this country that child sexual abuse is a serious problem and that we as a nation must do more about it.

When I joined this battle more than thirty years ago, I remember being moved by a book written by psychologist Dr. Robert Geiser. His premise was that children were being victimized through sexual abuse and exploitation in astounding numbers and that somehow, America had missed it. He called his book, "Hidden Victims."

Today, I can report to you that we have made incredible progress as a nation.Confirmed cases of child sexual abuse have declined steadily over the past two decades. Reporting has increased. Law enforcement and social services are better trained and responding more swiftly and effectively than ever before. More abusers are being identified and brought to justice. More child victims are getting help.

Yet, children are still being victimized in startling numbers, and this problem remains under-recognized and under-reported. Even today, it is a problem of hidden victims.

We see strong indications that there are many more people who are sexually attracted to children than we ever believed possible. One indication is the explosion of child pornography with the advent of the Internet. Child pornography is misnamed and misunderstood. It has nothing to do with pornography nor with the First Amendment. It is nothing less than images of the sexual abuse of a child: crime scene photos.

In 2005, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children reviewed 1.9 million child pornography images and videos. Last year, they reviewed 17 million. And of the child victims identified, 77% were prepubescent including 10% who were infants and toddlers.

Researchers tell us that the reporting of child sexual abuse has climbed to 1 in 3, the highest level ever. However, when the sexual abuse of the child is memorialized on a child pornography photo or video, reporting drops to virtually zero. These children simply do not tell.

So, while I celebrate the progress we are making, I submit to you that we continue to pay an enormous price as a society as we struggle to come to grips with the child sexual abuse epidemic. I refer to it as an epidemic because it is more than a legal or law enforcement problem, we believe that it is a true public health crisis.

A 2010 Mayo Clinic study found that a history of sexual abuse is associated with suicide attempts, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorders, depression, and eating and sleep disorders. A 2011 American Heart Association study found that women who experienced unwanted sexual activity as children had higher risks for heart attacks, heart disease and strokes. A 2011 CDC study found that men and women who experienced sexual violence were prone to headaches, chronic pain, poor physical health and poor mental health.

The prevalence of pedophilia and hebephilia is estimated to be at least 1% of the male population, a prevalence level comparable to schizophrenia. Sex offenders are 4-5 times more likely to have been sexually abused themselves as children than the general population.

Two weeks ago, the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children announced a Global Health Coalition of some of the world's most powerful, influential pharmaceutical companies - Roche of Switzerland, GlaxoSmithKline of the United Kingdom, Merck of the United States, and others - joining with major health care institutions like the Mayo Clinic, the CDC, the American Academy of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School and others.

We believe that this effort is historic. Never before have the world's healthcare leaders come together in a joint effort to end the scourge of child sexual abuse. We will seek to change the way the world responds to this hidden crisis. We will use the public health model and undertake epidemiological research, including new efforts to measure the long-term impact on the health and well-being of the victims of child sexual abuse and exploitation.

We will promote changes in medical education to include more content on child sexual abuse. At a recent conference, a leading child psychiatrist said, "I spent six years in medical school and residency, learned about many maladies affecting children, most of which I have never encountered during my twenty years of practice. But nobody taught me about child sexual abuse." We are going to change that.

We will also try to reach every healthcare worker worldwide through in-service training to improve their ability to recognize and respond to child sexual abuse. We will identify gaps in treatment, assess mental health services for child victims and for offenders, and survey existing treatment programs for abusers to evaluate ways to prevent child victimization through early identification and intervention with potential sexual abusers. We will focus heavily on prevention.

The recent events at Penn State, the release of the Boy Scout files, and many other examples remind us that child sexual abuse is an all-too-present fact of modern life. It affects countless communities and institutions. Yet, millions of Americans still do not believe that this problem exists at all. Why?

First, most child victims still do not tell. It is progress that today 1 in 3 report, but that still means that 2 out of 3 victims suffer in silence. There are people in this room today who were victimized as children and have never told anybody. You and millions of others are America's hidden victims.

Another challenge is the offenders do not match society's stereotype. Most people want to believe that someone who would prey upon a child sexually must be evil-looking, a menacing, frightening stranger.

Yet, most of those who victimize children are not strangers to the child, they are known to the child.They seek legitimate access to the child. We should never be shocked when an abuser is a volunteer or employee of a youth-serving organization, a school, a church, or another setting that provides easy, low-risk access to children. That is why the leading child-serving organizations have taken steps to do background screening of their staff and volunteers, and monitor and supervise the interactions between adults and the children in their care.

It is not a panacea but it is a basic, common sense step that every organization should take. In 2003 Congress asked the National Center to conduct a pilot background screening program for youth-serving organizations. Applicants were fingerprinted and their prints sent to the FBI. Every applicant knew he was being fingerprinted and subject to an FBI national criminal history background check. Despite that knowledge, 2% of the applicants had disqualifying criminal history. We found child molesters, rapists, drug dealers and more, all seeking to become a volunteer with children. They lied on the application forms to try to defeat the background check. They provided the wrong name, address, date of birth or social security number.But their fingerprints told us who they really were.

We must be vigilant. From sex offenders, we often hear a chilling word, "grooming." Most offenders who prey upon children do not snatch their victims randomly from the streets, they groom their victims, win their confidence and trust through friendship and kindness, establish trust and then violate it. The child is made to feel responsible, like it is his or her fault. And the child is often intimidated or threatened by this person of trust and authority.

Even if they decide to tell, will anyone listen? These children feel that no one will believe them, and too many adults simply do not listen to or stand what children try to tell us.

We have spent many years trying to debunk two myths. The first is the myth of the stranger. The vast majority of perpetrators are known the child, at least casually. For more than a quarter century, we have attempted to eliminate the word "stranger" from the vocabulary. It is difficult for children to understand. And most offenders are not scary, dirty, menacing strangers, they are otherwise respectable citizens - doctors, lawyers, businessmen, religious figures, teachers, police officers, even coaches. Often they are people who outwardly show deep and enduring commitment to helping children in need.

The second is the myth of the dirty old man. Surely, someone who would sexually abuse a child must be impaired or senile? Yet, most of the offenders are young, less than 35 years of age. And they do not have diminished mental capacity. Research shows that 80% of these offenders are of normal intelligence levels or above.

We have much to learn. When I first spoke with Dr. Kate Staley of Penn State about this conference, I asked, "What could I say to this audience that would be helpful? You have the nation's leading experts. You have American heroes who will tell their stories of courage and perseverance." Dr. Staley and I agreed I should focus on what you can do, as an individual and in your community. So, let me make several suggestions:

First, empower your children. They must always feel that they can talk to someone they trust, that they are not isolated and alone. In our society we send a subconscious message to our children. They are just kids, they don't have the answers, but when they become adults like us, they will know all the answers. To many children, that translates to "do what the man says."

All parents want their children to be polite and respectful to adults. Yet, many victim parents have told me, "If we made a mistake, it is that we made our child too much a little lady or gentleman."

Our message is not that we want children to be disrespectful or impolite, but rather that we teach them that they have power. They have the right to say "no." As parents we must give them the skills, the self-confidence and self-esteem to prevent their abuse and victimization.

Second, teach your children to communicate. Remember the old maxim, "Children should be seen and not heard." It is time to change that. Children should be seen and heard.

One of the most stigmatizing accusations that can be made against a child is that he or she is a "tattletale." Unwittingly, we discourage children from communicating. The key to prevention and detection of child sexual abuse is communication. Children must be taught that if something is happening in their lives that they do not feel right about, or makes them uncomfortable, they must tell an adult they trust.

Third, the first line of defense is a vigilant public. All fifty states require child-serving professionals to report reasonable suspicions of child abuse. Some states require that anyone with suspicions report it. In Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Task Force on Child Protection is carefully examining existing law and considering ways to improve it.

I believe that state reporting laws should make it clear that any person who knows or has reasonable cause to suspect child abuse shall report such knowledge or suspicions. These statutes typically delineate categories of mandatory reporters, including but not limited to physicians, nurses, and other healthcare workers; mental health professionals; teachers and other school personnel; social workers and other child care workers; and law enforcement officers. However, all of us have an obligation to report.

Some express concern about the ability of public agencies to handle the volume. Typically, reports are processed by a central hotline, and then referred to the appropriate agency for investigation. For caretaker abuse, the reports are sent to the appropriate child protective services agency. For non-caretaker abuse, the reports are sent to law enforcement.

Some people ask, "What if I am wrong?" Human nature wants to assume that there is an innocent explanation for what they have seen. People don't want to get involved and are concerned about possible liability if they are wrong. That is why the leading laws provide "good-faith immunity" from civil liability. The requirement is simply that these reports are reasonable and are made in good faith.

Thus, our message to the people of Pennsylvania and America is very basic. The lives of our children depend on us. If you see it, suspect it, or know about it, report it. In Pennsylvania, call the Child Line and Abuse Registry. And there are national resources like the ChildHelp USA National Child Abuse Hotline, 1-800-4A CHILD, or to report suspected child sexual exploitation, report it online to the National Center's CyberTipline, www.cybertipline.com.

There are also some terrific resources which you and your community should know about and utilize. Stop It Now, Darkness to Light, RAINN, the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape to mention just a few. Contact them, engage them, support them.

Another great resource is the US Justice Department's Office of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP). At the request of juvenile justice officials, OJJDP will provide top national experts and researchers at no cost and provide training and technical assistance for educators, parents, youth, attorneys, law enforcement and judges.

Fourth, make sure that your community has the kinds of resources in place that are needed to protect our children. Does your community have a Child Advocacy Center, bringing together key services and professionals? Pennsylvania has 13 CACs with eight more under development. And I have learned that there is an effort underway to create a CAC in Centre County. If you don't have one in your community, learn more and contact your public officials about it.

Finally, each one of you has power and influence. I have always believed the old Robert Kennedy line: "One person can make a difference, and everyone should try." I urge you to make a difference in your community - inform, educate, motivate and mobilize.

It is difficult, so do not be discouraged. In much of America there is still a sense of denial. "What happened at Penn State, or the Boy Scouts, or the Church, or countless other examples are aberrations. This can't happen in my neighborhood or my community."

I still quote what a police commanding officer said to me thirty years ago, "The only way not to find this problem in any community is simply not to look for it." The good news is that America has begun to look. The bad news is that we have only just begun.

When the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children opened its doors 28 years ago, the announcement was made by the President of the United States in a ceremony at the White House. President Ronald Reagan used an old, corny poem by Helen Kromer as a challenge to all of us. It goes like this:

One man awake can awaken another.
The second can awaken his next door brother.
The three awake can rouse the town,
Turning the whole place upside down.
And the many awake make such a fuss,
They finally awaken the rest of us.

Thank you for being here and for your commitment to Pennsylvania's children. My challenge to you today is very simple: Help us wake up Pennsylvania and wake up America.

http://www.icmec.org/missingkids/servlet/NewsEventServlet?LanguageCountry=en_X1&PageId=4770

Is that the same Ernie Allen, who had to admit in court that hundreds of missing children on his records weren't actually missing ... ?

Châtelaine wrote:Is that the same Ernie Allen, who had to admit in court that hundreds of missing children on his records weren't actually missing ... ?

Written testimony of Ernie Allen, President and CEO of the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children, dated December 2, 2009, before the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission of the United States Congress, in which he testifies that approximately four hundred current cases of children being advertised as missing are not genuinely missing under federal law because their whereabouts are in fact known to the Centre and to the childrens' custodial parents.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/23944030/Ernie-Allen-NCMEC-Criminal-Trial-Doc-2

Emmanuel N. Lazaridis v. International Centre For Missing and Exploited Children

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

January 20, 2011

EMMANUEL N. LAZARIDIS, PETITIONER,
v.
INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR MISSING AND EXPLOITED CHILDREN, INC. ET AL., RESPONDENTS.

http://dc.findacase.com/research/wfrmDocViewer.aspx/xq/fac.20110120_0000040.DDC.htm/qx

One man awake can awaken another.
The second can awaken his next door brother.
The three awake can rouse the town,
Turning the whole place upside down.
And the many awake make such a fuss,
They finally awaken the rest of us.

Now let us talk about the mob
Three awake can rouse a town,
and hang a black man from a tree

Vox populi is not always vox sani
Watch a football crowd in full cry

Nancy McBride from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children discusses if there is a typical profile of an abductor or molester



Nancy McBride from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children talks about the biggest myth about child abduction



Nancy McBride from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children talks about what might surprise parents about child abduction



Nancy McBride from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children talks about what age group and gender are most at risk for being abducted



http://video.parentdish.co.uk/child-abduction-myths-155815046

Child porn accused should be protectors, says FPB

People who ought to be protectors are allegedly perpetrating crimes against children, the Film and Publications Board (FPB) said on Wednesday.

"Looking at the profile of those arrested, it affirms that these crimes attract even the most trusted within society," said FPB acting CEO Jonas Phoshoko in a statement.

He was reacting to the arrest of six men allegedly linked to an international child-pornography ring.

Police spokesman Lt-Gen Solomon Makgale said they were arrested last Thursday in four provinces.

Among them were two teachers, a retired school principal, a lawyer, a dermatologist, and a businessman.

All six appeared in various South African courts on different days and the last case was heard on Monday, said Makgale.

"...These are people who ought to be protectors and not [alleged] perpetrators," said Phoshoko.

He commended the police on the arrests.

"...We trust... those found in transgression of the Film and Publications Act by being in possession, creating or distributing child pornography will be severely punished if found guilty."

Phoshoko urged parents to be vigilant and guard their children against potential abusers, both physically and on the Internet.

http://www.timeslive.co.za/local/2013/08/21/child-porn-accused-should-be-protectors-says-fpb

Child porn tragedy: Pics often taken by dads

By Elaine Silvestrini | Tribune Staff
Published: August 29, 2013

TAMPA — They always knew he was a lousy father; they just had no idea how horrible he was.

When the FBI began investigating him for trading child pornography, agents came across one CD in his trove of explicit videos and pictures that made his family grateful he had dropped out of their lives.

Turns out he secretly filmed his 8-year-old daughter and her 9-year-old friend naked and in their underwear ten years ago.

One video shows the two girls in the shower. The older girl looks out of the shower and says, “Why are you recording me?”

“I’m not recording you,” the defendant says. “I’m trying to figure out how this camera works.”

He keeps assuring the girl he’s not recording and then tells her to get out of the shower. He tells her where to stand and tells her to take off her towel and dry her hair. Then he tells her to sit on the sink so he can have a better view of her. He zooms in to a shot of her crotch.

On Thursday, the 67-year-old Sarasota man was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison, followed by life on probation. The Tampa Tribune is withholding the defendant’s name to protect the identity of his daughter.

The man described by his lawyer as a Vietnam veteran with numerous health problems was only the latest evidence of a fact known by child advocates but not widely recognized by the public: Fathers and father figures comprise one of the biggest categories of producers of child pornography.

In fact, nearly twice as many children in a nationwide child-porn database compiled in 2009 by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children were photographed by their parents as were victims of online enticement. The number victimized by parents was nearly seven times that of children exploited by strangers.

As recently as Wednesday, a 47-year-old Tampa man was sentenced to 10 years in state prison for possessing 10 video and image files and 2 video voyeur files depicting his stepdaughter, who was under 12 years old. His sentence, handed down in Hillsborough Circuit Court, includes a requirement that he serve 10 years of sex offender probation after he is released.

Hillsborough Sheriff’s deputies who searched his house found a concealed camera in the victim’s bedroom.

In the case of the Sarasota man sentenced in federal court on Thursday, FBI agents seized nearly 6,000 images of child pornography from his home. The explicit images included babies and toddlers, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacie Harris.

On the one CD, agents found two files, including the shower video and images of the two girls in various stages of undress, posed and set to music.

Defense lawyer Michael Perry said the defendant didn’t sexually touch any children and didn’t share the images he made of his daughter and her friend with anyone else.

The man had nothing to say before he was sentenced. His victims and their mothers, though, had plenty to tell the judge.

“He may be the father on my birth certificate, but he is far from a dad,” his daughter said in a letter read by Harris. He hasn’t been part of his children’s lives for years, she continued. He didn’t pay child support and said it was up to his children to make the effort to reach out to him.

“I always thought if I tried my best, he would realize what great children he had and step up to the plate and be there for us, but he never did. Knowing what we do now, I’m not sure whether I still hate him for not being in our lives or thank him.”

When she found out what her father had done, she said, she was “completely sick to my stomach” and still feels that way when she thinks about it. “To know I was involved was bad enough, but to find out one of my old friends was, too, is even worse. I had no idea at all what he was doing or that I was part of it. There are no words that can describe the shame, embarrassment and humiliation he has put all of us through.”

The girl’s mother, who also was not in court, said in a letter read by Harris that she has been angry at the defendant since they divorced 10 years ago. She was mad because their children wondered if they were to blame for their father’s absence.

“But now it all makes sense,” she wrote. “He chose to care about one person - himself - he sacrificed the love and respect of his children for all things material...and a sick, perverted obsession we knew nothing about until a phone call in January from the FBI that sent our world into a tailspin.”

As devastating as that news was, she added, “I am now thankful that he was a deadbeat dad in every sense of the word. I’m glad he chose to not be in their lives.”

The other victim and her mother were in court. The mother said she found a torn picture in her garage a decade ago. Piecing it together, she found her daughter and the defendant’s daughter in their underwear.

She said she called police, but nothing ever happened. “But ten years later, it has all caught up to you,” she told the defendant. “You victimized me as well...You had picture of my daughter on your wall and described her as yours...You’re sick. You sucked as a neighbor. You sucked as a father.”

esilvestrini@tampatrib.com

813-259-7837

Twitter: @ElaineTBO

http://tbo.com/news/crime/child-porn-tragedy-pics-often-taken-by-dads-20130829/

Expert Interview With Michelle Collins

1.    Tell us a little bit about yourself and your work?

I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have worked at the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) for fifteen years. The focus of my work at NCMEC has been the sexual exploitation of children. Since 1998, NCMEC has operated the CyberTipline®, which receives leads and tips regarding suspected crimes of sexual exploitation committed against children. More than 2 million reports of suspected child sexual exploitation have been received – now averaging 8,000 new reports per week. After conducting initial triage and analysis, we send the information to the appropriate law enforcement agency. Due to the global scope of the Internet, we send these CyberTipline reports to law enforcement agencies in more than 60 countries in addition to federal and local law enforcement in the U.S.

For years, we’ve worked closely with law enforcement agencies in their efforts to locate and rescue child victims depicted in sexually exploitive images. NCMEC is authorized to operate the Child Victim Identification Program, which serves as the central repository in the U.S. for information relating to child victims depicted in sexually exploitive images. We review copies of seized child sexual abuse images and videos and determine which images contain child victims previously identified by law enforcement. To date, we’ve reviewed more than 90 million child sexual abuse images/videos seized during investigations. More than 5,100 child victims featured in these abusive images have been identified by law enforcement in the U.S. and abroad.

2.    Tell us something you have learned about child sexual abuse imagery on the internet?

Over time, online crimes against children have changed due to rapidly evolving technology. While the technical platforms have changed over the years (websites –> chat rooms –> social networking sites –> video chat –> mobile apps), the underlying features of child sexual exploitation remain the same.

During the past decade, the production of sexually abusive images of children has exploded. Yet, NCMEC data reflects that the sexual abusers seen in the images are most often adults in a position of trust in that child’s life (e.g., parents, stepparents, family members, family friends). This demonstrates that technology-facilitated abuse images are a reflection of the age-old crime of child sexual molestation.

However, by photographing the sexual abuse, the offender inflicts upon the child a new level of trauma and harm.  Child victims may experience depression, withdrawal, anger, feelings of guilt and responsibility for the abuse as well as feelings of betrayal, a sense of powerlessness, worthlessness, and low self-esteem. It is impossible to calculate how many times a child’s pornographic image may be possessed and distributed online. Each and every time such an image is viewed, traded, printed, or downloaded, the child in that image is re-victimized.

3.    How is the internet changing child sexual exploitation?

The Internet has changed child sexual exploitation because it allows children to come into contact with an unlimited number of people, including adults. In recent years, we’ve seen countless cases where children were exploited and blackmailed online.

The typical scenario involves a child engaging in online conversations with an adult who presents himself as a potential romantic partner. When the chat turns sexual, the adult sends sexually explicit images of himself and asks the child to do the same. Once the offender has an inappropriate image of the child, the child is vulnerable to that person blackmailing him/her into producing additional sexually explicit photos or risking exposure. In some cases, the individual threatens to send the initial photos to the child’s parents or post the initial photos so all of the child’s friends will see. Too many children have fallen prey to this technique. Unfortunately, a child who is given a lot of privacy mixed with a lot of technology at a sexually curious age can yield some devastating outcomes.

4.    What else should we be doing to better protect children online

We should educate children on how to recognize potential Internet risks and give them the skills needed to avoid trouble. We should engage children and adults in a two-way conversation about online and offline risks. And most importantly, we must empower children to tell a trusted adult if they encounter a situation that makes them uncomfortable.

5.    If you had one piece of advice for professionals who work in the arena of child sexual abuse, what would it be?

It can be disheartening to see an endless number of cases ahead of you. Yet it’s important that you recognize your efforts make a difference. The family and children impacted in each one of these cases are relying on you to help them navigate through a terribly difficult situation. Working together, one child at a time, that’s how lives are changed for the better.

6.    [Are there other questions you would add in here? And feel free to point people at sites or links you think might be helpful]

I encourage anyone who suspects online child sexual exploitation to make a report to the CyberTipline (www.cybertipline.com). All reports will be provided to the appropriate law enforcement agency. To learn more about NCMEC, please visit our website at www.missingkids.com

http://mentorforensics.com/expert-interview-michelle-collins/

On UK televison there has been some interest in making sure all our primary schools (up to the age of 11)  have input on child protection both for their teachers (by informative talks) and for the children ... in a fun and unthreatening and non-scary way. I would like to flag up the splendid work of the charity Kidscape and its promoter Michelle Elliott.

I attended such classes as an observer, and the children enjoyed the activities she organised in the hall after school. She totally 'normalised' the idea of how to deal with unwanted attention with confidence and success. She explained to the children that  there were good secrets, and bad secrets, and some things that you must always tell about; that your body was your own and YOU were boss of it; how if you felt distinctly uncomfortable with some person, to listen to that feeling and 'leave the scene'. At its worst she told them to 'shout and run', and to contact the nearest trusted adult. Ms Elliott made it clear that this was a normal hazard of life and they could deal with it. She too stressed it was not the stranger, or the dirty old man she was usually talking about, but it could be a relative, or a neighbour, or a babysitter.

comperedna5 wrote:On UK televison there has been some interest in making sure all our primary schools (up to the age of 11)  have input on child protection both for their teachers (by informative talks) and for the children ... in a fun and unthreatening and non-scary way. I would like to flag up the splendid work of the charity Kidscape and its promoter Michelle Elliott.

I attended such classes as an observer, and the children enjoyed the activities she organised in the hall after school. She totally 'normalised' the idea of how to deal with unwanted attention with confidence and success. She explained to the children that  there were good secrets, and bad secrets, and some things that you must always tell about; that your body was your own and YOU were boss of it; how if you felt distinctly uncomfortable with some person, to listen to that feeling and 'leave the scene'. At its worst she told them to 'shout and run', and to contact the nearest trusted adult. Ms Elliott made it clear that this was a normal hazard of life and they could deal with it. She too stressed it was not the stranger, or the dirty old man she was usually talking about, but it could be a relative, or a neighbour, or a babysitter.

The Cost of Fear: An Analysis of Sex Offender Registration, Community Notification, and Civil Commitment Laws in the United States and the United Kingdom, 2 Penn. St. J.L. & Int’l Aff. 351 (2013).

Kate Hynes, Dickinson School of Law, Penn State University

Abstract

Sex offenders are often seen as a notorious group in both the United States and the United Kingdom. The public opinion of the masses has often found its way into the laws which restrict the privacy and freedoms of many sex offenders. This comment will examine the often divergent trends in lawmaking and judicial authority in both countries in regard to sex offender registration, community notification, and civil commitment. Further, the comment will study the lasting effects on the sex offender population and potential civil rights implications.

The perception that many sex crimes against children are the result of strangers prowling around playgrounds is also a misconception.31 In reality, ninety-three percent of sex offenders who perpetrate crimes against children know their victims.32 Children are much more likely to be abused by someone they know and trust, than from an unknown individual holding out candy from a dark sedan.33 The perpetuated fear of “stranger danger” might actually be giving parents an unwarranted feeling of safety around the people with whom their children are most familiar.

Penn State Journal of Law & International Affairs

http://elibrary.law.psu.edu/jlia/vol2/iss2/8/