WASHINGTON — More than 550 victims of child sexual abuse and exploitation have been identified by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents in the first eight months of fiscal year 2014.
The victims were identified during the course of HSI-led or jointly led child exploitation investigations ranging from the production and distribution of online child pornography to child sex tourism. Of the 585 children identified this fiscal year as part of HSI international investigations into child sexual exploitation, 430 victims were located in the United States in nearly every corner of the country. Slightly more girls were victimized than boys: 288 girls versus 264 boys.
Investigators at the HSI Cyber Crimes Center say that these shocking statistics are a reminder about how dangerous the Internet can be and that summer is a good time for parents to talk to their children about online safety. “Summer vacation is a time when children and teens often have more access to the Internet, making this a good time to talk about how to stay safe online,” said Patrick Redling, unit chief of the center’s child exploitation investigations unit.
Many cases of child exploitation begin with a child or teen chatting with someone he or she met online, according to Redling. Investigators routinely encounter child predators chatting online with minors about sexual topics, sending them obscene images, encouraging them to produce nude or sexual photos and videos, and attempting to meet them in person to engage in sexual activity.
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