Exclusive: Mayorkas' newest weapon against the explosion of online child sex exploitation
Source: USA Today
Published 5:12 a.m. ET April 17, 2024 | Updated 7:33 a.m. ET April 17, 2024
WASHINGTON – Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas says his office is ramping up efforts to fight the explosive increase in online sexual exploitation of children. Highlighting the severity of the issue, Mayorkas noted that last year alone, there were over 36 million reports of suspected online child sexual exploitation and abuse - up from 32 million in 2022.
By comparison, there were one million such reports to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) in 2014, long before nearly 95% of teenagers between 13 and 17 reported using social media.
In exclusive interviews, Mayorkas - and multiple DHS officials, from a front-line agent in Tennessee to a top transnational organized crime-fighting supervisor - provided USA TODAY with shocking details of crimes currently being committed against kids: Livestreamed sexual assaults and even rapes of toddlers. Predators grooming unsuspecting children on popular online gaming sites. Would-be molesters targeting their underage prey on social media and using geolocation apps to show up in person at their schools to meet them.
On Wednesday, Mayorkas is announcing the launch of what he said was the first national public awareness campaign that brings together government and private sector partners focused on education and prevention of online child sexual exploitation and abuse.
Read more: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2024/04/17/alejandro-mayorkas-dhs-target-online-child-sex-exploitation/73289126007/
= new reply since forum marked as read
That oughta solve it!
Morally principled man as a threat.
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