April 19, 2024

It's Child Abuse prevention Month! See What EIE and Our Allies in the Movement are Doing to Protect Children!
 

Each year, April marks Child Abuse Prevention Month.

The online exploitation and abuse of children is a crime targeting our most vulnerable. Sadly, these crimes continue to flourish and their impacts are potentially long lasting.

In 2023, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's CyberTipline received over 36 million reports containing more than 88 million images and videos of child sexual abuse — that is 75% increase in just five years! Astonishingly enough, these numbers represent only child sexual abuse material (CSAM) found on the open web, and does not include material produced and shared on the dark web or on livestream platforms.

Being informed and talking about child abuse prevention is key. To this end, in addition to sharing our own efforts, we want to highlight a few other timely campaigns, legislative efforts led by others in the movement. It takes a village to protect our children, and Enough Is Enough® is grateful for all dedicated to keeping children safer online. 

Know2Protect

This week, the Department of Homeland Security launched Know2Protect, a national public awareness campaign to raise awareness about the rapidly escalating threat of online child exploitation and abuse. Be sure to visit their various resources!

Visit Know2Protect

Dirty Dozen Revealed

The National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE) released its annual "Dirty Dozen" list. EIE is pleased to work alongside NCOSE and other partners in the movement in joint efforts to "Rein in Big Tech." EIE joins the call to insist upon stronger safety features and protocols, default filtering, age verification and other features and technologies to keep children safer on social media platforms!

See Dirty Dozen List

Legislative Activities

The House Innovation, Data and Commerce Subcommittee held a hearing Wednesday on “Legislative Solutions to Protect Kids Online and Ensure Americans’ Data Privacy Rights." The Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) provides young people and parents with tools, safeguards, and transparency needed to protect against online harms; The “Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act ("COPPA 2.0") establishes greater online privacy protection for minors.

EIE has strongly advocated for both bills, which were among 10 pieces of legislation discussed during the hearing.

Ava Smithing, Dir. of Advocacy for Young People's Alliance, shared in written testimony that social platforms "used my data to infer what other types of ads and content I might 'like,' leading me down a pipeline from bikini ads, to exercise videos, to dieting tips, and finally to eating disorder content."

Watch Hearing Here
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EIE In the News

Next Steps Forward

Donna joined Chris Meek on "Next Steps Forward" to share steps to prevent internet-initiated crimes against children including knowledge and resources parents need to be aware of to protect their children, as well as cyber security risks and dangers related to social networking, online gaming and mobile devices.

(April 9, 2024)

Watch Here

Real America's Voice

Donna joined "Ringside Politics" with Jeff Crouere during a segment recognizing Child Abuse Prevention Month, discussing online dangers including online sexual exploitation faced by children today. She shared numerous risks children are exposed to, as well as what parents need to do to protect their children on all digital devices. (April 6, 2024)

The Christian Post

EIE's Donna Rice Hughes and Dean Grigg's Op-Ed "Hollywood scandals ignite a call to expose 'unfruitful works of darkness'" appeared in The Christian Post. The article addresses allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse taking place within the entertainment industry. (April 8, 2024)

Friends, child sexual exploitation can harm a child, often for a lifetime. Children whose sexual exploitation or abuse is depicted are forced to suffer a lifetime of re-victimization and trauma each time the image of their sexual abuse is viewed or shared online.  Lasting psychological damage to the child may result, including disruptions in sexual development, self-image and difficulty developing trusting future trusting relationships.

Encourage your child to talk to you (or a trusted adult) if anyone says or does something online that makes your child feel uncomfortable or threatened. Keep the line of communication open and ongoing.

Finally, be sure to visit our Resource Center for additional support. Let's continue to work together to offer our children a protected period of innocence and safer online experience. Please consider your most generous gift to "Fund the Fight" in this war impacting our children's personal safety and wellbeing!

It is ALWAYS illegal to produce, distribute or possess child pornography in the United States! Report CSAM to the CyberTipline or call 1-800-THE-LOST.