September 17, 2008

Enough Is Enough® Urges Senate Passage Of The Protect Our Children Act
 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Cris Clapp
(703)595-3986
crisclapp@enough.org

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH URGES SENATE PASSAGE OF THE PROTECT OUR CHILDREN ACT

As with any technology, the Internet itself is neutral, but at Enough Is Enough® (EIE) we have seen how this tremendous resource has been hijacked by those wishing to bring harm to our children. Fortunately, the U.S. Senate is poised to vote on S.1738, The PROTECT Our Children Act, which would provide key funding to law enforcement efforts to combat child exploitation and Internet victimization.

"The online sexual exploitation of children is at epidemic levels. Through the Internet, predators have unparallel access to our children and to child abuse images depicting kids of all shapes, ethnicities and ages--even toddlers and infants. Concerned citizens can make a difference, *For the Sake of the Children*, by urging their senators to vote 'yes' to The PROTECT Our Children Act," said EIE President Donna Rice Hughes.

Predators are on the cutting edge of technology. As predators communicate online, they share their conquests, trade child pornography and discuss ways to contact and lure children, providing virtual validation for their behavior. Internet child pornography, which is the actual depiction of child sexual abuse, is a $3 billion dollar per-year industry, and the global sexual exploitation of children is estimated at over $20 billion. As FBI Director Robert Mueller said in his testimony before the Judiciary Committee earlier this year, "we are losing the child porn war".

Due to the sheer lack of resources, law enforcement is unable to follow up on the majority of leads they have regarding online exploitation. EIE strongly urges the U.S. Senate to vote 'YES' on S. 1738, The PROTECT Our Children Act. Additionally, EIE encourages constituents to contact their U.S. Senator immediately and encourage them (via phone, fax, email (by submitting a "Web Form"), or letter) to support this bi-partisan legislation. Voting is expected to take place soon, so please make contact as soon as you are able!

The PROTECT Our Children Act will:

  • Authorize over $320 million over the next five years in desperately needed funding for law enforcement to investigate child exploitation.
  • Mandate that child rescue be a top priority for law enforcement receiving federal funding.
  • Allocate funds for high-tech computer software that can track down Internet predators.

Go to http://www.senate.gov to find the contact information for your senator!

You may have heard information about this legislation on Monday's Oprah Winfrey Show. Ms. Winfrey's website also provides information about how to take action, with a sample letter at: http://www.oprah.com/article/oprahshow/20080911_tows_predators