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OverviewWhat Happens to a Tip?Is Your Image Out There?By the NumbersMore

Overview

NCMEC’s CyberTipline is the nation’s centralized reporting system for the online exploitation of children. The public and electronic service providers can make reports of suspected online enticement of children for sexual acts, child sexual molestation, child sexual abuse material, child sex tourism, child sex trafficking, unsolicited obscene materials sent to a child, misleading domain names, and misleading words or digital images on the internet.

What Happens to Information in a CyberTip?

NCMEC staff review each tip and work to find a potential location for the incident reported so that it may be made available to the appropriate law-enforcement agency for possible investigation. We also use the information from our CyberTipline reports to help shape our prevention and safety messages.

Is Your Image Out There?

Get Support

One of the worst things about having an explicit image online is feeling like you’re facing everything alone. But you have people who care for you and want to help. Reach out to them!

A trusted adult can offer advice, help you report, and help you deal with other issues. It could be your mom, dad, an aunt, a school counselor, or anyone you trust and are comfortable talking to. You can also “self report” by making a report on your own to the CyberTipline.

Families of exploited children often feel alone in their struggle and overwhelmed by the issues affecting their lives. NCMEC provides assistance and support to victims and families such as crisis intervention and local counseling referrals to appropriate professionals. Additionally, NCMEC’s Team HOPE is a volunteer program that connects families to others who have experienced the crisis of a sexually exploited child.

Don't Give Up

Having a sexual exploitative image of yourself exposed online is a scary experience. It can make you feel vulnerable and isolated, but remember, others have been in the same situation as you – and they’ve overcome it. Learn the steps you can take to limit the spread of the content.

By the Numbers

In 2020, reports to the CyberTipline increased by 28% from 2019.

The 21.7 million reports of child sexual exploitation made to the CyberTipline in 2020 included 65.4 million images, videos and other files. These materials contained suspected child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and other incident related content.

Electronic Service Providers make the majority of reports, but reports of online sexual exploitation from the public more than doubled in 2020.

2019 & 2020 Total Files by Reporting Category & Type

2019 Reports by Electronic Service Providers (ESP)

2020 Reports by Electronic Service Providers (ESP)

2019 & 2020 Reports by Country

More

Learn more about online exploitation and safety.

Coping with Child Sexual Abuse (CSAM) Exposure For Families

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Production and Active Trading of Child Sexual Exploitation Images Depicting Identified Victims

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Trends Identified in CyberTipline Sextortion Reports

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The Online Enticement of Children: An In-Depth Analysis of CyberTipline Reports

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How NCMEC is responding to the ever-changing threats to children online.

Trinity Mount Ministries - Everybody in the Pool: Swimming Lessons for Kids on the Autism Spectrum

  

By Patricia Davis

It’s a fear many parents with children on the autism spectrum say they live with every day: that their child will bolt out the door at any second and head straight to the nearest body of water, drawn to it as if by some powerful magnetic force.

The behavior is known as wandering, or eloping, and it’s something that parents of nearly half of children with autism say they’ve experienced. Many of these children exhibit a diminished sense of fear, making a beeline to things they’re attracted to that could place them in harm’s way – most often natural bodies of water like ponds, creeks or drainage ditches – but also highways, trains, construction equipment, firetrucks or even roadway signs.

Over a 10-year period, 1,516 children with autism were reported missing to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC). Of those, 64 children were recovered deceased with drowning the leading cause of death. Sadly, the number is likely much higher because children who wander often reach water before they can be reported missing and their deaths are not distinguished from other accidental drownings. Kids on the autism spectrum are 160 times more likely to die from drowning compared to the general population of children, according to the American Journal of Public Health.

NCMEC’s 10-year analysis, from 2011 to 2020, shows causes of accidental deaths after children wander from safe environments.

Parents use all kinds of strategies and technologies to keep their children safe – sensors to detect when a door is opened, enlisting help from neighbors, cameras, special locks, tracking devices. Now that Covid-19 restrictions are lifting, parents have another potential lifeline: swimming lessons.

Before the pandemic, the YMCA was teaching swimming to children with disabilities as part of a pilot program. Now, with pools opening back up, the organization is bolstering its inclusive swimming program, providing instructors with more training and giving them the tools they need to work with children who may be nonverbal or have difficulty communicating.

“As communities across the country reopen, we want to remind everyone that water safety isn’t just fun – it’s essential,” said Lindsay Mondick, director of innovative priorities at Y-USA. “The Y’s classes provide a safe, fun and healthy environment for children with disabilities to learn important water safety skills in a way that can ultimately save their lives if ever faced with an unexpected situation with water.”

Each child on the autism spectrum is unique, so the YMCA has been working with parents to meet their individual needs, Mondick said. Some want private lessons for their children, while others believe their kids would benefit from swimming classes with their peers, she said. 

Child is taught swimming lessons at YMCA using visual aids.

The National Autism Association (NAA) has been working with the organization since 2012 and has a list of Y’s that offer inclusive classes on its website, https://nationalautismassociation.org/resources/autism-safety-facts/swimming-instructions/. Other organizations, including the Red Cross, offer classes, and the NAA tells parents to Google “swimming lessons and special needs” if they don’t have a Y in their community.

“We recommend swimming lessons as one of the first safeguards parents should get for their children, a pretty critical piece,” said Lori McIIwain, co-founder of the NAA and mother of a son with autism. “It’s one layer.”

Parents interested in swimming lessons with Red Cross-trained instructors should contact their local parks and recreation departments, said Connie Harvey, director of Aquatics Centennial Initiatives. The Red Cross offers lessons at 3,500 aquatic facilities throughout the United States, she said. 

The need for swimming lessons for children on the autism spectrum is growing as the number of children diagnosed with autism continues to grow. Today, one in 54 children in the United States are on the autism spectrum, compared to one in 68 in 2014, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

McIIwain said her organization encourages parents to have their children take at least one swimming lesson while wearing their clothes and shoes as would be the case if they wandered to a body of water. The NAA tracks wandering cases and counts about 20 a month, including two to three deaths, often learning about them when a parent calls to report their child drowned after wandering.

When parents say swimming lessons wouldn’t work for their child because he or she doesn’t like water, including taking showers and brushing their teeth, McIIwain says her organization encourages them to get swimming lessons anyway. Children who don’t like water may still be attracted to bodies of water in natural settings, and there are strategies to ease them into swimming lessons, she said.

Mondick says sometimes just teaching these children that they must ask for permission before ever getting in the water can be a lifesaver. The NAA agrees and encourages parents to put water play on a visual schedule for their children so they have a structured routine.

“It’s actually really simple, but it works,” McIIwain said.

For more information, visit: https://www.missingkids.org/theissues/autism. For our next NCMEC autism training class for law enforcement, visit: https://connect.missingkids.org.    

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Child Safety Tips For The Holidays

 

HOLIDAYS

It’s the holiday season again, a time when we enjoy festive meals with family and friends, deck our halls with colorful decorations and listen to squeals of delight as our children open their brightly-wrapped presents. To help ensure your kids have fun and stay safe this holiday, here are a few tips to remember.

Hard Facts about Holiday Safety

• In 2012, 3,270 children 19 and under were seen in emergency rooms for injuries caused by nonelectric holiday decorations, like broken ornaments.
• In 2012, an estimated 192,000 children were treated in an emergency room for a toy-related injury.
• That same year, an estimated 136,314 children ages 19 and under were injured due to a fire or burn.

Top Tips about Holiday Safety

1. Make sure your tree has plenty of water by checking it regularly. Natural trees look beautiful and smell great, but if they’re not watered regularly, needles can dry out and pose a potential fire hazard.
2. Keep lit holiday candles at least 12 inches away from anything that can burn, and don’t forget to blow them out when you leave the room or before you go to sleep.
3. Consider your child’s age when purchasing a toy or game this holiday season. It’s worth a second to read the instructions to make sure the gift is just right.
4. Keep a special eye on small pieces, including button batteries that may be included in electronic toys. While these kinds of games are great for older kids, they can pose a potential danger for younger, curious siblings.
5. Prevent burns from hot holiday food or liquid spills, simply use the back burner of your stove and turn pot handles away from the edge.
6. Move the ornaments that are breakable or have metal hooks towards the top of the tree. That makes room at the bottom for the ones that are safer for young kids. 

Learn More

Learn more about holiday safety tips to keep you and your kids safe. 

Detroit Officers Sense Something Wrong, Rescue Four Kidnapped Kids in a stolen car During A Traffic Stop

 

Posted by: Chris Elliot | Featured, Law and Legal, Must Reads

DETROIT, MI – Not all heroes wear capes, and that much is evident in terms of police officers all over the nation.

That’s exactly the case in Detroit, Michigan where two officers noted something was off.

Through their digging, they were able to determine that the children in the car they’d pulled over had been kidnapped and they were able to rescue them.

On November 30th, Detroit Police Officers allegedly witnessed a vehicle run a red light in the area of Grand River and Evergreen Avenue and stopped the vehicle for the infraction.

When officers spoke to the female driver, she told them that she was in a hurry to get the children that were in the vehicle to school.

The officers noted the body language of the children inside the car and decided to dig a little deeper and began questioning the driver as to which school the children attend. The woman was unable to provide a straight answer to the question which immediately raised red flags.

This woman kidnapped 4 Black Kids in Detroit on Tuesday.

Detroit police officers who noticed something peculiar about a woman and four children in a van they stopped for a traffic violation saved the youngsters from a kidnapping, authorities said Friday. https://t.co/hWNTmHxRQN

— THEE Robyn of Detroit (@dawtahajudah) December 4, 2021

According to Detroit Police Chief James White, Officers Parrish and Flannel asked the woman if the children were hers and she said that they were. White said:

“Are these your children? To which she said yes, and the children at the same time were shaking their head no.”

   LET Unity - It's being called the "Netflix" of the Emergency Responder and Veteran Community

The officers separated the woman driver from the children and began to ask what the relationship was between them and her. What they learned was shocking, the children, whose ages ranged from 11 to 5, did not know who the woman was that was driving the car.

The discovery came during a traffic stop from a car going through a red light by a pair of officers from the Eighth Precinct. https://t.co/HEKXT3eqm7

— FOX 29 (@FOX29philly) December 4, 2021

As the officers continued their investigation, they learned the vehicle the suspect, identified as Stephanie Marie Binder, was driving was reported stolen.

Binder was arrested and charged with four counts each of kidnapping – child enticement, unlawful imprisonment, and one count each of receiving and concealing stolen property -motor vehicle, and unlawfully driving away of an automobile.

While conducting further investigation, Detroit Police learned of a Ring doorbell camera that was in the area where the children would normally walk to school.

When they reviewed that video they saw the van the woman was allegedly driving pull up to the children as they were walking and have an interaction with them. During the interaction, Binder was allegedly able to convince them to enter the car and leave the area.

Officers believe that Binder was able to convince the children to enter the van by targeting the youngest one and convincing him to enter. The older siblings followed the youngest one to ensure that he was safe while one of them, who had a cell phone, was calling for help.

The children’s mother, Shayla Burleigh, reported:

“She preyed on my youngest one. The oldest one didn’t want to leave his youngest brother. He did what he had to do.”

She added:

“I just thank everyone involved that my children are back home safe.”

Today Chief James E. White held a press conference to recognize @DPD8Pct officers Parrish and Flannel, for rescuing four children who were kidnapped. The officers stopped a van near Grand River and Evergreen after the driver ran a red light. pic.twitter.com/TFwgeChKxc

— Detroit Police News (@detroitpolice) December 3, 2021

Keith Lindey, one of the children’s father, expressed his praise and gratitude that the Detroit Police officers dug further on a simple traffic stop to ensure the safety of the community. He said:

“I just want to congratulate the City of Detroit police officers for performing their duties. I am thankful.”

There has been no information released that would give any insight as to why Binder allegedly kidnapped the four children. Binder is being held in a Wayne County Jail on a $5 million bond.

The court has ordered Binder if she can bond out to not have any contact with the victims in the case and will be ordered to wear a GPS monitor. Additionally, she will be confined to her home until further ordered by the courts.