Raising awareness through community events is the first step to stop it. Executive Director Cheryl Csiky emphasizes, “Parents, families, and the community prevent this atrocity for youth when we link arms together.” Over 15 years of experience in education, mobilization, and partnership has led to over 600 actionable tips to law enforcement and 172 missing children recoveries.
In 2022, the category of Online enticement saw an increase of 82% from 2021 to 2022. One of the contributing factors in that growth was an alarming spike in reports of financial sextortion, a crime in which kids are targeted to share explicit photos and then threatened by offenders that they will share the images with the child’s friends, family, or others if they don’t give the blackmailer money. Several of these cases have had tragic outcomes with panicked children taking their own lives. In previous years, sextortion offenders were more likely to target young girls with a goal of obtaining additional explicit images. In 2022, we saw a large increase in boys being blackmailed for money instead of images. NCMEC analysts have analyzed reports of financial sextortion to provide insights about the victims and offenders that can be used to create prevention resources and support law enforcement efforts to respond to these crimes.
Known for posting Freedom Stickers in restrooms throughout the United States, IN OUR BACKYARD is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Central Oregon that links arms in the fight against human trafficking. From prevention to restoration -- IN OUR BACKYARD has collaborated with law enforcement, survivors, government officials, social service providers, medical professionals, businesses, schools, and faith communities as the key to creating a comprehensive, lasting change through education, mobilization, and partnerships.