Childhood is a time of joy, exploration, and growth.
But for too many children, that joy is taken away by
sexual abuse.
When sexual abuse is documented with photos and videos and shared with others, the cycle of harm continues.
This content is known as Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM).
CSAM used to be distributed through the mail. By the ‘90s, investigative strategies had nearly eliminated the trade of CSAM.
And then, the internet happened.
In 2004, there were
450,000
files of suspected CSAM reported.
In 2022, there were over
87 Million
files of suspected CSAM reported.
If each of the 87 million files of suspected CSAM reported to NCMEC was represented by a letter-sized sheet of paper, they would cover the surface of an American football field.... 980 times.
And those are just the files that have been found.
The intersection of child abuse and technology has created a public health crisis.
How have all these files been created?
Bad actors are using technology to: