Modern-Day Trafficking of Young Children (<13): Prevalence, Severity, Familial Offenders, Production of Child Abuse Materials, and Organized Crime Networks

Fri, September 19 | 1:45 PM EDT– 2:45 PM EDT

Topic: Legal, Conceptual | Knowledge Level: Intermediate

Ellen Lacter, PhD

The nature of child trafficking crimes is rapidly evolving in the modern era, related to the growth of the internet and advances in technology. This presentation presents recent data reported by the U.S. Department of Justice, Europol, Interpol, Internet Watch Foundation, WeProtect Global Alliance, and others, that indicates: 1) exponential increases in distribution of child sexual abuse materials (CSAM) on the internet, recorded, live-stream and on-demand; 2) increasingly brutal, sadistic, and torture-level CSAM; 3) a trend toward victimization of younger children, including toddlers and infants; 4) increased coercion of children to harm other children in online abuse; 5) familial sex trafficking and production of CSAM is prevalent and under-reported; 6) organized crime networks are producing CSAM and trafficking children; 7) child abuse by ritualistic abuse networks has been further substantiated; 8) online sexual extortion of children apart from any physical contact; 9) use of artificial intelligence to generate CSAM and extort victims; 10) increased networking amongst offenders on dark web forums to further their crimes; 11) offenders have a technological advantage in concealing their crimes, exceeding the investigative capacities of law enforcement and, 12) an abundance of CSAM is produced on U.S. soil. Young children are in greater danger than ever before. We have an obligation to understand these trends, to recognize victims as they present in psychotherapy and to law enforcement, to educate others, to advocate for inclusion of this content within our agencies and professional organizations, and to advocate for greater funding of law enforcement and legislative change.

Trigger Warning: This presentation contains information (written, spoken, or visual) that may be triggering or (re)traumatizing to attendees.

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Presentation Objectives

• Present current forensic and psychological research on the nature and prevalence of modern-day sexual abuse and sex trafficking of children aged 12 and under
• Dispel myths about the nature of child sexual abuse, child sex trafficking, and production of CSAM
• Present current forensic and psychological research on the increased brutality and younger age of victims in modern-day child sexual abuse, child sex trafficking, and production of CSAM
• Present current forensic and psychological research on child sex trafficking perpetrated by family and organized crime networks