In recent years, the digital landscape has provided perpetrators with new tools and avenues to exploit vulnerable individuals for sexual exploitation and human trafficking. Cybersex abuse encompasses a wide range of activities, including online grooming, non-consensual sharing of intimate images (“revenge porn”), and sextortion. These crimes often serve as a precursor to sex trafficking, creating a dangerous overlap that demands urgent attention. The legal system is unable to keep pace with the rapidly evolving nature of technology and the sophistication of cybercriminal tactics. This presentation will educate participants about cyber sexual abuse and sex trafficking and examine the intricate connections between them. Presenters will explore the grooming process and recruitment tactics used by traffickers, address the challenges in the legal systems that prevent victims from getting justice, and offer proposed next steps on how to address these issues.
Trigger Warning: This presentation contains information (written, spoken, or visual) that may be triggering or (re)traumatizing to attendees.
Melissa Kaiser is a consultant in the anti-trafficking field. She was the first Human Trafficking Navigator hired for North Dakota (ND) and contracted with the ND Human Trafficking Task Force. Melissa was employed with the Bureau of Criminal Investigation to assist in creating the integrated victim services and law enforcement program in ND. Melissa graduated with a bachelor’s degree in social work.
Lindsay Lieberman is the founder and managing attorney of Lindsay Lieberman, LLC, a legal services and consulting firm specializing in cyber sexual abuse and domestic violence. The firm provides direct legal services to victims and survivors in family court, criminal proceedings, and civil court, and offers proactive and preventative resources for schools, law enforcement agencies, non-profit organizations, and corporations.