CHILD PREDATOR: 3-PART VIDEO SERIES (see below)

Child Predators – Part 1: Reporting child sexual abuse

It’s estimated that 90-percent of child sexual abuse victims know the offender, either through family ties or through their community. But in an increasingly digital age, child predators are hiding behind the anonymity and legal grey areas of the Internet to post and trade child porn in addition to soliciting potential victims. The numbers are startling: one in four girls and one in six boys will be sexually abused before reaching adulthood according to the Centers for Disease Control. By that measures, the Department of Justice estimates 30 to 40-percent are sexually abused by family members, and half by someone they know and trust. READ MORE HERE

VIDEO

Child Predators – Part 2: There’s an app for that

The phrase “there’s an app for that” covers just about everything from online shopping to banking. But if there’s an app, there are thousands if not millions of users on board, and not all of them have good intentions. Each social media app encourages personal information sharing, but in the wrong hands, over-sharing can be dangerous. Cyber investigators say online predators are just as aware of the most popular websites and apps as teens are, meaning they’re on there as well. READ MORE HERE

VIDEO

Child Predators – Part 3: Relying on victim testimony

The prosecution of child sexual abuse is one of the most difficult tasks a prosecutor faces. Not only are the victims young, the crime itself is particularly traumatic. The Elkhart County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office filed a number of these cases in the past year, but it’s not because child sexual abuse is on the rise. Between September 2012 and March 2013, the prosecutor’s office was faced with short staffing. Eight deputy prosecutors resigned, causing a backlog of some of the more “sensitive” cases. READ MORE HERE

VIDEO