DHS Marks Back to School Season with New Resources for Schools, Educators to Recognize and Prevent Online Child Exploitation

WASHINGTON - Today, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is sharing new resources for educators, school administrators, coaches, and others who work with kids and teens to better understand the risks of online child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA) and help them stay safe online. For the first time, Know2Protect, DHS's national public awareness campaign to prevent online CSEA, is providing tips and classroom materials directly targeted for educators, with the goal of raising awareness of the importance of internet safety as part of everyone's back-to-school routine. These Know2Protect resources are part of a new Back2School campaign that is connecting with dozens of teaching groups, educational associations, youth-serving organizations, and other partners who can reach kids in schools during the academic year.

"The dangerous and too-often tragic reality is that predators target children online," said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. "Last year, there were more than 36 million reports of online child sexual exploitation worldwide. To combat this scourge, our Know2Protect campaign is equipping teachers, school administrators, and others - the trusted and well-positioned adults in whom children often confide - to help their students identify and prevent this crime. With a better understanding of online child sexual exploitation, tips for how to spot it when it occurs, and guidance on how to report incidents, we can protect our children online and save them from abuse and tragedy."

"The Know2Protect Back2School resources are easy to understand, and they will help ensure that our Scouting parents and youth are better prepared to stay safe online," explained Glen Pounder, Senior Vice President, and Chief Safeguarding Officer at Scouting America. "We are proud of our partnership with DHS and honored to be on the front line helping to protect children and youth online."

"Empowering children with the knowledge to recognize and avoid the dangers of exploitation and abuse is critical in our mission to help make sure every child has a safe childhood," said Derrick Driscoll, Chief Operating Officer of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. "Educational tools and resources, like DHS's Know2Protect Back2School campaign, play a vital role in this effort. We are honored to partner with them, as together, we can make a real difference in protecting and educating our children."

"Educators are often the first responders when it comes to dealing with the real-world impact of the horror of online child exploitation and abuse," said American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten. "They are dedicated to helping kids stay safe and to supporting them socially and emotionally when they encounter criminal activity. This back-to-school season, we are proud to be working with DHS to protect students and their families from this imminent and evolving threat."

"Research shows the connection between students' feelings of safety and security and the ability of their brains to learn," said Elisa Villanueva Beard, Chief Executive Officer, Teach For America, and Chair, Homeland Security Academic Partnership Council (HSAPC). "DHS's Know2Protect campaign and the resources they are providing are important steps to raise awareness of the prevalence of online threats against our country's most precious resource, our children, and the need for all of us to be active in the effort to address these threats. Working together, we can ensure every child can learn, lead, and thrive without fear of being targeted online."

"Keeping students safe online can sometimes feel like an overwhelming task for educators and parents alike," said Suzanne Walsh, President of Bennett College. "Know2Protect's Back2School campaign brings all relevant resources into one location. These resources are easy to access and use to help adults help students."

One in five children receives an unwanted sexual solicitation online every year, according to statistics from the Department of Justice. Educating children and teens about these risks and what to do if they are targeted by online predators is key to preventing these heinous crimes. To reach more kids and teens during the busy back-to-school season, Know2Protect is supporting teachers, coaches, and school administrators who will spend more time with kids as the school year starts. kids as the school year starts.

To reach as many students as possible, Know2Protect is connecting with dozens of youth-serving and educational associations across the country to share our Back2School resources. Know2Protect has developed several important educational, age-appropriate, downloadable #Back2School with Know2Protect resources to help keep kids safe online:

• Resources2Educate, including our short iGuardian Training Videos, Tips2Identify Exploitation and Abuse for Educators, and other tips for kids, teens, and parents to stay safe online.
• Resources2Send Home, such as the Know2Protect First Day of School Picture Sign, a Family Online Safety Agreement, and an Internet Safety Checklist to prompt families to think about online safety at home.
• Resources2Display in Your School, such as digital and printable posters and tipsheets to display in classrooms, hallways, and more.
• Activities for the Classroom, such as 10 Minutes2Protect activities using Tips2Protect for Teens, Crossword Puzzle, Word Search, All-out Bingo, Project iGuardian Coloring Pages, and Project iGuardian Avatars.

Educators and administrators can also book a free in-person or virtual training for their school, their after-school program, a teacher/staff lunch-and-learn, or a PTA meeting. These age-appropriate educational presentations are provided by special agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the U.S. Secret Service. To date, Know2Protect has educated over 82,900 adults and children and completed over 1,000 events and presentations to spread awareness and prevention tactics about online CSEA. To request a presentation, please visit www.know2protect.gov/training. The campaign is committed to reaching more than 100,000 people through trainings by the end of this school year.

The Back2School resources build on Know2Protect's ongoing efforts to reach children, parents, and trusted adults where they are through innovative partnerships with technology companies, national and international sports leagues, youth-serving organizations and nonprofits, and other private sector partners. Starting in August, Project iGuardian, Know2Protect's in-person educational arm, is teaming up with the National Association of Police Athletic/Activities Leagues (PAL), which has over 300 chapters serving two million youth annually, to provide in-person training. Lamar Advertising is featuring public service announcements from Know2Protect on digital billboards across the country. NASCAR is featuring educational content for children on its NASCAR Kids homepage and disseminating tips for partners through its online newsletter. More partner activations are set to launch in the coming days and weeks.

Know2Protect is the first federal government campaign focused on the education and prevention of online CSEA. The campaign's mission is to mobilize young people, parents, educators, and community leaders to learn the signs of this crime, what they can do to prevent it, how to report it to law enforcement, and how they can support survivors. Since its launch in April, DHS has established partners in government, education, sports, technology, youth-serving organizations, and several other industries to meet people where they are and deliver the campaign's preventative tips to keep kids safe.

Early intervention is crucial. If exploitation happens, approach conversations with care and empathy and report immediately to the Know2Protect Tipline at 833-591-KNOW (5669) or visit the NCMEC CyberTipline at https://report.cybertip.org. All information received via the Tipline will be reviewed by appropriate personnel and referred to HSI field offices for potential investigation.