Internet Crimes Against Children Spikes in North Carolina

Internet crimes against children has spiked in North Carolina according to numbers from the NC Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. It is no surprise, however. After the FBI released a statement about children’s increased use of the internet during the pandemic.

Though the necessity to social distance and learn virtually is imperative for safety during these trying times, we must still remain vigilant to predatory behavior online. To be frank, the more time children spend online, the more time predators and traffickers have to groom them.

Let’s look at the numbers:

In 2019, there were 4,930 tips received by the NC Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce. As of October, that number increased to 7,307.

In 2019, the number of investigations amounted to 1,358. That number in 2020 as of October more than doubled to 3,132. It is important to keep in mind that these number are not inclusive of the entire year, so the numbers by December would likely be even higher.

In 2019, there were 177 arrests made by the NC Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce. In 2020, that number has nearly doubled to 342.

In 2019, there were 77 cases submitted for federal prosecution with 55 cases accepted for federal prosecution. In 2020, those numbers again have appeared to double to 161 cases submitted for federal prosecution and 138 being accepted for federal prosecution.

In March of this year, the FBI released a statement warning parents about the likely spike in online predatory behavior as the schools shifted to virtual learning.
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Taken from the FBI website verbatim:

Online Child Exploitation

• Discuss internet safety with children of all ages when they engage in online activity.
• Review and approve games and apps before they are downloaded.
• Make sure privacy settings are set to the strictest level possible for online gaming systems and electronic devices.
• Monitor your children’s use of the Internet; keep electronic devices in an open, common room of the house.
• Check your children’s profiles and what they post online.
• Explain to your children that images posted online will be permanently on the Internet.
• Make sure children know that anyone who asks a child to engage in sexually explicit activity online should be reported to a parent, guardian, or other trusted adult and law enforcement.
• Remember that victims should not be afraid to tell law enforcement if they are being sexually exploited. It is not a crime for a child to send sexually explicit images to someone if they are compelled or coerced to do so.

Child Abuse Awareness

• Teach your children about body safety and boundaries.
• Encourage your children to have open communication with you.
• Be mindful of who is watching your child for childcare/babysitting, playdates and overnight visits.
• If your child discloses abuse, immediately contact local law enforcement for assistance.
• Children experiencing hands-on abuse may exhibit withdrawn behavior, angry outbursts, anxiety, depression, not wanting to be left alone with a specific individual, non-age appropriate sexual knowledge, and an increase in nightmares.

Victim Reporting

Reporting suspected sexual exploitation can help minimize or stop further victimization, as well as lead to the identification and rescue of other possible victims. If you believe you are—or someone you know is—the victim of child sexual exploitation:

• Contact your local law enforcement agency.
• Contact your local FBI field office or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.
• File a report with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) at 1-800-843-5678 or online at www.cybertipline.org.

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