Advocacy group Thorn said 1 in 4 kids between the ages 9-12 have been approached by a predator attempting to get nude images of them.
PHOENIX — Sexual predators often target kids through social media and gaming.
More than 546,000 reports of predators attempting to lure kids for sexual acts were reported in 2024, according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).
NCMEC said that there was a 600% growth in the last two years.
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The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office has introduced a new tool to help combat predators and bring them to justice.
“These dangers are very real and happen daily. These predators are relentless and won’t stop until they have what they want,” said Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell.
The tool is designed to help parents understand the tactics a predator might use when targeting a child. It also helps parents look for red flags that a predator may be going after their child. The idea is to help parents act as quickly as possible.
“Nothing is more effective than a father or mother building a relationship with their child,” said Mitchell. “Having tough conversations are a must and so is regularly checking a child’s phone, game console or computer. “
- The MCAO said parents should go to the police quickly to report the incident.
- Put your child’s phone in airplane mode and lock down other devices
- Submit a tip to NCMEC by calling 1-800-THE-LOST or online at CyberTipline.org
To help authorities track down the predator, don’t do the following:
- Block the perpetrator
- Delete anything
- Report the incident to the social media platform before police say it’s okay to do that.
Advocacy group Thorn said 1 in 4 kids between the ages of 9-12 have been approached by a predator attempting to get nude images of them.
If images of a child have been shared, the Take it Down organization can help have the images removed.
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