U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested 3,771 child sex predators in Fiscal Year 2019 together with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), according to the department.
ICE, together with HSI, has developed an international initiative to identify, investigate, and arrest child predators and dismantle their underground networks. The initiative is called Operation Predator.
“HSI’s goal is simple,” the release said. “To identify, investigate, and arrest child predators who possess, trade, or produce child sexual abuse material; travel overseas for sex with minors, or engage in the sex trafficking of children.”
In fiscal year 2019, which runs from April 1, 2018, to March 31, 2019 ICE says it initiated 4,224 child exploitation cases resulting in 3,771 criminal arrests, and identified or rescued 1,066 victims—an increase of nearly 18 percent over the previous year.
“HSI is committed to eradicating individuals from our communities who seek to prey on children,” said Eben Roberts, acting special agent in charge of HSI Seattle. “HSI’s agents, in cooperation with our law enforcement partners, work tirelessly to find and bring to justice, individuals who commit these heinous crimes. Moreover, we are dedicated to rescuing from harm’s way our most precious population—our children—and those who seek to harm them should consider this a warning.”
HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators. From outside the U.S. and Canada, callers should dial 802-872-6199. Hearing-impaired users can call TTY 802-872-6196.
Child Sexual Abuse
According to Race Against Abuse of Children Everywhere (RAACE), one in three girls and one in seven boys are sexually abused by age 18. However, only 1 in 10 children who are sexually abused will ever tell anyone.
The organisation says that an estimated 80 to 90 percent of offenders are male, while 10 to 20 percent of offenders are female.
It adds that about 40 percent of offenders of children under 12 are children or adolescents themselves, and 90 percent of offenders are someone the child knows and trusts.
“Grooming increases the predator’s access to his victim and decreases the likelihood of discovery,” the report explains.
Meanwhile, the Children’s Assessment Center states that pedophiles look for certain characteristics in potential victims, which include children who are passive, quiet, troubled, and lonely.
“Family structure is the most important risk factor in child sexual abuse. Children who live with two married biological parents are at low risk for abuse,” according to the center.
“The risk increases when children live with step-parents or a single parent. Children living without either parent (foster children) are 10 times more likely to be sexually abused than children that live with both biological parents.
The report added: “Children who live with a single parent that has a live-in partner are at the highest risk: They are 20 times more likely to be victims of child sexual abuse than children living with both biological parents.”
