Florida Office of the Attorney General issued the following annoucement on Jan. 18.
Attorney General Ashley Moody released the 2022 Online Safety Toolkit, consisting of red flags, risk factors and statistics relating to human trafficking recruitment via the internet. The 2020 Federal Human Trafficking Report shows that 83% of active sex trafficking cases involved online solicitation. More than half of the children in the United States have smartphones by the age of 11, according to reports.
The 2022 Online Safety Toolkit is designed to help empower parents to teach their children about the dangers of human trafficking online and create effective online safety plans for safe internet use.
Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “It’s important that as parents we take steps to protect our children from online predators. To help with this daunting task, I am releasing my 2022 Online Safety Toolkit during Human Trafficking Prevention Month. I hope this comprehensive resource guide will better equip parents to protect children from human traffickers, or anyone else trying to use social media to harm them.”
Orange County Sheriff John Mina said, “At the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, we are committed to the mission of eradicating Human Trafficking in Central Florida and across the nation. It’s extremely important for parents – and all of us – to recognize the signs of human trafficking, and report anything suspicious to law enforcement.”
Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez said, “Power comes from information and we need all parents armed with the power to combat human trafficking. The Attorney General’s Online Toolkit is a great way to get informed about the signs of human trafficking and ways to prevent your children from being victims. The information is available in English and Spanish. Check it out so you can help us keep your children safe.”
Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation Director Ron Stucker said, “Human trafficking is a crime that seeks out and exploits the vulnerabilities of victims in our communities. The collaboration of law enforcement, prosecutors, social services and families is essential in bringing hope to victims and justice to traffickers.”
Attorney General Moody’s 2022 Online Safety Toolkit contains pages of educational material aggregated from federal, state and local public agencies, as well as private organizations, including the U.S. Department of Justice, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Florida law enforcement and technology companies.
A few tips from the toolkit include:
- Discuss internet safety and develop an online safety plan;
- Adjust privacy settings and use parental controls;
- Be alert to potential signs of abuse; and
- Teach children about body safety and boundaries.
Original source can be found here.