EXPERT ON: Safety from Online Sex Abuse

Two harrowing stories – those of Asia Anderson and Walker Montgomery – illustrate how the rising digital threat of sextortion can impact anyone and forever change lives.

• If you believe you have been a victim of sextortion by Buster Hernandez, AKA Brian Kil, AKA Purge of Maine, and or any of the usernames listed here, you can contact the Indianapolis FBI Office at 317-595-4000 or submit the information to https://tips.fbi.gov/home.

Resources:

• Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI): Find information and tips to help keep children safe. Also available in Spanish.
• National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC): CyberTipline: Report incidents of child sexual exploitation, including sextortion; Phone: 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678); Website: www.missingkids.org
• Take It Down:A free service offered by the NCMEC that can help to remove or stop the online sharing of sexually explicit images or videos taken of victims before they were 18 years old.
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: If you or someone you know is in crisis, call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for support and resources.
• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources, and best practices for U.S. professionals.
• National Sexual Assault Hotline: Operated by the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN), which offers support for survivors of sexual assault and abuse, in partnership with local providers nationwide. Call 1-800-656-HOPE (4673), or visit the online chat hotline or the Spanish online chat hotline.
• Safe from Online Sex Abuse (SOSA): A nonprofit that raises awareness about and combats online child sex abuse and exploitation.
• Crisis Text Line: A free, 24/7 text service for people in crisis. Text "HOME" to 741741 in the United States.
• Cyber Civil Rights Initiative (CCRI): Provides resources for dealing with non-consensual pornography (revenge porn) and online harassment.
• NetSmartz: NCMEC's Online Safety Program provides resources, videos, and educational materials to teach children, teens, and parents about online safety.
• Thorn: An organization dedicated to combating the sexual exploitation of children. Get help by texting "THORN" to 741741 to confidentially speak with a trained counselor.
• StopCyberbullying.org: Offers information and resources on how to prevent and respond to cyberbullying and online harassment:
• LoveisRespect.org: Provides resources for teens and young adults dealing with dating abuse and unhealthy relationships. Call 1-866-331-9474 / 1-800-787-3224 (TTY), text "LOVEIS" to 22522, or chat online.
• Stalking Resource Center: Provides information and resources on stalking and online harassment.

Staying Safe:

Anyone who uses the internet risks encountering people who wish to cause harm. But you can take certain measures to lower the chances of this happening to you or your children.

• Don’t share explicit images or videos with strangers online. Don’t send or post any pictures of yourself online that you wouldn’t show your grandmother or boss. Assume that once something is online, you have no control over its distribution.
• Be extremely cautious about sharing personal, sensitive or intimate information online. Restrict the information you share on social media and adjust privacy settings to limit who can view your posts.
• Maintain open lines of communication with your children. Make sure they know that they...