Backpage Update

Backpage.com shut down the adult services section of its website to U.S. users Monday night, citing “unconstitutional government censorship.” The closure came shortly after the release of a 53-page report from the U.S. Senate’s Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, which found that Backpage knowingly concealed crimes occurring on its site by editing ads and facilitated child sex trafficking by refusing to act swiftly when alerted to children being sold for sex on its site.

NCMEC was especially disturbed to have learned from the Senate report that Backpage purposefully underreported instances of potential child sex trafficking to NCMEC.  Every unreported ad was a potential child victim that NCMEC was never made aware of, and therefore was unable to help.

The report also revealed the true owners of Backpage to be James Larkin, Michael Lacey and Carl Ferrer. All three men are currently facing pimping and money laundering charges in California.
NCMEC has previously called on Backpage to take internal measures to prevent children from being trafficked for sex and victimized on Backpage.com.

“It has always been within Backpage’s discretion to voluntarily ensure its site is not being used to facilitate the crime of child sex trafficking,” said NCMEC CEO John Clark. “While NCMEC is unsure of the impetus for Backpage’s recent decision, we are gratified to know that as result, a child is now less likely to be sold for sex on Backpage.com.”

The senate report comes as a result of more than twenty months of the Subcommittee’s investigation into the problem of online sex trafficking. The investigation led the committee to focus on Backpage.com, which in NCMEC’s experience is the number one website where children are sold for sex online. “We commend the Subcommittee, especially Chairman Rob Portman and Ranking Member Claire McCaskill, for their continued leadership on the investigation and their dedicated assistance to victims, survivors and their families,” said Clark.

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Birth Announcements - Tips for new parents

www.missingkids.org/InfantAbduction

A Father Waits

(Augusto clings to memories of life with his children in his Baltimore rowhome.)

By Sarah Baker
Photos by Sarah Baker

On Aug. 25, 2010, J.  Augusto Frisancho sat in Meadowood Regional Park in Baltimore, Maryland waiting for his recently-separated wife to drop off their kids, 11-year-old Ork’o, 7-year-old Amaru and 5-year-old Raymi, for their weekly visit. She was late. Slowly the minutes turned into hours. The sun set as Augusto waited and the children never arrived. Worried, he frantically called his wife. Getting no answer, he dialed every number that he had, and no one knew where the children were. He then switched to email, and still no one had any answers.  After a frightening night of not knowing he finally learned by email that his children were taken to Slovakia by his wife and her family. He was confused and panicked, learning that they had left the country.

(Augusto and his sons, one of his most cherished photos.)

The following day Augusto finally reached his sons. “Daddy,” he heard on the other end, repeated by each child’s voice as they crowded around the phone.  He felt relief to talk to them and believed they would be back in his arms soon. His oldest child, Ork'o, said, “School is starting in a few days, and I very much want to go there on time, I don’t want to miss it.” Hearing their cries, he stayed strong, trying to comfort them.  Augusto then contacted the US State Department the day after he learned they were taken.

(Curtains highlighting the world in the children’s room now have different meaning for Augusto.)

As time passed from days to weeks, the telephone conversations got shorter and less frequent. “I was worried that I would lose the right to talk to my children,” he said. “I kept it light and made sure to keep everything positive in our short conversations.” 

(At the table where he used to enjoy family dinners, Augusto sits alone, surrounded by piles of court documents.)

He knew he couldn’t sit and do nothing. After several attempts to resolve things amicably with his wife, Augusto filed an application for return of the children under an international treaty, the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. Augusto’s wife was called upon by the Central Authority for the Hague Convention in Bratislava, Slovakia to discuss the peaceful return home of the children. When no agreement could be reached, a slew of legal proceedings began that continue to this day. 

(Augusto finds solace in his children’s room.)

Dec. 31, 2010 was the last time Augusto talked to his children in Slovakia. He wished Ork’o a “happy new year,” then the phone went silent. The phone numbers were changed after that night.

(Stickers that helped guide the children’s little fingers to learn their notes, remain on the family piano.)

2011 was the start of the hardest year of Augusto’s life. Everything in his daily life was a reminder of the absence of his children; the empty Baltimore rowhome, the park and the children’s school. Unable to talk about what happened, he bottled up this tragedy and kept it inside, trying just to get through the day to day, slowly changing his routine. Becoming what he called a “zombie,” Augusto worked, ate and slept in an endless repetition, with no way of knowing how his children were doing.  Understanding he had to stay healthy and strong for his sons, Augusto eventually picked himself up. “It’s easy to isolate oneself, but I knew I had to turn this nightmare around,” he said.  Slowly he began to visit his sons’ favorite places. “I would close my eyes and say, ‘God! You can do it, please tell them their daddy loves them’.” His relationship with God has been his strength throughout this horrible ordeal.

(Augusto says his relationship with God has given him strength through this horrible ordeal.)

Feeling alone in this nightmare, he didn’t tell people in his community that his children had been taken.  But when Augusto joined the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s “Team HOPE,” a peer support group of families with missing, recovered and exploited children, he gradually began to open up and speak about his nightmare. “Parents like Augusto struggle with the emotional trauma and loneliness of having a missing or exploited child”, says, Abby Potash, program director, Team HOPE.  Helping others and sharing his story became healing to Augusto.

(Augusto holds onto the memories of his children by doing things they loved, such as visits to the National Aquarium.)

In 2011 it seemed that his children might finally come home when the Slovakian courts ruled in his favor. But it just set off a host of additional hearings that would be drawn out to present day. Long plane rides were filled with a desperate studying of Slovakian law. The trips were filled with excitement and anxiety as he prayed the children would be in court. In 2013 Ork’o and Amaru were present in court. Augusto was flooded with emotion as he caught a glimpse of their faces for a brief moment, though unable to speak to them. After that, he hoped to see them at another court appearance, but they never returned.

(Augusto prepares notes for his testimony on Capitol Hill.)

At the table where they used to enjoy family dinners, Augusto sits alone, surrounded by piles of court documents. He prepares notes for his testimony on Capitol Hill. Congressman Chris Smith has invited him to speak before the House Foreign Affairs Committee. He hopes that this will help him reunite with his sons. Today, Ork’o is 17 years old, Amaru is 14 and Raymi is 12. It’s been six years since they were taken. Augusto will never stop searching.

(Augusto attending a congressional hearing in July 2016, supporting other families victimized by international family abductions.)

(A handmade creation by Ork'o remains a treasured keepsake.)

(Augusto gets encouragement from Abby Potash, program director of Team HOPE, a peer support group for families of missing, recovered and exploited children.)

(Augusto pictured with Team HOPE volunteer, Ahmad Rivazfar, the father of two kidnapped children, one who survived.)

Are Tech Gifts on Your Children’s Wish Lists This Holiday Season?

It looks like it’s going to be a record-breaking season for tech, with 68% of consumers reportedly planning to buy technology gifts this season. Among the hottest items this year are virtual reality sets, wireless headphones, connected toys, wearable fitness trackers and gaming consoles, just to name a few.  Before you invest in these high-tech gifts, read on to find out more about these gadgets and what you need to know about using them safely!

Bluetooth & Other Connectivity Concerns

The days of trailing cords and knotted wires are slowly becoming part of the past as Bluetooth connected and app-controlled gadgets become more popular. Bluetooth certainly is convenient, but can be vulnerable to data breaches or malware infections. Bluetooth security features have improved to enable the exchange of information between “trusted devices” and alert users when an unknown device is trying to establish a connection, but no system is completely foolproof. One quick way to limit your risk is to turn off Bluetooth when not in use.

Turning Bluetooth off may seem like a no-brainer for those of us who don’t pair devices, but as wearable tech like smartwatches and fitness trackers become more popular, so does the reliance on Bluetooth.  Kids using Bluetooth to connect fitness or safety-trackers, smartphone-controlled toys and other devices are less likely to remember to turn off the Bluetooth functionality once they’re done playing. It’s a good idea to review how to turn on and off Bluetooth with kids.

Check out the updated Cellphones web article on NetSmartz for more tips about keeping kids safer while using smartphones.

The Latest in Gaming: Virtual Reality

Virtual reality (VR) technology is more popular than ever, with some of the largest tech companies in the world launching brand new virtual reality headsets in time for the holidays. Many of these headsets are marketed as enhancing the gaming experience, allowing users to immerse themselves in the virtual world. As games and gaming systems evolve, multi-player and connected gaming has grown in popularity. Many of the most popular games in the industry are massively multiplayer online games (MMOs) and they allow gamers from all over the world to connect, form teams and work together to move through the game’s objectives.

Though most games come with age suggestions, this does not guarantee that children will only be playing with other users of a given age-range. Make sure you review the game system’s privacy and security settings before kids play.

For more information on gaming risks and safety tips visit netsmartz.org/gaming and find out what you can do to keep your kids safe and having fun online well after the gifts are opened!

Additional resources:

• Parent’s tip sheet for Gaming Safely
• Parent’s Guide to Smartphone Safety

“I’m proud to support NCMEC in whatever way I can.”

You don’t know me, but there’s something I know we’ve got in common. We’ve all been in that vulnerable place of knowing that we needed help, that we needed someone to help make sure we were safe and okay.

Now, we all have the power to be that someone for a child today.  That’s the reason that my wife and I decided to support the work that the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children does to protect children from abduction and exploitation.

I am proud to support NCMEC in whatever way I can.

I first learned about NCMEC when I saw its incredible work in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.  When that devastating storm hit, NCMEC was ready to help the thousands of children who were separated from their parents in the chaos of the evacuation. That dedication to reuniting families made me want to help.
NCMEC works on some of themost difficult issues imaginable and they are making a difference in the lives of children each day. Thanks to NCMEC, families are better prepared and have more support, law enforcement is better trained and has more resources and thousands of missing children are home safe.

NCMEC supports all children, no matter the gender, economic status, race, religion, ethnicity or sexual orientation.

I hope that you will join me and my family and make a commitment to NCMEC today. We’ve been monthly NCMEC donors for more than 11 years and I’m grateful to be part of an organization that’s overcoming tremendous odds to make children safer.

- Matt Foosaner
  NCMEC donor since 2005

P.S. Please take a moment to make a generous donation to support the vital work of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children today!

NCMEC Alert - Esma Donuk

Investigators in Levittown, Pennsylvania need your help to bring home a missing 17-year-old girl.

Esma Donuk was last seen on Monday, October 3rd and hasn’t been heard from since. Esma wears glasses and may be carrying a black backpack. Investigators say she may be local to the Levittown area or may travel to Morrisville, Pennsylvania.

If you’ve seen Esma or have any information, call 911 immediately or the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-80-843-5678)

View her poster here.

Hops for Hope

When some of northern Virginia’s premiere craft breweries heard about The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children®, they knew that they wanted to join our mission and make a difference. The outcome: Hops for Hope!

How do you take part? It’s simple!

• Visit Ocelot Brewing Company, Belly Love Brewing Company, Old 690 Brewing Company, Old Ox Brewing Company, Tin Cannon Brewing or The Veil Brewing Company starting Saturday, December 3, 2016.
• Purchase a glass (or multiple glasses) of HOPE Beer.
• Your delicious pint makes a donation to NCMEC!

NCMEC Staff will be on hand at select locations and will be selling NCMEC swag and to talk more about the great work that we do here.

Visit www.missingkids.org/hopsforhope for more information.

Giving Tuesday

This Tuesday, November 29, you can directly impact the families of missing and exploited children. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children is honored to be part of the #GivingTuesday campaign.

This holiday season, our goal is to raise $50,000 to help bring missing children #HomeForTheHolidays and we need your help!

Ways to gear up for #GivingTuesday:

• Donate Early and make your gift today!
• Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for news and updates.
• Share this message with friends and family and give together.

In a single year, there are as many as 460,000 reports of missing children in the United States.  These families spend every day fighting to bring their children home.

After Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the back-to-back days of deals, join us in kicking off the holiday giving season on #GivingTuesday!

We’ve got just one week left! Children and families are counting on us and we can do this together!

donate.missingkids.org

How Safe Are Teen Dating Apps?

It feels like everyone is meeting online these days. If you’ve ever online-dated, you know there are plenty of ups and downs on the way to meeting someone you like (or could potentially date).

So it’s no surprise that the success of dating apps has led to the development of new ones, like dating apps for teens.

“Teen dating apps are popping up all over the place,” said Ju’Riese Colon, executive director of outreach at the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.

Although the app stores where they can be found typically rate them for downloading only by mature users (17+), some of these apps are aimed at kids as young as 13 and up to age 19. “They’re putting kids and adults in the same space specifically for the purpose of dating,” Colon said, differentiating them from other popular social media sites that allow young users on their platforms.

“Other social media sites are bringing people together through common interests…these apps exist solely to match young people up to date, and that’s a problem when adults are allowed on the platform to mix with kids,” said Colon.

There’s also the possibility that an adult older than 19 could potentially pose as a child and use the app. Some apps have verification steps in place to attempt to keep older people off their apps, but it’s not failsafe. “If you’re determined to get on, you will,” said Colon. “I haven’t seen any teen dating apps that are impenetrable to adults.”

So what’s her advice to parents? “It’s probably best to have your kids steer clear of these apps. There are plenty of other ways for kids to meet each other in a safer environment.”

For more information on how to keep kids safer online, check out NCMEC’s tips and ways to start the conversation on NetSmartz.org.

Kevin, we’ll never stop searching for you

On Veteran’s Day NCMEC salutes all those who have served our country at home and overseas. Especially in our thoughts, are Charles McClam and his family. Charles was proudly serving in the United States Military when his 14-year-old son, Kevin, went missing from their home on the Naval Weapons Station near Goose Creek, South Carolina. Kevin we have not forgotten about you and will never stop searching.