Protecting Our Children From Exploitation

Wasserman Schultz adds language committing resources
to stop child predators

WASHINGTON – The U.S. House of Representatives voted today to pass the Homeland Security Appropriations bill for funding in fiscal year 2014. The legislation included language authored by U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23) that was added to the bill in order to protect our nation’s children from exploitation.

Wasserman Schultz’s added language fences off $20 million in funds for Child Exploitation Investigations and forensics within Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE)’s Child Exploitation Investigation Unit at the Department of Homeland Security.

“There is no question that our children need our support now more than ever,” said Wasserman Schultz. “With the proliferation of the internet and wireless technology, the spread of child pornography online has to be addressed now. Every face in those photographs is the face of a child who needs our support in order to escape a living hell of constant abuse and exploitation.

“Last year there were more than 1,600 criminal arrests relating to child exploitation, and 2,600 worldwide investigations were launched, setting new records for Homeland Security Investigations. Already this year, there have been 1,382 criminal arrests relating to child exploitation. Their efforts are second to none, and I know they will continue to put these resources to good use. With the inclusion of this language, we are putting predators on notice. Their reign of terror is coming to an end – you can bet on it.”

The Department of Justice estimates that at any moment, there are more than one million pornographic images of children on the Internet, with an additional 200 images being posted every day. And more than one-third of the world’s pedophiles involved in organized pornography rings worldwide live in the US. The Internet allows these images to be disseminated indefinitely, victimizing that child victim again and again with each click of the mouse.

Additional language was also included to encourage the hiring of veterans to help fight child exploitation.