• The FBI warned that school closings present an increased risk for child exploitation.
• The Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline has seen a 10% surge in calls and texts during the first week of school closures.
• Superintendent of Miami-Dade County’s Public Schools, Alberto Carvalho said “Trust me, online predators are aware of what is happening around the country, and they are aware that children of all ages are somehow connected,” in an interview with The Washington Post.
• The US Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Ariana Fajardo-Orshan told NBC 6 that the federal teams that keep an eye on sex predators and their activities have noticed the increase since kids have been at home amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
• In March 2020, for the first time ever, a majority of RAINN’s sexual abuse hotline users were minors, said Scott Berkowitz, President of RAINN, to the Huffington Post.

Every week during #ChildAbusePreventionMonth we’ll be releasing more information and resources about the services we provided to children, families, and the community. Our Education & Outreach team will soon be offering their courses online. Kristi House remains available for current and new clients via phone and online via telehealth. Family and Youth Advocates and Therapists remain in service to clients and families.