News and Updates

Our News and Updates page provides the latest information on child trafficking in the United States and select international cases. This serious crime affects vulnerable children across communities, often going unnoticed. Through reports on rescues, investigations, and prevention efforts, we seek to raise awareness and inform readers about this critical issue.

FLORIDA ANNUAL REPORT ON THE COMMERCIAL SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF MINORS, 2024

June 18, 2025 

Update: As of July 03, 2025, the Florida Annual Report on the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Minors, 2025 has not yet been published.  This is the most current report available for the state of Florida.

In 2023, Florida's Department of Children and Families verified 339 youth as victims of commercial sexual exploitation (CSE), underscoring the grave and persistent crisis of child sex trafficking in the state, as detailed in the 2024 OPPAGA Annual Report. Despite an 11% decrease in verified cases since 2020, the Florida Abuse Hotline saw a 6% rise in CSE reports, with 3,358 allegations in 2023, revealing a deeply entrenched issue that continues to devastate vulnerable children, particularly in high-risk counties like Broward, Miami-Dade, and Duval. The alarming prevalence, coupled with underreporting challenges, highlights an urgent need for robust intervention to protect Florida’s youth from this horrific form of exploitation.
A critical barrier to addressing this crisis is the severe shortage of specialized facilities for CSE victims, with only 70 licensed beds across safe houses (43) and safe foster homes (27) statewide, unchanged since 2023. This scarcity forces many verified victims into less suitable placements like at-risk group homes, where they risk exposure to further trafficking. Stakeholders report significant gaps in services, particularly for youth needing substance use or mental health treatment, leaving many without the trauma-informed care essential for recovery. The lack of adequate placements exacerbates the vulnerability of these children, many of whom are already in state care.
Compounding the issue, state funding for CSE services remains inconsistent, with DCF allocating $3.5 million in 2022-23, while lead agencies spent $11.5 million to serve 482 youth, indicating a heavy reliance on overstretched resources. Legislative appropriations fluctuated, reaching $4.1 million in 2023-24, but only $2.1 million was spent by May 2024, reflecting inefficiencies in resource deployment. Most distressingly, dependent youth in state care face high revictimization rates, with 41 youth re-exploited in 2023 and 38 experiencing multiple CSE verifications within the year. These children, often with histories of neglect and abuse, are disproportionately failed by a system struggling to break the cycle of trauma and exploitation.

View the full report here.

June 18, 2025
Investigation Into Possible Child Trafficking And Abuse At Bible Camp In Iowa.

On June 12-13, Louisa County Sheriff’s Department rescued 88 children from Shekinah Glory Camp in Columbus Junction, Iowa, during a human trafficking investigation. Prompted by child abuse reports, the operation involved multiple agencies. Search warrants were executed, and children were taken to Wapello Methodist Church for child protection services, then placed in foster care or reunited with parents. No arrests reported; investigation ongoing.

Read More
June 17, 2025
Horrifying Discovery At Home Run By Nuns In Tuam, Ireland.

In a gut-wrenching revelation, a mass grave of 796 infants was unearthed in a septic tank beneath a Catholic-run mother-and-baby home in Tuam, Ireland. From 1925 to 1961, unwed mothers and their innocent children were subjected to unspeakable cruelty within those cold, unforgiving walls. Starved, neglected, and ravaged by disease, countless babies perished, their fragile bodies callously discarded to shroud the nuns’ dark secrets. This horrific discovery has ignited a firestorm of sorrow and rage, crying out for justice for these forgotten souls and a fierce resolve to shield vulnerable children from such monstrous atrocities.

Read More
May 19, 2025
Operation Restore Justice Yields Major Results

Operation Restore Justice, a five-day FBI-led operation from April 28 to May 2, 2025, rescued 115 children and arrested 205 child sexual abuse offenders across the U.S. Targeting sex trafficking, online enticement, and child sexual abuse material, the effort involved all 55 FBI field offices. Attorney General Pamela Bondi emphasized a no-negotiation policy for predators. FBI Director Kash Patel underscored the message that no predator is beyond reach. Conducted during National Child Abuse Prevention Month, the operation reflects ongoing DOJ efforts to combat child exploitation.

Read More
May 18, 2025
Renewed Hope Act

The Renewed Hope Act of 2024 (H.R.9532/S.5015) is a bipartisan bill directing the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to hire and train at least 200 personnel for its Child Exploitation Investigations Unit to combat online child sexual exploitation. It clarifies the Unit’s coordination role, establishes a Victim Identification Training Program using advanced tech, and authorizes hiring experts to identify and rescue victims, addressing over 50,000 unidentified child victims globally.

Watch Here
May 16, 2025
Smartphones Endanger Kids

In a recent video shared on X, Tim Tebow delivered a stark warning to parents, stating, "If your child has a phone, the world has access to your child," highlighting the risks of online exposure for children. He emphasized the pervasive threat of predators and harmful content accessible through smartphones, drawing from his work with the Tim Tebow Foundation to combat child exploitation. Tebow urged parents to recognize this reality and take action to protect their children from the dangers lurking on the internet.

Watch Here
April 29, 2025
Teen Sisters’ American Dream Stolen: Rescued from Trafficking Horror in California

On April 29, 2025, Homeland Security agents in West Covina, California, liberated two teenage migrant sisters, aged 16 and 18, from the cruel grip of alleged sex traffickers. Rescued from a hotel where they were held captive, the sisters, who arrived in the U.S. as unaccompanied minors, now face a long road to healing. Federal charges loom for the suspected trafficker, as agents intensify efforts to find over 320,000 missing migrant children.

Read More

© Copyright 2030 Mobirise - All Rights Reserved