Resources

As a resource for child welfare professionals, children, parents/caregivers, employers and employees, and all concerned community members, The NYSPCC seeks to provide information and resources that empower the community to better understand and address the chronic problem of child abuse and neglect.

CURRENT TOPICS AND RESOURCES

Sextortion

The NYSPCC held its Spring Luncheon on April 27th, at The Pierre in New York City. The program, Sextortion: Recognize, Prevent, Protect, was led by three experts in the field: James R. Marsh, Esq. Founder of the Marsh Law Firm and the Children’s Law Center in Washington, DC., and Erica Bell, LMSW, and Laura Riso, MA, both Victim Specialists at the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Sextortion is one of the fastest growing forms of child abuse. We urge you to educate yourself and your children about this threat to their safety.

WHAT IS SEXTORTION? 

Sextortion can start on any site, app, messaging platform, or game where people meet and communicate. In some cases, the first contact from the criminal will be a threat. The person may claim to already have a revealing picture or video of a child that will be shared if the victim does not send more pictures. More often, however, this crime starts when young people believe they are communicating with someone their own age who is interested in a relationship or with someone who is offering something of value.  

After the criminals have one or more videos or pictures, they threaten to publish that content, or they threaten violence, to get the victim to produce more images. The shame, fear, and confusion children feel when they are caught in this cycle often prevents them from asking for help or reporting the abuse. Caregivers and young people should understand how the crime occurs and openly discuss online safety.* 

RESOURCES: 

How to get help: 1-800-CALL-FBI or online at tips.fbi.gov 

Sextortion: What Parents Should Know – National Center for Missing and Exploited Children HERE 

What Kids and Teens Need to Know - FBI Sextortion webpage HERE 

  • Why do young people agree to do this? 

 

  • How do you know who can be trusted online? 

 

  • But how can this harm me? 

 

  • What do I do if this is happening to me? 

 

  • How can you say I won’t be in trouble? 

 

  • How can I help someone else who is in this situation? 

 

  • How do I protect myself and my friends? 

 

Safe Online Surfing for Teachers and Students HERE.  

 

*”How We Can Help You, Scams and Safety”, FBI.gov (2023), https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/safety-resources/scams-and-safety/common-scams-and-crimes/sextortion 

 


RESOURCES

Child Abuse and Neglect

  • American Professional Society on The Abuse of Children 
    • The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children, founded in 1987, is a nonprofit national organization focused on meeting the needs of professionals engaged in all aspects of services for maltreated children and their families. 
  • Child Welfare Information Gateway 
    • The Child Welfare Information Gateway connects child welfare and related professionals to comprehensive information and resources to help protect children and strengthen families, featuring the latest on topics from prevention to permanency, including child abuse and neglect, foster care, and adoption. 
  • Child Welfare League Of America 
    • The Child Welfare League of America leads and engages its network of public and private agencies and partners to advance policies, best practices and collaborative strategies that result in better outcomes for vulnerable children, youth and families across the United States.  

  • New York State Resources for Child Abuse and Neglect

  • Prevent Child Abuse New York – Parent Helpline toll-free number: 1-800-CHILDREN 
    • Offers New York’s families, professionals, advocates, policy makers and concerned citizens with the latest resources to prevent child abuse and give every kid a healthy, successful future. Their Parent Helpline at 1-800-CHILDREN, available in English and Spanish can help parents, kids, and others find programs and services in their community that can help. 

Child Protective Services 

The NYC Administration for Children’s Services protects NYC’s children from abuse and neglect. Along with our community partners, ACS provides neighborhood-based services to help ensure children grow up in safe, permanent homes with strong families. 

New York City Administration For Children’s Services – ACS


Child Safety 

  • Covenant House 
    • Covenant House provides loving care and vital services to homeless, abandoned, abused, trafficked, and exploited youth. Core services include healthcare, educational support, GED preparation, job readiness and skills training, drug abuse treatment and prevention, legal services, mental health services, the Mother/Child program, life skills training, and aftercare. 
  • National Runaway Safeline – 1-800-RUNAWAY 
    • The National Runaway Safeline (NRS) handles crisis calls 24-hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.  The mission of the NRS is to help keep America’s runaway, homeless, and at-risk youth safe and off the streets. Information is available for runaway youth, youth considering running away, friends and family members of runaway youth, teachers, and more. 
  • About the Law 
    • New York’s Safe Haven Law means that you can leave your baby, up to 30 days old, with any responsible person at a suitable location in New York with no questions asked and no fear of being prosecuted for neglect or abandonment. Safe Haven locations can be found at A Safe Haven for Newborns. There is also a hotline for more information 888-510-BABY (2229). 
  • AMT Children of Hope Foundation 
  • Safe Kids Worldwide 
    • Safe Kids Worldwide is a global organization dedicated to preventing injuries in children. Injuries are the number one reason why children die in the United States. 
  • Supervised Visitation Network 
    • The Supervised Visitation Network (SVN) is a multi-national non-profit membership organization that is a network of agencies and individuals who are interested in assuring that children can have safe, conflict-free access to parents with whom they do not reside. Some of the children who need these services live in foster homes or with relatives. Some live with one parent who is estranged from the other. Several NYSPCC staff members serve in leadership positions with the SVN and frequently present trainings at SVN professional conferences. 

Child Sexual Abuse 

  • The National Center For Missing And Exploited Children 
    • Established in 1984, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children® is the leading nonprofit organization in the U.S. working with law enforcement, families and the professionals who serve them on issues related to missing and sexually exploited children. 
  • RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) 
    • RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) is the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization that created and operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline (800.656.HOPE and online.rainn.org) in partnership with more than 1,100 local rape crisis centers across the country and operates the DoD Safe Helpline for the Department of Defense. RAINN also carries out programs to prevent sexual violence, help victims and ensure that rapists are brought to justice. 

Domestic Violence 

  • Anti-Violence Project—24 Hour Hotline – Hotline Number: 212-714-1141 
    • The hotline provides domestic violence services for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and HIV-affected persons in both English and Spanish.  All calls are secure and confidential.  
  • The National Domestic Violence HotlineHotline Number: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) 
    • Highly-trained and experienced advocates offer compassionate support, crisis intervention information, and referral services in over 170 languages. 
  • NO MORE 
    • NO MORE is a new unifying symbol designed to galvanize greater awareness and action to end domestic violence and sexual assault. 
  • Safe Horizon/Victim Services—24 Hour Hotlines- Hotline Number: 1-800-621-HOPE (4673) 
    • You can call Safe Horizon hotlines 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The calls are free, and counselors are able to help you no matter what language you speak. Counselors provide crisis counseling, safety planning, assistance with finding shelter, referrals to Safe Horizon programs or other organizations, advocacy with the police, and other crucial services. 
  • Safe Horizon/Victim Services—Domestic Violence Law Project – Hotline Number: 1-800-621-HOPE (4673) 
    • The Law Project provides direct representation, advocacy and referrals to domestic violence victims seeking orders of protection, custody, child support, and divorce, and works with other programs to assist with housing transfers, immigration problems, criminal advocacy, and counseling services. 
  • Sanctuary For Families 
    • Sanctuary for Families provides counseling and a full range of domestic violence services for adults and children in both English and Spanish.  They have a Center for Battered Women’s Legal Services which provides advocacy, information, and legal representation in orders of protection custody, visitation, immigration, and divorce in domestic violence cases. 

Mental Health 

Suicide and Crisis Lifeline – 988 


Parenting 

Parenting Helpline – 311 or 1(800) CHILDREN (244-5373) 

  • About New York Parent Helpline 
    • The Parent Helpline can help you find programs and services in your community that can help. 1-800-CHILDREN is a free, confidential, multi-lingual information and referral service for anyone who has questions or concerns about a child or family. A trained Helpline Specialist is available to assist you everyday from 9 a.m. until 10 p.m. After 10 p.m you can leave your name and number with our answering service, and we’ll get back to you the following morning. 
  • Kids Health 
    • KidsHealth is the most-visited site on the Web for information about health, behavior, and development from before birth through the teen years. 
  • Parenting Education Partnership – E-News 
    • NYSPEP’S mission is to promote and improve parenting education, in order to enhance parenting skills, knowledge and behavior. 
  • ACLS Training Center – A Pediatric Health and Safety Guide for Infants and Children 
    • Parents, teachers, guardians, and even babysitters are all people who are routinely responsible for the care and well-being of children.  Because both infants and children are not capable of making the decisions and taking the actions necessary to keep themselves safe, they are dependent on the knowledge and efforts of those who care for them. 

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Donating $10,000 provides approximately 150 hours of Trauma Recovery counseling for children, who have experienced physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, and domestic violence.

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