The National Strategy for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction

B. Online EnticementOnline offenders use the Internet to entice and manipulate children into situations in which theybecome vulnerable to sexual exploitation, particularly child pornography, sexual contact, andabduction. From 2004 through 2008, ICAC task force officers processed 20,562 documentedonline enticement complaints, including 7,879 documented complaints of suspectedtravelers 51 —aggressive and dangerous online child predators who travel to the location of a childfor the purpose of establishing physical contact. 52From 2004 through 2008, ICAC task force officers processed 20,562documented online enticement complaints, including 7,879 documentedcomplaints of suspected travelers 1 —aggressive and dangerous online childpredators who travel to the location of a child for the purpose of establishingphysical contact.Online enticement can lead to offenders’ grooming victims to self-produce child pornography,which then becomes part of the child pornography market and forever harms the child. Recentcase examples have shown offenders using web cams to entice the minor to perform a sex act infront of the camera that he then records. Often, the offender will blackmail the minor intoengaging in these acts through threats to reveal a less explicit recorded image to friends andfamily. NCMEC data show that approximately 28 percent of identified child victims seen inchild pornography produced the images of themselves, whether by inducement or not, and thissegment of child pornography has been increasing. 53In addition, another possible consequence of online enticement is abduction. According toNational Incidence Studies on Missing, Abducted, Runaway and Throwaway Children, theprimary motive in non-family abductions is sexual. Since the inception of the Child AbductionRapid Deployment (CARD) teams in October 2005, the FBI has developed 10 CARD teams tocombat this risk by aiding state and local law enforcement in child abduction investigations. 64percent of non-family abduction deployments have resulted in the child victim being sexuallyvictimized by their abductor. Moreover, in 36 percent of non-family abductions, the child victimwas murdered by their abductor.51 For Department reporting purposes, a traveler investigation involves the transportation of at least one individualfor the purpose of sexual conduct with a minor.52 Travelers meet specific children for the purpose of engaging in illegal sexual conduct. Children who makecontact with such predators are at great risk of kidnapping, rape, torture, or murder. These predators may travelwithin a state or region, across the country, or even internationally to meet a potential victim. They also may arrangefor a victim to travel to meet them.53See Appendix D, NCMEC.29