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Still from "Know Where They Go" PSA.

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) launched a month-long national media campaign November 12 as part of its Project Safe Childhood (PSC) initiative to combat the online exploitation of children. The launch began with a press event at the Newseum in Washington, DC, featuring remarks from OJJDP Administrator J. Robert Flores and other key partners involved in the campaign.

The $2.5 million campaign used a combination of public service announcement (PSA) ads in English and Spanish on national cable television channels, print ads, and Internet promotions such as banner ads, pop-up ads, and Webisodes. Regional promotions—radio spots, movie theater PSAs, and media events—also will be held in four cities: Miami, St. Louis, Seattle, and San Diego. These cities were chosen for additional media exposure based on the number of Internet sexual crimes against children reported in these locations, population size, and media market size.

OJJDP Administrator J. Robert Flores speaks at the press event in Washington, DC, launching a month-long national media campaign to combat the online exploitation of children.

While ads have been produced previously to educate parents about online sexual predators, this is the first time PSAs have addressed potential predators. The campaign was produced by OJJDP in conjunction with media partner Hispanic Communications Network, child Internet safety organizations iKeepSafe and INOBTR ("I Know Better"), and the Self Reliance Foundation.

The national launch event in Washington, DC, drew DOJ officials, local school superintendents, members of PSC partnering agencies, law enforcement officials, child advocacy groups, and other organizations committed to the well-being of children. National media press outlets also attended. In his opening remarks at the press event, Administrator Flores stressed the need to warn the public that online sexual predation of minors is a crime and to educate parents about the potential threats facing their children online.

Part of our awareness campaign is to warn potential offenders that downloading child pornography and online sexual exploitation are serious Federal offenses. . . . Through outreach and education, we are working to make sure that kids know how to use the Internet wisely and safely, and parents know that they need to monitor their children's online activities to protect them from harmful materials or personal relationships they may develop while online.

Other speakers at the event also addressed the need for parental education and involvement. According to Marsali Hancock, President of iKeepSafe Coalition, almost 50 percent of mothers do not know which Internet sites their children visit, and only 15 percent of parents use software products to track their children's online activities. Mike Sullivan, Deputy Chief of the Investigations Division for the Illinois Attorney General's Office and the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Commander, urged parents and children to work together to set parameters for their children's Web activities. Most importantly, parents should react calmly and rationally to their children's online profiles and activities.

One series of PSAs, titled "Know Where They Go," alerts parents about the risk of online sexual exploitation and encourages them to supervise their children's use of the Internet.

The short film, or Webisode, "The Truth Behind The Screen," illustrates the dangers children face online and compels parents to get informed and involved and to supervise their children's Internet activity.

The other series of PSAs, titled "Exploiting a Minor Is a Major Offense," targets potential online predators, warning them of the serious criminal penalties awaiting those who victimize children.

A separate set of Spanish-language PSAs were produced for the Hispanic community based on the themes "Know Where They Go," and "Exploiting a Minor Is a Major Offense."

Recent research shows that children continue to face unwanted threats from sexual predators while online. A 2005 survey conducted by the Crimes Against Children Research Center at the University of New Hampshire revealed that one in seven young people have been approached with unwanted online sexual solicitations and that a third of youth using the Internet have been exposed to unwanted sexual material.

Launched in 2006, the PSC initiative addresses the spread of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children. PSC is implemented through a partnership of U.S. Attorneys, Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task forces, Federal partners including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other agencies, advocacy organizations such as the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, and State and local law enforcement officials in each U.S. Attorney's district.

For more information on the PSC Media Campaign, please visit OJJDP's latest portal Web page, PSAs Educate Parents and Target Potential Predators and the PSC Web site. To learn more about OJJDP's ICAC task force program please visit the OJJDP Web site.