US Statistics On Missing And Exploited Children

There is so much talk about missing and exploited children by our forum I started to wonder what the actual statistics are and found them on the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's website. Their site is extensive but I'm sure that we don't have completely accurate numbers because so many children are afraid to report their experiences. I have reprinted their frequently asked questions page with their permission.

How many children are reported missing each year?

The U.S. Department of Justice reports:

• 797,500 children (younger than 18) were reported missing in a one-year period of time studied resulting in an average of 2,185 children being reported missing each day.
• 203,900 children were the victims of family abductions.
• 58,200 children were the victims of non-family abductions.
• 115 children were the victims of “stereotypical” kidnapping. (These crimes involve someone the child does not know or someone of slight acquaintance, who holds the child overnight, transports the child 50 miles or more, kills the child, demands ransom, or intends to keep the child permanently.)

How many cases of missing children has the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) helped resolve? Since 1984, NCMEC has assisted law-enforcement with more than 168,000 missing-child cases, resulting in the recovery of more than 157,720 children.

How many calls does the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children's hotline (1-800-THE-LOST^®) handle?

In the last quarter of 2010, the Hotline handled an average of 262 service-related calls per day. Since its 1984 inception, the toll-free Hotline has handled more than 2.5 million calls.

How many children have been recovered through AMBER ALERTS?

Since 1997, the Amber Alert program has been credited with the safe recovery of 523 children. To date there is a network of 120 AMBER Plans across the country.

Where can I find statistics about missing and/or exploited children in a particular state?

State-specific statistics are available through state clearinghouses. Click here for a list and contact information.

How many children are victims of online sexual exploitation?

According to the latest online victimization research,

• Approximately one in seven youth online (10 to 17-years-old) received a sexual solicitation or approach over the Internet.
• Four percent (4%) received an aggressive sexual solicitation - a solicitor who asked to meet them somewhere; called them on the telephone; or sent them offline mail, money, or gifts.
• Thirty-four percent (34%) had an unwanted exposure to sexual material -- pictures of naked people or people having sex.
• Twenty-seven percent (27%) of the youth who encountered unwanted sexual material told a parent or guardian. If the encounter was defined as distressing - episodes that made them feel very or extremely upset or afraid - forty-two percent (42%) told a parent or guardian. 

 How pervasive is the problem of child sexual exploitation?
Research indicates that 1 in 5 girls and 1 in 10 boys will be sexually victimized before adulthood.

[D. Finkelhor. “Current Information on the Scope and Nature of Child Sexual Abuse.” The Future of Children: Sexual Abuse of Children, 1994, volume 4, page 37.]

How many reports of child exploitation have been made to CyberTipline?

CyberTipline has received more than 972,600 reports since it was established in March 1998.
Reports to CyberTipline involve the possession, manufacture and distribution of child pornography, the online enticement of children for sex acts, child prostitution, child sex-tourism, child molestation (not in the family), unsolicited obscene material sent to a child, and misleading domain names.

How many victims of child exploitation have been identified through the Child Victim Identification (CVIP) Program?

Through September 2010, CVIP has information on more than 3,100 child victims from around the world seen in sexually abusive images.
Through September 2010, CVIP Analysts reviewed seized child pornography collections from more than 25,000 investigations across the country, through the Child Recognition and Identification System (CRIS).
CVIP has reviewed and analyzed more than 40,829,500 pornography images and videos.

Resource:

http://www.missingkids.com/missingkids/servlet/PageServlet?LanguageCountry=en_US&PageId=2810