Local CAC reports increase in child-to-child abuse material, early AI trend

The Child Advocacy Center of the First Judicial District reports troubling trends across the region, including an increase in child-to-child sexual exploitation material, drug exposure in infants and early cases involving artificial intelligence. Executive Director Samantha Prater said those patterns have become more pronounced over the past few years, with some accelerating more recently. "One thing we are seeing an increase in is drug exposure cases, CSAM and human trafficking," Prater said. "I hate to say it, but they are growing trends, and they have been building over the past few years. The drug exposure has been increasing for a while, and the CSAM and trafficking have really picked up in the last year or two." Prater explained that CSAM, which refers to child sexual abuse or exploitation material, is increasingly involving minors themselves alongside outside perpetrators. "That is growing, and we are seeing more kids taking pictures and sending pictures," she said. "It often starts younger than people expect, and once it begins, it tends to carry over into the teen years. There is so much online interaction now that it creates more opportunity for situations like this to happen." She said many of those cases begin in early adolescence, often before children fully understand the consequences of their actions. "Sadly, we start seeing this in that 7 to 12 age range, and then it continues into 13 to 17," she said. "A lot of it involves online behavior like blackmailing, sharing images or pressuring one another." She noted it is happening in ways that are much more visible now because everything is tied to phones and social media. That visibility, she said, has also brought a difficult reality into sharper focus — that even self-produced images can carry legal consequences. "Even if a child is taking a picture of themselves, it is still considered child pornography, and that is something a lot of kids do not understand," she said. "We are seeing situations where law enforcement is involved and devices are taken, and the kids are shocked. They do not always realize the seriousness of what they are doing." While the center continues to prioritize internet safety education, Prater said one of the biggest challenges is helping young people understand the long-term impact of a single decision. "They really cannot fully grasp how far one image can travel or how permanent it can become," she said. "You might trust someone in that moment, but relationships change — they can break up — and once something is shared, it is out there. That is a very hard concept for kids to truly understand." At the same time, another trend has continued to grow quietly in the background, an increase in infants born with drug exposure. "We are seeing more expecting mothers using THC products, and it is showing up when the baby is born," she said. "It is in the baby's system, and that is something we are dealing with more often." Layered on top of those issues is a newer and still evolving concern — the misuse of artificial intelligence. "It could just be a picture that you put on Facebook of yourself and you're smiling, and someone can take that image and make an altered AI image out of it," she said. "We've had maybe a handful of cases on that. But you can see it is becoming an issue. Even in our smallest counties, we've seen AI images." Rather than avoiding the topic, Prater said she believes early education is critical to staying ahead of the problem. "I think sometimes people are hesitant to talk about it because they worry they are introducing something new," she said. "But the reality is, kids already know these things exist. It is better for us to take a proactive approach and educate them before it becomes a much bigger issue." That emphasis on awareness is especially important during National Child Abuse Prevention Month, which Prater said provides an opportunity to engage the community in meaningful ways. "We see this month as a chance to raise awareness and educate people about what is actually happening in our area," she said. "It also gives us an opportunity to connect with the community and, hopefully, bring in support for the work that we do." Throughout April, the organization has partnered with local groups for outreach events, school programs and community activities aimed at promoting child safety and prevention. "Education really is the key, even though it sounds simple," she said. "There are so many resources available, and people just have to take the time to learn and stay aware of what is going on around them." She also pointed to grooming as a critical issue that is often overlooked, noting that perpetrators frequently target both vulnerable children and families. "They know how to identify vulnerability and how to position themselves in a child's life," she said. "It is not always obvious, and that is why it is so important for adults to stay aware of who is around their children and what situations they are in." She said 90% of kids are assaulted by someone they know. "There is no socioeconomic group that they all fall into and there is no racial composition," She said. "It's your neighbor, it's your cousin — it's whoever has access to your kid." Prater urged community members to speak up if they suspect abuse, saying that reports can be made anonymously to the Center and other agencies. "There are people who see things or sense that something is not right, and they do not say anything," she said. "You may be the one hope that that kid has to get out of what's happening to them — to get away from who's hurting them." While the subject can be difficult to confront, she said ignoring it only allows the problem to grow. "For every child that you've ever loved or cared for, educate yourself," she said. "Help keep kids safe across the board."