Exploitation
Financial exploitation is the misuse or theft of assets, and it can happen to anyone. It can come in the form of unauthorized bank withdrawals, check fraud, misuse of credit cards, scams and theft of property. It is currently the fastest-growing form of elder abuse.
Exploitation
Pennsylvania's Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program works to resolve complaints and issues on behalf of individuals residing in long-term care settings, such as nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and personal care homes. Long-Term Care Ombudsman Margaret Barajas provides information on protecting long-term care residents from financial exploitation:
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is aware of active exploitation of SolarWinds Orion Platform software versions 2019.4 HF 5 through 2020.2.1 HF 1, released between March 2020 and June 2020.
The first few hours after a child is abducted are critical. That's why we established CARD teams in October 2005. CARD teams are composed of experienced personnel with a proven track record in crimes against children investigations, especially cases where a child has been abducted by someone other than a family member. Team members provide on-the-ground investigative, technical, and resource assistance to state and local law enforcement. The teams work closely with FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit representatives, National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime coordinators, and child exploitation task force members.
FBI employees assigned to the NCMEC work to identify individuals suspected of any of the following: possession, manufacture and/or distribution of child sexual abuse material; online enticement of children for sexual acts; child sexual tourism; and/or other sexual exploitation of children. Once a potential suspect has been identified, investigators compile information and forward it to the appropriate FBI field office for investigation.
The Violent Crimes Against Children International Task Force (VCACITF) is a select cadre of international law enforcement experts working together to formulate and deliver a dynamic global response to online child exploitation through strategic partnerships, the aggressive engagement of relevant law enforcement, and the extensive use of liaison, operational support, and coordination.
The VCACITF (formerly known as the Innocent Images International Task Force) became operational in 2004 and serves as the largest task force of its kind in the world, composed of 68 online child sexual exploitation investigators from almost 46 countries. A five-week training session for newly invited task force officers brings them to the United States to work side-by-side with FBI agents in the Violent Crimes Against Children program. The VCACITF also conducts an annual case coordination meeting where task force members come together in a central location to share best practices and coordinate transnational investigations between members.
Nothing in history has transformed the character and practice of child sexual exploitation more than the internet. Individuals who commit child sex crimes through internet services, use social networks and mobile apps to meet minors and each other in ways they cannot make contact in person and to groom victims by normalizing abusive sexual acts. For victims, abuse begins with the harm perpetrated against them, but it does not end when the abuse stops. Victims must relive abuse when being interviewed by rescuing investigators and in court proceedings. There is no simple method for reliably targeting and finding the most dangerous individuals at the start of an investigation; however, online child sexual exploitation is a public health crisis and should be addressed as such. Online sex crimes against children can be described using a simple epidemiological model. Children are being harmed by individuals who sexually exploit them, and the internet is an environment that brings the two together. The model illuminates three broad strategies for addressing this crisis: 1) helping investigators stop those committing the crimes; 2) educating children and parents about how to avoid dangerous individuals; and 3) changing the environment to thwart exploitation. Improving the tools available to investigators to stop online child sex crimes and to rescue children from abuse is only one strategy and too often the focus. It is also necessary to examine how internet services, apps, app stores, and device makers who have children as customers operate and are regulated. Child sexual abuse happens on every internet platform, and each platform presents a challenge for investigators. For each known venue, investigators require methods to enumerate all those in the venue who are committing crimes against children and to locate venue victims.
Exploitation can also be used in a way that means the use of something, especially for profit, as in Since we have these resources, we should make sure that the exploitation of them maximizes revenue.
Still, exploitation is most commonly used in a negative way. One phrase in which it has this negative sense is exploitation film, a low-budget movie characterized by extreme violence, excessive gore, gratuitous sex, or other content meant to shock, disgust, or titillate.
The United States government has established principles for use by all federal agencies engaging with the United Nations and other International Organizations on the prevention and response to incidents of sexual exploitation and abuse and sexual harassment (SEAH). These principles reflect our commitment to increase U.S. engagement in a clear and consistent manner on SEAH issues, to promote accountability and transparency in response to SEAH incidents, and to ensure U.S. taxpayer resources are used in an effective and transparent manner.
Reports of suspected child sexual exploitation increased 35 percent from 2020 to 2021, according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. To address this alarming trend, federal agencies have efforts underway to combat online exploitation of children. These efforts include task forces, technology innovation, training, and public awareness campaigns.
The volume, complexity, and danger of sexual exploitation of children online are increasing, and have been fueled by conditions created by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to DOJ. This creates additional challenges for federal agencies, in particular law enforcement. Addressing the issue is a formidable task amid a digital landscape characterized by increasing online access, advances in technology, and increased use of encryption.
GAO was asked to review the status of federal efforts to combat the online exploitation of children, one of our most vulnerable populations, and the extent to which there is a cohesive national effort in place to address this issue. Among other things, this report: (1) describes federal government efforts to address online exploitation of children, and (2) assesses the extent to which DOJ's 2016 National Strategy to combat exploitation of children aligns with statutory requirements.
GAO reviewed relevant federal laws, policies, and reports. GAO interviewed federal agency, nonprofit, and industry officials with roles in addressing the online exploitation of children. GAO also analyzed the 2016 National Strategy and compared it to the PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008.
Crime Victims Compensation If you are a victim or related to a victim of a violent crime, you may be eligible for financial assistance through the Crime Victims Compensation Program. For information call (800) 228-3368 (voice/TTY). If you believe a person with a disability is being abused, neglected, or financially exploited, call for help. In case of an emergency in which the life or health of the individual is in danger, call 911 or your local police department. You should also report the incident to one of the following agencies so that other assistance and services can be provided to the victim. To report abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation of individuals 18 or over in a group home, CILA, day or residential program, or a state operated mental health or developmental disability facility, and for individuals ages 18 to 59 in a private home, call: Office of Inspector General Department of Human Services (800) 368-1463 (voice/TTY)
To report abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation of an individual in a nursing home, hospital, or state operated developmental disability facility call: Department of Public Health (800) 252-4343 (800) 547-0466 (TTY)
Allegations received by the United Nations, where there is sufficient information to identify an act of sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) against an identifiable perpetrator or identifiable victim; i.e. the allegations reported herein contain information that points to the occurrence of SEA, which leads, or can lead to the identification of the victim, or leads, or can lead to the identification of the alleged perpetrator.
Before products like cell phones or baby formula show up on store shelves, countless workers are engaged in their production. Far from the eyes of inspectors and shoppers, too many children and adults toil in exploitation harvesting crops, extracting minerals, and assembling parts into final products. Today, there are an estimated 160 million child laborers and nearly 28 million people in forced labor, the majority of whom work at the bottom of global supply chains, invisible to the outside world.
Our cutting-edge approach to tracing labor exploitation in these supply chains, brought to life through our new "Exposing Exploitation in Global Supply Chains" series, helps us shine a light on abuses we might not otherwise see if we looked at finished products alone.
The attached form is for use by financial institutions and employees in reporting suspected instances of financial exploitation of elderly adults. Section 73-307 of the Delaware Securities Act and Title 31, 3910(c) of the Delaware Code provides that, where an employee of a financial institution has a reasonable belief that an elderly person has been or may be the subject of financial exploitation, the financial institution must report this information to the Investor Protection Unit of the Delaware Department of Justice and the Department of Health and Social Services. Please be advised that all reports of suspected financial exploitation will remain confidential. 041b061a72