Former Law Enforcement Launch Raven to Combat Child Exploitation

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Sep 19, 2022, 09:00 ET

Raven, the first effort of its kind, will fight to increase resources and funding to law enforcement to help save children from exploitation

WASHINGTON, Sept. 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- As cases of child exploitation are rapidly increasing, some of the world's most respected retired child exploitation investigators, retired ICAC Commanders, sex offender treatment providers, technology innovators and policy experts in the United States announced the formation of Raven. The 501(c)4 organization is dedicated to protecting children from victimization by raising awareness of the threat of online child exploitation, increasing resources and funding to law enforcement, and lobbying for policy changes on the local and federal level.

According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), reports of suspected incidents of sexual exploitation of children online to their CyberTipline increased by 35% from 2020 to 2021 with 29,397,681 reports in 2021. Further, there are 325,000 proactive leads sitting in DOJ funded databases that are not being worked on due to a lack of resources. Law enforcement officers need adequate funding to analyze and investigate every incident.

"Child exploitation cases are out of control and if we don't step up to support law enforcement efforts, our children's futures are at stake," said John Pizzuro, CEO of Raven and former Commander of the NJ Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. "It's time that our law enforcement men and women have a voice in Washington, and we are here to fight to get the funding and legislation needed to stop these offenders from harming children."

Raven is on a mission to combat the systemic issues of child exploitation by supporting victims, law enforcement agencies and organizations through policy, lobbying, advocacy, public awareness, research, and training.

Raven is a 501(c)4 founded by the nation's leading child exploitation investigators, retired ICAC Commanders, sex offender treatment providers, technology innovators and policy experts. The organization is dedicated to bringing years of law enforcement experience to bear to protect children from victimization by raising awareness of the threat of online child exploitation, increasing resources and funding to law enforcement, and lobbying for policy changes on the local and federal level.

SOURCE Raven