Know2Protect is a forthcoming Department of Homeland Security (DHS) national public awareness campaign to educate and empower children, teens, parents, trusted adults, and policymakers to prevent and combat online child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA); explain how to report online enticement and victimization; and offer response and support resources for victims and survivors of online child sexual exploitation. The campaign will launch Spring 2024.
Know2Protect's Purpose
Online CSEA is a horrific crime that targets some of the most vulnerable people in our communities – our children and teens. It includes a broad range of criminal acts that involve the victimization of a minor for sexual gratification or some other personal or financial gain.
DHS’ Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is a global leader in combating online CSEA. Despite the collaborative work with key partners, online CSEA is growing at an alarming rate and HSI cannot investigate and arrest its way out of this crisis.
In the last decade, this crime has increased exponentially and is now a global epidemic. The lack of understanding of online CSEA and increased technology use among children and teens has created space for these crimes to flourish. For too long, our communities have been left on their own when it comes to understanding the online dangers that exist and how to prevent them.
Know2Protect will shine a spotlight on this horrific crime. It will rely on the expertise and authority of HSI special agents tasked with finding online predators and bringing them to justice. It will spread awareness about these global threats, share preventative strategies to stop future victimization, empower the public to report suspected abuse, and support survivors of online CSEA.
Project iGuardianTM
Project iGuardianTM is the official in-person educational arm of the forthcoming Know2Protect campaign to teach the public about the ongoing threats children and teens face from online predators. These presentations rely on HSI subject matter expertise, their unique law enforcement perspective and authorities that have led to successful investigations and prosecutions. Project iGuardian is designed to inform children, teens, parents, and trusted adults on the threat of online child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA), how to implement preventative strategies, and report suspected abuse to law enforcement.
Meet the iGuardiansTM
A savvy duo of HSI special agents and their trusty canine sidekick join forces with a student and teacher to form our team of iGuardiansTM. They spread Know2Protect’s call to action: educate the public on the dangers of online CSEA, help prevent future crimes, and empower the public to report suspected abuse.
Schedule an iGuardianTM Presentation
The Project iGuardian™ team is available to inform your community of ways to protect children and teens from online predators. Our presentations are delivered by HSI special agents and other subject matter experts. These audience-specific presentations are given to schools, community groups, corporations, and nonprofit organizations that are looking to learn more and join the fight against online CSEA.
To request a presentation, email us at iguardian.hq@hsi.dhs.gov.