(Original air date 11/05/2020)
Episode Description
Parents often ask me what they can do to make certain their child is not a victim of sexual exploitation whether it is sextortion, social media exploitation or sex trafficking. The answer may surprise you. I believe character is the single biggest element in teaching your child to stand against predators, pimps, pedophiles, gangs, and organized crime. Don’t get me wrong. That is not to suggest victims of exploitation did not have character. But over the years we have learned that there are two critical factors in how predators identify and seduce their victims. The most common grooming tool is to look for their weaknesses and exploit it. Usually it is a desire to be loved, admired, included and cherished. They seek out young people on dating sites and live streaming apps that may be looking for excitement, adventure, affection or hookups. They also are looking for people (of any age) that are willing to take a short cut to earn easy money. Compromises and shortcuts have a price and it often starts with thinking badly about yourself. And when you lack confidence or belief in yourself, you are much more vulnerable to becoming a victim of exploitation.
(Original air date 04/16/2020)
Episode Description
These are indeed challenging times. Every one of us are trying to maintain some sense of order and sanity while in isolation. Truthfully, few of us (including myself) want to hear anymore bad news. I believe that we will all get through this by taking care of each other. And, it can even be a time of self improvement, research, increased learning and finding ways to bond closer with our families.
But let’s face it. Most teens are now spending hours online (some of it doing homework and legitimate activities). The Covid 19 pandemic has changed all of our lives in regards to building online connections in ways we never did before. What we may not realize is that teens often share their innermost thoughts and feelings as they post Tik Tok videos, Instagram Hashtags and maintain Snapchat Streaks. Posts like, “I am bored, scared, or alone,” are all signals for bad guys. During increased times of stress, pedophiles, pimps and predators also spend more time online taking increased chances in the hopes of connecting with a vulnerable young person they can seduce and groom.
(Original air date 10/01/2020)
Episode Description
Human trafficking Adult sex trafficking Child sex trafficking- CSEC Prostitution, Pimping and Pandering Social Media Exploitation Sextortion Child Pornography - Child abuse materials (CAM) There are so many stories in the media these days about human trafficking it is hard to understand what is real and how it all takes place and frankly what the differences are legally. This show will break down the many aspects of sexual abuse.
(Original air date 03/19/2020)
Episode Description
Life is full of unpredictable events. Some how we all expect to live our lives in a straight line or even consistent upward momentum. We like to feel like we are in control and can handle whatever life sends our way.
The recent Corona Virus Epidemic has certainly challenged many of us. Schools are shutting down, all the bars and restaurants are closing, there seems to be a run on groceries and absolute craziness in the belief there will be a toilet paper shortage.
For Million Kids this has been especially a challenging time to deal with change. Prior to this week’s announcements about event cancellations, we were conducting three to four presentations a day and were totally booked until June. Suddenly, in a three-day period ALL of our events were cancelled or postponed due to government restrictions on public gatherings etc. Million Kids is a small but mighty nonprofit whose entire income is dependent on speakers fees, donations and book sales. Without speaking events, our income will be greatly limited.
The real challenge though is that this is a time of uncertainty and stress for everyone including our teens. Teens who are on the edge or living in high risk circumstances such as a parental divorce, diminished family income, changes in school schedules etc, will be at greater risk as the future of life as we now know it seems threatened. Some teens will turn to strangers to share their secret fears and frustrations dealing with change. Some marriages will experience more conflict as parents try to cope with financial insecurity.
This show will again feature our guest speaker, Dr. Rajeev Fernando but Opal will also address creative and positive ways to help your teen deal adversity in a time of uncertainty.
(Original air date 07/23/2020)
Episode Description
Pimping is not about sex. It is about power and control and money. It permeates every level of our society. From high rollers like Epstein to common street pimps, the end goal is the same. The exploitation of another human being for personal gain. It is believed that in sex trafficking cases , at least 60% of victims are recruited by another female.
During this weeks show we will examine the full spectrum of pimping techniques: CEO, Gorilla, Romeo, Madams, Bottom Girl, Familial, Gang, and Foreign National recruiters. We will look at recruiting and grooming, sex
buying and sex selling. And how to keep your child safe from a smooth talking exploiter.
(Original air date 07/09/2020)
Episode Description
Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity. – Melody Beattie
We are living in a time of adversity. We are faced with daily challenges that most of us have never experienced. For many of us, our lives feel overwhelmingly beyond our control. And they are. Government agencies we have never heard of now tell us when we can work, when our kids can go to school and whether or not we can eat out. Family gatherings have changed or stopped completely. There are protests and riots in the streets and almost daily we hear of law enforcement agencies being defunded. Many of us are faced with financial hardships that seem almost impossible to conceive only four months ago.
The chaos causes us to stop and reflect. For Million Kids we are grateful that even though we are challenged we will be OK. We will survive somehow thanks to the generosity of our supporters.
In this week’s show we will explore the power of gratitude. With hardship comes character. We will discuss the impact of uncertainty on teens and how to use this adversity to give them strength so they will not become victims of sexual exploitation. Our work is more critical than ever before with kids on the Internet seemingly 24/7. Ok so we will “Zoom” instead of hug. We are grateful that God still provides for us to help parents who are panicked because of a teens risky behavior and still educate others for prevention and intervention so we can keep our kids safe. Join with us this Thursday July 9, at 7 AM (PST) on VoiceAmerica.com/Variety . The shows are also archived at Exploitedcrimes.com (listen)
(Original air date 08/06/2020)
Episode Description
Most of us are aware that sex trafficking and social media exploitation of our teenagers is a very real thing. Many faith-based leaders are telling me their resources are limited but still, they want to do what they can to protect and inform their families. It appears that most teens and even young children will be spending a vast amount of time online with distance learning this fall. Even first graders are being prepared for online learning. Parents, teachers, and pastors are concerned about how to keep their young kids safe from predators.
This show will focus on how churches, synagogues, and civic groups can create practical programs that will address issues related to sex trafficking and social media exploitation. Sex trafficking can be a dangerous and violent crime. It is important to know how to recognize it and report it but not get involved. We do not want grandma down at the motel taking on the cartel. Additionally, most of our kids are seduced or groomed through online relationships. It is important to know how to talk with your child, and help teens in your youth groups that may not be getting good direction from home. Even more exciting is to learn how to encourage your teens to become leaders to use technology in a way that glorifies God and honors themselves and others.
Be sure to join us………….
(Original air date 03/12/2020)
Episode Description
There is much talk these days about human trafficking. After watching documentaries, reading an online story or maybe looking at a news release one almost has the sense that it is all encompassing, and taking place on nearly every street corner. There are stories about kidnappings, scary notes on windows, immigrants being enslaved, massage parlors down the street, and even organs being removed from Southern California children to be sold in foreign lands. How on earth can anyone sort truth from fiction?
FIRST, THE TRUTH. Human Trafficking is the fastest growing crime in the U.S. and California is the number one state for cases. Surprisingly, more than half of the cases that happen in Southern California involve U.S. citizens and, all too often, our young people. To be fair, we must also acknowledge that there are many cases where individuals from outside the U.S. come to the U.S and end up exploited through sex and labor trafficking.
All of this takes place in our communities. And yet, IT IS NOT EVERYWHERE. In fact, it is hard to recognize, hard to respond to, and hard for the average citizen to know what to do about. The truth is no one in law enforcement wants Grandma down at the motel taking on the Cartel. There are things we can do to keep our kids safe from predators. And, it is important to understand the full scope of trafficking so, if you do see it, you can report it. But DO NOT GET INVOLVED IN THE MIDDLE OF A TRAFFICKING SCENARIO.
(Original air date 04/02/2020)
Episode Description
We truly live in a “world without borders.” Every day there is an update as we measure the impact of the Covid-19 crisis on our lives, our city, our country and compare it to Italy, China, Japan etc. Most of us are in isolation, and now more than ever we turn to online information to analyze the state of our lives. Many are telecommuting, live streaming, taking online classes and playing more games than ever. It is truly an historic and life changing experience.
Kids have more access to strangers than ever before and now they have time on their hands. Some are bored, some are scared and some just want to try out something different to relieve their anxiety. As stress accelerates, pedophiles and predators become even more aggressive, obsessive and they also have time on their hands.
Join us as we examine the power of social media during this crisis. We will look at “whats true,” whats possible, how predators seduce scared and vulnerable kids, and how we can all THRIVE through social media.
(Original air date 07/16/2020)
Episode Description
There is a movement across the U.S. to defund law enforcement agencies. Additionally, with Covid 19 crisis many prisons and jails are letting prisoners out early.
On this week’s show we will look at the impact of decreasing investigation and policing budgets will have on crimes of sexual exploitation. Sex Trafficking crimes are complex and often multi- jurisdictional. These crimes often take months even years to break especially if the crime involves large scale sex trafficking rings
Victim’s are moved from community to community and many city police agencies will participate in locating and rescuing a victim and then prosecuting the perpetrator. For many sex offenders who were sent to prison, there are one or more witnesses who risk everything to ensure the pimp or predator is incarcerated so they cannot harm another person again. Understanding that we are in an historical era of global pandemic and social unrest, it is critical that we stop and consider the long term impact on victims and community safety.
(Original air date 03/05/2020)
Episode Description
Dr. Fernando works with the Department of Homeland Security as a physician on Plum Island, New York. He is also a world-renown infectious disease specialist, formerly touring the world while serving as a member of Doctors Without Borders in Sudan. Dr. Fernando will also talk about the health risks related to human trafficking, the opioid epidemic, as well as the Coronavirus.
(Special Rebroadcast 04/23/2020 | Original air date 12/05/2019)
Episode Description
Don Howell has spent a life time in law enforcement investigating sexually motivated crimes including child molestation, rape, physical abuse of children, homicide and child kidnapping/abduction. He is a 30-year member of the California Sexual Assault Investigators Association and the author of three books “Sex Crimes – a Step by Step Guide to Effective Interviewing of Victims and Suspects,” “Beyond Stranger Danger, Smart Parents Raising Safe Kids,” and “Lessons From a 21st Century Samurai Seiken Way, Completing the Circle, a True Story.”
This week as host, Opal Singleton, interviews Don, listeners will gain an eye-opening understanding of the motivations behind many sexual assaults. Don will share his experience of interviewing both perpetrators and adult and minor victims to help us understand how and why these horrendous crimes take place. Don will also reveal the five trademarks of sex offenders. Most important, we will share with parents what they really need to know about sexual predators to protect and educate their children.
(Original air date 10/29/2020)
Episode Description
In 2016, California voters passed Proposition 57 which stated that "non-violent offenders" could be considered for early release from prison with the idea of helping relieve the over crowding of California prisons and assist rehabilitated prisoners to leave incarceration and begin a new life. The challenge was that no one defined what a "non violent offense" was . It turns out that there are only a few crimes in the California Penal Code that are considered "violent". Sex with a minor, sex with a dead person, sex trafficking of a minor or assault on a law enforcement officer were not considered "violent". Proposition 20 is designed to improve on that situation. While not a perfect solution it does redefine 51 crimes under the California Penal Code as being considered "Violent" and providing Judges the opportunity to deny early parole. Sex Trafficking of a minor is one of those crimes. This weeks show we will discuss the background behind California Proposition 57 and why Proposition 20 can make it more difficult for sex offenders to obtain early release from prison.
(Original air date 04/30/2020)
Episode Description
Dealing with all the challenges of isolation and business shut down and watching families struggle with illness, death and financial hardship has been difficult for all of us. As a nonprofit organization dedicated to “Keeping Kids Safe from Predators”, this has especially challenging for Million Kids. Historically our work is supported through book sales, speakers fees for presentations, and the generosity of many good people who carve out a portion of their resources to help us educate parents and teens and find missing kids and supporting law enforcement to help sex trafficking victims transition out of the life of exploitation. We are fighting every day to continue our work until we can return to normal.
The Covid 19 isolation has created many interesting scenarios that challenge our ability to combat crimes of sexual exploitation. Sex Offenders are being released early to protect prisoners who may be exposed. Some who are charged with sex crimes will be released without bail. Two Riverside County Sheriff’s Deputies died from Corona virus and many more have tested positive. Pimps and pedophiles are more active than ever and their victims blatantly are forced to wear masks and gloves while still promoting their services.
(Original air date 08/20/2020)
Episode Description
These are hard times. No other way to say it. Searing Heat, social distancing, a pandemic of deaths and illness, unemployment, and first graders preparing to “go to school” online. If there was ever a time when we all needed the strength of strong character it is now. The difference between being a victim online and being a warrior is knowing who you are and what you believe. We are entering a truly historic time when our very youngest children will be on the “World wide Web” using technology that accesses millions of people, and they will be exposed to more sexual promiscuity and animated pornography than any generation before them. Our kids are givers and they want to please. Pedophiles prey on a child’s need for love and approval and the need to be recognized. Easy money schemes and having the most “likes” can be very costly. Teaching a child that every time they do what is right instead of what is easy is the most important guidance a parent or grandparent can provide in these very challenging times.
Be sure to join us next time!
(Original air date 10/22/2020)
Episode Description
The grooming and recruitment of teens in sex crimes often takes place in a school setting. Sometimes a student's behavior changes. They start to dress provocatively, or leave school early. Sometimes they are regularly sleepy or hungry. A younger girl may suddenly have a new older boyfriend and seems to be controlled or dominated by him. In 60% of sex trafficking cases the younger girl is recruited by another girl and they all start missing school. Over 9000 kids a day in the US are being blackmailed because they sent a naked or sexual photo to someone they want to care about them. This often shows up as a change in behavior as the victim is trapped and being threatened. More than 50% will meet with their perpetrator before they will tell a parent. They may start cutting, or become emotionally withdrawn or volatile. Some may consider suicide. The signs a student is a victim of exploitation can be recognized if adults are educated on what to look for. This week join us..
(Original air date 05/14/2020)
Episode Description
Million Kids has spent over ten years working with teens and parents who end up being exploited by an online predator or become victims of sex trafficking because they trusted the wrong person. Our team has often discussed the issue of what makes one person more susceptible to being violated or exploited than another. This show will explore the many factors related to vulnerability.
The number one factor is the belief that you are “damaged goods.” We will explore the difference between “failing” and “being flawed.” Very often it is the desire to “fit in” to be accepted and sometimes it has to do with the desperate need for others to “take care of me.” We will explore risk taking behaviors and how the desire to take short cuts and get quick fame and success or easy money that opens the door to exploitation.
(Original air date 07/02/2020)
Episode Description
Organized crime, sex trafficking rings, and illegal pot grows all have one thing in common. Money Laundering. Few people in Southern California are aware of just how close they live to big dollar crime.
A recent illegal pot grow in Riverside County netted over one million dollars in cash. A sex trafficking ring in San Gabriel had 50 different bank accounts in 9 different banks and they were buying and selling real estate to move the money back to China. A sex trafficking ring in Chino Hills and Irvine used over 20,000 sex ads to exploit women netting over $1.7 million from sex buyers. A Thai ring out of Los Angeles County sent tens of millions of dollars back to Bangkok.
(Original air date 07/30/2020)
Episode Description
All app companies, chatrooms and yes, even online gaming companies have total access to your soul. Well darn near! Most app companies never charge you to use their services, so have you ever wondered how some of them are worth nearly a trillion dollars?
Forget the crazy protests and social isolation and the fact that the grocery store will not take your coins, your life is being turned over to phantom influencers and most of us are oblivious. Today there is a global race to dominate the real time sale of your most private information including your bathroom habits, sexual preferences, allergies to chocolate or whether you prefer boxers or briefs. The same is true for your child.
What happens if that company is a Chinese company instead of a US Company. What happens when there are no more dollar bills and the only way to purchase something is to reveal your political persuasions, your spiritual beliefs, your most intimate physical issues and sexual preferences. Our world is rapidly changing. How do we prepare the next generation to be leaders in a world without borders dominated and controlled by phantom organizations that determine how we should vote, spend our money and communicate with those closest to us. There has never been a more challenging time in history to be a parent.
Be sure to join us………….
(Original air date 09/17/2020)
Episode Description
This week we examine the phenomena of the "Cuties" movie that portrays eleven year old girls emulating sex acts to music. We explore the impact on our kids and our society of prepubescent children emulating adult sex acts while on the world wide web. We discuss the issue of our kids being exposed to adult sexual relations before they even understand adult sex and the impact of shame based sexual encounters with adult perpetrators.
We discuss how sex without context, sex without morals, sex with intimacy will form life time feelings about future sexual relationships. Most important we talk about what parents and community leaders can do to counter this hyper-sexualization of our young children.
(Original air date 03/26/2020)
Episode Description
Times of adversity can either make you or break you. Many people are currently being forced into isolation due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Others are laid off or are forced to work in difficult conditions at home. Most of us are concerned about our financial future as incomes are tentative and the stock market is wiping out many retirement funds. Kids are out of school and many are functioning from a mindset of fear and uncertainty.
If this crisis is occurring at a time when there was already stress in the family or in relationships, it will definitely cause a greater impact. It is important to recognize the place where you and your family are and develop a solid strategy for taking control of your lives. Change brings out the fear and panic in all of us. It would be easy to make decisions that you would not make in more stable times.
If you were contemplating a major move in your life, put it off. Especially if you were thinking of getting a divorce or a major relocation or leaving your job. Focus on stabilizing your current situation. Especially, if you have young people at home.
These are difficult times for young people. Most teens born after 2000 have not seen much adversity.They need your leadership more than ever, and they need solid, concrete steps to maintain stability in their lives.
It is true that crisis accelerates bad guys. And right now, it also presents opportunity for your child to make poor decisions, act out in ways that are not healthy and take more chances on the internet. Help your child get a plan to take control of their lives and deal with adversity. Encourage them to put down the phone/tablet and verbalize what they are feeling.
(Special Rebroadcast 04/09/2020 | Original air date 04/02/2020)
Episode Description
We truly live in a “world without borders.” Every day there is an update as we measure the impact of the Covid-19 crisis on our lives, our city, our country and compare it to Italy, China, Japan etc. Most of us are in isolation, and now more than ever we turn to online information to analyze the state of our lives. Many are telecommuting, live streaming, taking online classes and playing more games than ever. It is truly an historic and life changing experience.
Kids have more access to strangers than ever before and now they have time on their hands. Some are bored, some are scared and some just want to try out something different to relieve their anxiety. As stress accelerates, pedophiles and predators become even more aggressive, obsessive and they also have time on their hands.
Join us as we examine the power of social media during this crisis. We will look at “whats true,” whats possible, how predators seduce scared and vulnerable kids, and how we can all THRIVE through social media.
(Original air date 08/13/2020)
Episode Description
All a parent has to do is read this article and suddenly the thought of having millions of kids online this fall without supervision, bored and with time on their hands, becomes a reality. And we realize our world is about to change.
“34 Central Valley Men arrested for trying to meet children for sex, Fresno Co Sheriff Says”…….
August 7, 2020 This week the Fresno County Sheriff conducted multiple undercover stings where they used a variety of apps and posed as children ages 12 and 13 years old. In a less than one week 34 men had conversations with the “minors” and arranged a meet up for sex where they were met by law enforcement and arrested. If you think online pedophilia is not rampant during this Covid crisis knowing that our kids will have lots of time on their hands and are playing online, you are not informed. National Center for Missing and Exploited Children runs a hot line to report sextortion, sex trafficking and social media exploitation. The number of calls reporting online exploitation is up 93% this year. We are at a very disturbing time in history that has never happened before.
Our kids will be doing distance learning instead of classroom. Kids as young as five will have their classes online giving them unprecedented access to the world wide web. More kids than ever will be bored, stressed and unsupervised due to Covid isolation. Apps like Tik Tok, Likee and Byte will provide our kids millions of likes and thousands of followers who can text directly to our kids. There is a huge difference between a real-life relationship where you can see and evaluate who you are communicating with and an online relationship where every one looks beautiful, rich and promises to make our kids famous. Few people are preparing their kids to understand how to evaluate an “Empowering Relationship” and an “Exploitative Relationship” when you cannot see who is really on the other end.
Be sure to join us as we explore the power of fantasy in relationships online.
(Original air date 02/27/2020)
Episode Description
There is much talk these days about human trafficking. After watching documentaries, reading an online story or maybe looking at a news release one almost has the sense that it is all encompassing, and taking place on nearly every street corner. There are stories about kidnappings, scary notes on windows, immigrants being enslaved, massage parlors down the street, and even organs being removed from Southern California children to be sold in foreign lands. How on earth can anyone sort truth from fiction?
FIRST, THE TRUTH. Human Trafficking is the fastest growing crime in the U.S. and California is the number one state for cases. Surprisingly, more than half of the cases that happen in Southern California involve U.S. citizens and, all too often, our young people. To be fair, we must also acknowledge that there are many cases where individuals from outside the U.S. come to the U.S and end up exploited through sex and labor trafficking.
All of this takes place in our communities. And yet, IT IS NOT EVERYWHERE. In fact, it is hard to recognize, hard to respond to, and hard for the average citizen to know what to do about. The truth is no one in law enforcement wants Grandma down at the motel taking on the Cartel. There are things we can do to keep our kids safe from predators. And, it is important to understand the full scope of trafficking so, if you do see it, you can report it. But DO NOT GET INVOLVED IN THE MIDDLE OF A TRAFFICKING SCENARIO.
(Original air date 10/08/2020)
Episode Description
The Center for Disease Control has estimated that 18,000 kids a day will send a naked photo online. And that was before social distancing and Covid isolation and online learning. Have you ever thought about where naked photos “go” when you hit “send” This week we are going to talk about the global phenomena of sexting and sending illicit videos and photos and the psychological impact they have on the sender. Certainly, there is the obvious, you can be blackmailed, bullied, and sexually exploited but what about the long term effects of not knowing who has seen them, and how it will affect your self-image and future romantic and family relationships? A simple act of making a bad decision when hormones rage can change your life forever. That is true if you are 15 or 65.
(Special Rebroadcast 05/07/2020 | Original air date 12/06/2018)
Episode Description
Dealing with all the challenges of isolation and business shut down and watching families struggle with illness, death and financial hardship has been difficult for all of us. As a nonprofit organization dedicated to “Keeping Kids Safe from Predators”, this has especially challenging for Million Kids. Historically our work is supported through book sales, speakers fees for presentations, and the generosity of many good people who carve out a portion of their resources to help us educate parents and teens and find missing kids and supporting law enforcement to help sex trafficking victims transition out of the life of exploitation. We are fighting every day to continue our work until we can return to normal.
The Covid 19 isolation has created many interesting scenarios that challenge our ability to combat crimes of sexual exploitation. Sex Offenders are being released early to protect prisoners who may be exposed. Some who are charged with sex crimes will be released without bail. Two Riverside County Sheriff’s Deputies died from Corona virus and many more have tested positive. Pimps and pedophiles are more active than ever and their victims blatantly are forced to wear masks and gloves while still promoting their services.
(Original air date 08/27/2020)
Episode Description
It seems every day we hear of a new conspiracy theory regarding human trafficking. In some ways that is good news because that means people are paying attention. Million Kids has been combating human trafficking since 2008 and have educated over 400,000 individuals and leaders. In the beginning few people understand exactly how
commercial sexual exploitation took place in the U.S. Today, there are literally hundreds of organizations committed to eradicating human trafficking. However, with so much awareness in the public comes a lot of misinformation and some misunderstanding of exactly what human trafficking is and what to look for.
This week we are going to examine several of the theories and cases of trafficking in the public eye and discuss what is real, what is probable, what is speculation and what is not provable. We will look at some of the egregious cases of sexual exploitation that has taken place in the Inland Empire. Million Kids serves as the Training and Outreach
Coordinator for the Riverside County Anti Human Trafficking Task Force. We specialize in dealing with real facts so we can understand how to educate first responders, civic leaders, faith based leaders, educators, parents and teens about the facts and realities of trafficking so that we can keep our kids safe from predators
Be sure to join us next time!
Exploited! Crimes Against Humanity is a MillionKids.org program to keep kids safe from predators.
Million Kids is a registered 501(c)3 organization located in Riverside, California | EIN: 26-3174662
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