Children's Cove reports rise in online exploitation referrals; expands school outreach

Jacob Stapleton, community engagement and education program manager at Children's Cove, told the Barnstable County Assembly of Delegates on Oct. 1 that the region continues to see an increase in referrals for child sexual exploitation and online-facilitated crimes.

Stapleton told delegates the regional total — Bristol, Plymouth and Cape & Islands combined — was 533 referrals affecting 471 children in the most recent year. He said 57 of those involved children age 12 or younger and that about 75% were aged 13 to 17. Stapleton said 18% of identified victims were male, 80% identified as female and about 2% identified as transgender, and noted male victims historically underreport. The Children's Cove report was submitted to the assembly in August and is available at childrenscove.org, he said.

Children's Cove provides a coordinated, multidisciplinary response to crimes against children in the Cape and Islands district, Stapleton said. The center conducts forensic interviews, coordinates medical and mental-health follow-up, and runs training and prevention programs for schools, law enforcement and other child-serving professionals.

"Our first and foremost priority is the safety of the child," Stapleton said, describing a regional protocol that brings law enforcement, the district attorney's office, the Department of Children and Families and medical providers together when trafficking or commercial exploitation is suspected.

Stapleton said the center has increased youth-facing prevention work focused on online safety and digital citizenship. Children's Cove partnered with Richard Geary of the Institute for Responsible Online and Cellphone Communication (IROC2) to provide one-hour presentations to students in third through eighth grades in Monomoy Regional and Mashpee school districts. Stapleton said the presentations were well received and that the program plans additional school and parent forums this year.

"We need to educate kids about online safety and give parents tools to talk about technology," Stapleton said. He said the center also uses peer leaders and a teen task force to reach high-school-age youth.

During a question-and-answer period, delegates pressed for local detail and clarification. Delegate Sampson asked whether Children’s Cove could provide a town-by-town breakdown; Stapleton said he could supply that information but did not have it at the meeting. Delegate Killian confirmed the 533-referral figure covered Bristol, Plymouth and the Cape combined. Stapleton explained that referrals are often multi-jurisdictional — for example, a report might originate in one county while alleged exploitation occurred elsewhere — and that the regional protocol has been in place since 2016.

Stapleton described the kinds of online-facilitated crimes the center is tracking: commercial sexual exploitation, child sexual abuse material (CSAM), sextortion and AI-manipulated images. He said the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and state trends show these referrals increasing nationwide and statewide.

Delegates asked about the investigative roles of federal and local authorities. Stapleton said investigations typically begin with local law enforcement and a mandated report to the Department of Children and Families; cases are then evaluated by the multidisciplinary team and may involve state police, federal agencies or military law enforcement when jurisdiction or the nature of evidence requires it.

Delegates offered to help with outreach. Stapleton said Children's Cove will provide trainings and parent forums for towns, youth-serving organizations and private schools on request.

Why it matters: Children's Cove's data and program work outline local impacts of a national rise in online exploitation and highlight a prevention emphasis on younger students, parent education and coordinated multidisciplinary response for investigations.

Looking ahead, Stapleton said Children's Cove will continue school-based prevention and expand parent and community forums. He offered tours of the center and follow-up data on town-level referrals.