HHS webinar urges schools to treat technology-facilitated abuse as a preventable safety issue
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Summary
Federal and community speakers at an HHS webinar described how technology-facilitated abuse (TFA) — from cyberbullying and impersonation to sextortion and AI-generated imagery — can escalate into trafficking, urged early, nonpunitive school responses, and outlined concrete school and family strategies.
Kevin Malone, Senior Adviser on Human Trafficking at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, opened a federal webinar on technology-facilitated abuse by warning that online tools can both help students learn and create real risks. "In 2024, a study was done. 1 in 17 children reported having personally experienced sextortion," Malone said, and he cited the recently signed Take It Down Act as part of federal efforts to increase prevention and supports.
The presenters described technology-facilitated abuse, or TFA, as a set of behaviors that use digital tools to violate privacy and cause emotional, social or physical harm — including cyberbullying, grooming, sextortion, impersonation, account hijacking, and nonconsensual image sharing. Sarah Mouser, an education and outreach specialist, cited National Center for Missing and Exploited Children reporting that categories of online harm rose when comparing January 2024 to January 2025, and she warned that generative artificial intelligence is already being used to create explicit images that intensify risks for students.
Why it matters: presenters said TFA often appears in schools first as behavior or attendance changes rather than as an explicit disclosure. Educators were given concrete red flags—sudden withdrawal, drops in attendance or grades, secrecy about device use, frequent requests to use devices privately, or dramatic changes in peer interactions—and told that noticing those shifts and responding calmly can interrupt escalation before exploitation worsens.
Speakers offered practical steps schools can take immediately. They recommended normalizing conversations about online harm so students feel safe reporting, watching for digital red flags, and reinforcing one clear safety message: if something online feels confusing or scary, talk to a trusted adult. Presenters advised integrating TFA prevention into existing structures such as health or technology classes, creating student-friendly and anonymous reporting options, adopting amnesty policies to prioritize safety over punishment, and embedding trauma-informed responses in all actions.
Donna Brailsford described an approach used in New York City that requires schools to educate staff, students and parents on sensitive topics and advised that when contacting a parent could increase risk, a counselor or social worker meet with the parent before bringing the child and parent together. Lived-experience speaker Eliston Berry urged that "1 conversation can save a life," describing how a lack of urgency in school responses allowed harm to continue in their experience.
Family and community partnerships were highlighted as critical. Presenters urged schools to offer parent education sessions, provide resource pages and hotlines, collect caregiver input on needs, and develop interagency reporting protocols in collaboration with child welfare providers and law enforcement. Attendees were directed to existing national resources including the National Human Trafficking Hotline, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) cyber tip line, RAINN, and the National Domestic Violence Hotline for immediate referral options.
The session closed with Malone encouraging school professionals to keep building trusted relationships, to discuss digital boundaries and consent with students, and to respond without judgment while following mandated reporting policies. "What students need first is to be believed, to be safe, and to be connected to the right support," Malone said.
The webinar did not record formal policy changes or votes; presenters repeatedly emphasized that schools should review district reporting rules (noted in the webinar as "title 9" mandated reporting) and align any local policies with existing legal obligations. Attendees were left with recommended next steps: adopt clear procedures, train staff, offer student-centered reporting, and strengthen family and community partnerships to support prevention and response.
