From decades of experience, NCMEC is aware of the devastating impacts CSAM victims experience when their abuse images are shared online. Like other crime victims, CSAM survivors have specific rights and are entitled to several legal protections that are relevant in practice for investigators, prosecutors, and advocates during the entire criminal justice process. The unique nature of this particular crime has also spurred several initiatives and legislation designed to notify and support CSAM survivors during the legal process and which allow for mandatory financial restitution from convicted offenders. NCMEC has programs to comprehensively support CSAM survivors while they navigate the legal system and to help connect with an attorney who can work directly on their behalf. The presentation will discuss each of these programs and important protections available for CSAM survivors, highlight the legal perspective of survivors during various stages of the investigation and prosecution, and finally share details of the numerous free resources (including a brand-new attorney manual) available from NCMEC to help.
Learning Objectives:
Recognize the full range of legal rights specifically afforded to victims of child sexual abuse material, because of the unique nature of the crime and the harm it causes.
Identify and mitigate the unintentional, and potentially negative impacts that CSAM investigations and prosecutions may cause for victims.
Connect to direct assistance programs offered by NCMEC for victims as well as the technical assistance available for legal and law enforcement professionals.
Locate and access key legal resource materials from NCMEC.
