Missing and Exploited Children Site
	Erika Lyn Smith BellaOnline's Missing and Exploited Children Editor

Child Exploitation - Who to Trust
Most child predators know their victims personally and intimately through one or both parents. Yes, that means the people closest to the mother or father maybe the very one hurting your child. Find out what to look for before your child is a victim.

Child Pornography
Child pornography exploits children sexually. Read these articles and learn how to keep children safe.

Childhood Exploitation - What Does Exploited Mean
We know what the word missing means, but does anyone know what the word exploited means. According to Dictionary.com, exploited is defined, “To employ to the greatest possible advantage” or “To make use of selfishly or unethically.” Put simply, exploited means to manipulate.

Dangers of Abuse of Authority
Parents teach children from an early age to listen to adults, and to respect adults, especially those who represent authority figures. By teaching children to respect authority and elders, unequivocally, and without question, is in reality setting up a child for exploitation.

Exploitation
Many sex offenders who will abuse a child are either a well-known family friend or a direct relative of the victim. This means the offender is someone the child already knows and trusts and NOT a stranger hiding in the bushes. So how do you keep your child safe?

Recognizing Child Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation
Tragically, everyday children survive abuse, neglect, and exploitation. Even more tragic is that someone ignores the red flags or obvious acts of abuse and does nothing to help.

Sexual Texting or Sexting
Before sending photos by cell phone or email to friends one should consider carefully what might happen to that picture if the relationship ends on a bad note or if the picture falls into the wrong hands. Sextual texting is ruining lives. Find out how.

What is the CyberTipLine?
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) provides a CyberTipLine for people to report a missing child or suspected child exploitation. Learn how to help a child in being hurt or exploited.