WASHINGTON — The Department of Homeland Security’s Know2Protect, a first of its kind national public awareness campaign whose aim is to educate and empower children, teens, parents, trusted adults, and policymakers to prevent, combat, and report online child sexual exploitation and abuse announced, Dec. 4, that they are expanding their collaborative efforts with Scouting America through the creation of a Know2Protect, Scouting America patch.
The new patch serves as a symbol of the wearers commitment to both stay safe online, and to also educate others about online child sexual exploitation and abuse prevention. The exclusive patch will only be offered to Scouts and their families who participate in Know2Protect’s Project iGuardian training.
“Our partnership with Scouting America highlights our mutual commitment to combating child exploitation,” said HSI Cyber and Operational Technology Assistant Director Robert Hammer.
“We are thrilled to collaborate with the Department of Homeland Security on this important initiative,” said Glen Pounder, chief safeguarding officer at Scouting America. “In today’s digital age, it is essential for young people and their parents to understand the potential risks of online activity. The Know2Protect campaign aligns perfectly with our mission to provide a safeguarded environment for young people to learn and grow. By equipping Scouts and their families with the knowledge and tools they need to stay safe, we are helping to build stronger, more resilient communities.”
The Know2Protect campaign offers a variety of resources, including:
- Online training modules: Project iGuardian offers presentations designed to inform children, teens, parents and trusted adults on the threat of online child sexual exploitation and abuse, how to implement preventive strategies and how to report suspected abuse to law enforcement. Project iGuardian features Homeland Security Investigation’s case studies and investigative knowledge coupled with perspectives from victim assistance and forensic interview specialists.
- Family activities: Fun and engaging activities that help families learn about online safety together.
- Tips and advice: Practical tips for staying safe online, such as privacy settings, strong password management and avoiding suspicious profiles.
“The development of the Know2Protect Scout patch reflects our shared dedication to equipping children and their families with the knowledge and awareness necessary to prevent online exploitation,” continued Hammer.
Through this partnership, DHS Know2Protect and Scouting America are taking a proactive approach to addressing the growing threat of cybercrime.
Request a Presentation
The Project iGuardian team is available to inform your community of ways to protect children and teens from online predators. Our presentations are delivered by HSI special agents and other subject matter experts. These audience-specific presentations are given to schools, community groups, corporations, and nonprofit organizations that are looking to learn more and join the fight against online child sexual exploitation and abuse. To request an iGuardian presentation, email iguardian.hq@hsi.dhs.gov.
Report Suspected Abuse
If you believe someone is the victim of child sexual exploitation, you can report it using the following:
- The Know2Protect tip line at 1-833-591-KNOW.
- All information received via the tipline will be reviewed by appropriate personnel and referred to HSI field offices for potential investigation.
- Call 1-800-843-5678 or submit a CyberTipline report to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
About Scouting America
Scouting America provides the nation’s foremost youth program of character development and values-based leadership training, which helps young people be “Prepared. For Life.®”
Scouting America welcomes all of America’s youth into its programs. Our goal is to give them fantastic experiences in the outdoors, and elsewhere, where they can grow with us in a safe environment. More than 130 million Americans have been through our programs since our founding, and currently more than 1 million youth are served by 477,000 dedicated adult volunteers in local councils throughout the country.
To learn more about Scouting America’s mission, visit Scouting.org.
About the DHS Cyber Crimes Center
The Cyber Crimes Center (C3) brings together highly technical assets to conduct cross-border criminal investigations of cyber-related crimes, combat cybercrime and criminal exploitation of the internet with state-of-the-art forensic technology. The center investigates large-scale cybercrime threats and provides expertise on cybercrime investigations to the field. It also uses global law enforcement networks to combat cybercrime threats.
C3 delivers computer and cyber-based technical services in support of HSI cases — including investigations into underground online marketplaces selling illegal drugs, weapons and other contraband; enabling the trade of images of child pornography; and facilitating the theft of intellectual property, trade secrets, and export-controlled technology and data.
About Know2Protect
Know2Protect (K2P) is a national public awareness campaign from the Department of Homeland Security. K2P’s aim is to educate and empower children, teens, parents, trusted adults and policymakers to prevent, combat and report online child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information, please visit Know2Protect’s YouTube playlists at Know2Protect Campaign PSA Playlist and Know2Protect Digital Safety Series Playlist on the DHS main channel. Additional resources are available at Know2Protect.gov and @Know2Protect on Instagram, Facebook and X, formerly known as Twitter.