National Association of Adult Survivors of Child Abuse

National Association of Adult Survivors of Child Abuse

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NAASCA - Find
the Missing -
Information and Resources to help stop child abuse - This section of the web site will be devoted to offering news and information dedicated to helping the community become more engaged and committed to helping those currently suffering from child abuse and other related criminal activity. You'll find a lot of info and resources on the NAASCA web site. To my mind, being of service to those who still suffer is a vital part of my recovery.
HOME PAGE
programs / projects
RECOVERY
together we can heal
RESOURCES
help stop child abuse
ABOUT
a little about us
CONTACT
join us, get involved
.
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Finding Missing Kids / Adults

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  FBI Releases New Version of Child ID App

The FBI today is announcing a reboot of its popular Child ID App, which provides parents with an easy way to electronically store their children's pictures and vital information to have on hand in case their kids go missing.

The application, which works on most Apple and Android smartphones and tablets, allows users to store up-to-date images and physical descriptions—like height, weight, birthmarks, etc.—that could help responders in the event of an emergency. The information is stored only on your device—not with your mobile provider or the FBI.

The latest version of the Child ID App contains updated features, including high-resolution image capability, a default recipient field (where you can enter your local police department's e-mail address, for example), and optional automatic reminders to update your children's profiles.

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download the
ANNUAL REPORT
(32 page pdf file)
  National Center for Missing and Exploited Children - over 25 Years

www.MissingKids.com


Today law enforcement is better trained, better prepared and responds more swiftly and effectively than ever before. There is better law and better technology. Parents are more alert and aware. Yet there are still thousands of children who do not make it home each year, and more who fall victim to sexual exploitation.

An estimated 800,000 children are reported missing each year – more than 2,000 children every day. An estimated 200,000 are abducted by family members, 58,000 by nonfamily members, the primary motive for which is sexual.

In the most serious cases, the child is abducted by a stranger and killed, held for ransom, or taken with the intention to keep.

Clearly much more needs to be done.

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  A Child Is Missing - since 1997

www.AChildIsMissing.org
(ACIM) is a Fort Lauderdale-based non-profit organization founded in 1997, was created because no community-based program existed for locating missing children, the disabled and elderly often (with Alzheimer's) during the crucial first hours of disappearance.

THE NEED: A child goes missing every 40 seconds in the United States. Your child has a 1 in 42 chance of going missing. We also address helping the Elderly, Alzheimer's and the Disabled.

MISSION: ACIM is devoted to assisting law enforcement in the search and early safe recovery efforts of children / the elderly (often with Alzheimer's) / disabled persons and college students via a rapid-response neighborhood alert program utilizing high-tech telephony systems.

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.. a national missing adults program
  Let's Bring Them Home: Our mission is two fold: to provide safety education for children and adults as well as critical resources to families with missing loved ones. We offer free, up-to-date, and critical safety education programs for children and adults. With over 25 years of combined experience, our case management team offers critical resources, case management and solutions to families with missing loved ones.

Our passion is prevention, but our heart is with the missing.

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Mission Statement: As an international association of nonprofit organizations, AMECO provides an unified voice on issues related to missing and exploited children and their families, and nurtures credible, ethical and effective nonprofit member organizations.

What We Do: AMECO is dedicated to serving the cause of missing and exploited children, their families, and the community at large. As an association of missing and exploited children's organizations, AMECO offers the following mission-driven programs and services:

Member Training: AMECO provides professional development training for its member organizations. AMECO plans, coordinates and hosts an annual conference for our member organizations; AMECO covers the airfare, accommodation, registration fees and conference meals for one representative from each member organization.

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  AMBER Alerts to Go Up on Facebook

January 3, 2011

by Deborah D. McAdams

ALEXANDRIA, VA.: AMBER Alerts will soon become available on Facebook. Users of the social media platform will be able to sign up for AMBER Alerts in their state/region, according to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. Details will be forthcoming Wednesday, when the group holds a press conference on the initiative.

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international data base of Jane / John Doe
cases including info and enhanced pictures
  The Doe Network - a volunteer organization devoted to assisting Law Enforcement in solving cold cases concerning Unexplained Disappearances and Unidentified Victims from North America, Australia and Europe. It is our mission to give the nameless back their names and return the missing to their families.

We hope to accomplish this mission in three ways; by giving the cases exposure on our website, by having our volunteers search for clues on these cases as well as making possible matches between missing and unidentified persons and lastly through attempting to get media exposure for these cases that need and deserve it.

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  The Oprah Winfrey Show

Thank you Oprah

We at the National Association of Adult Survivors of Child Abuse (NAASCA) wish to thank Oprah Winfrey for her thoughtful and informative advocacy on the many issues surrounding child abuse.

Ms. Winfrey knows all too well that there are far too few of us in recovery who can speak knowledgeably from our personal experience, too few who have come through the tragedy of having our lives instantly diverted to dark places by our molesters, pornographers and kidnappers.

The Oprah Winfrey Show is in its last season. We hope there will be a place on the new Oprah Winfrey Network to continue the high quality and much needed discussion on the issues of child abuse.
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Adults Can Help Stop Child Sexual Abuse

There are many reasons why children do not report the crime.

The abuser may be a friend, neighbor, or even a relative, someone who is close to the child. Often an abuser is a trusted, respected member of the community. Children may fear that no one will believe them or that they will be blamed for the abuse. They may be confused about the seriousness of the crime, and they are often overwhelmed with shame.

Abusers often threaten to kill or hurt their victims or their families if the children disclose the abuse. So the children often remain silent, suffering alone for years.

Most U.S. adults understand the seriousness of these offenses against children, but they don't necessarily act when they encounter them. They may not recognize the signs, or they may fear raising suspicions they can't prove or making things more difficult for the child.

Yet adults must find ways to protect young sexual abuse victims.

Parents, teachers, neighbors, coaches, and youth group leaders should learn the signs that a child may be a sexual abuse victim. Youths may seem distracted, angry, unhappy, withdrawn, or may to suffer from nightmares or other signs that something unusual is going on.

Young children may regress to earlier behaviors such as bed-wetting or thumb sucking. They may resist removing clothes at appropriate times, such as bedtime, or mimic adult sexual behavior when playing with toys.

Teens may engage in self-injury, such as cutting or burning, begin drug or alcohol abuse, become sexually promiscuous, run away from home, or become depressed or anxious. While these symptoms may reflect a variety of problems, they may also suggest sexual abuse and should not be ignored.

Adults can also look for signs that youth are trying to disclose the abuse.

Young people may disclose bits of information, not always in sequence, that suggest sexual abuse. They may say, for example, that a specific person makes them uncomfortable, without saying why. They may mention a “friend “who is being abused but fears telling anyone.

If the adult responds supportively, youths may start to share more about what is bothering them. Adults should listen attentively, affirm what the youth is saying, and involve a victim advocate to connect the youth with counseling and help with reporting the abuse.

(Resources include Childhelp USA and RAINN.)
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HOME PAGE
programs / projects
RECOVERY
together we can heal
RESOURCES
help stop child abuse
ABOUT
a little about us
CONTACT
join us, get involved