LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Officials with the Arkansas State Police are urging caution as the department records an increase in online child exploitation.
ASP officials said data from the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force show a dramatic increase. The preliminary 2025 ICAC figures show 391 sextortion increases, a 118% increase, 5,653 online enticement pre-travel reports, a 490% increase, 11 suicide threats, a 120% increase and 5 child sex trafficking cases, a 150% increase.
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The 391 sextortion cases investigated by the task force in 2025, compared to the 16 cases investigated in 2020, officials said. They attribute some of this increase to the federal REPORT Act, which expanded mandatory reporting requirements for service providers.
ASP stresses the importance of persistent caregiver awareness, particularly as social media, online gaming, and emerging virtual reality communities expand…