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Blogs
Two-Decade Reign of Abuse Ends with Life Sentence for Child Predator 

ESD K9 Heroes Help Bring Justice in Iowa Child Exploitation Case  For over 20 years, a man named Carl Markley used fraud and coercion to get dozens of teens, mostly boys, to engage in sex acts. As a nurse practitioner and business owner in Ames, Iowa, Markley used his position…

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Blogs
Ghana Operation Uncovers Massive Cyber Trafficking Network 

In the early morning of April 17, 2024, Our Rescue Ghana joined Ghanaian authorities in one of the largest anti-trafficking and cybercrime operations in the nation’s history. Over 200 survivors—mostly young men and boys—were rescued from 22 locations across an 80-unit housing estate, many of whom had been lured from…

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Blogs
Multi-Country Operation Dismantles Pedophile Platform: Bulgarian Cybercrime Directorate Helps Protect 39 Children

In March, Bulgarian law enforcement delivered a powerful blow to online child exploitationthrough a Europol-supported global crackdown on a major child sexual abuse material(CSAM) platform, Kidflix. With nearly two million users, Kidflix has become one of thelargest known platforms for CSAM. The General Directorate Combating Organized Crime’s (GDCOC) Cybercrime Directorateplayed…

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Homepage Featured
The Cases We Carry

 A National Police Week Message from Our Rescue CEO Derek Benner All of us who are serving or have served in law enforcement have peered into some of the darkest corners of humanity—investigating human trafficking, child exploitation, gang violence, cartel crimes, narcotics smuggling, illicit financial schemes, and fraud and scams.  …

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Blogs
No Expiration for Justice: Thai Authorities and Our Rescue Take Down Repeat CSAM Offender 

Nearly ten years after a Thai man filmed child sexual abuse material (CSAM) involving a nine-year-old boy, he was still distributing the video online. CSAM has no expiration date—and neither did his crimes. Previously arrested, jailed, and then released after distributing similar material, he continued sharing the video of the…

5 min read
Blogs
Our Rescue Joins Rotary VTT Team in Australia to Combat Sex Trafficking: A Global Effort for Change 

In March 2025, member of the Our Rescue Training & Prevention team embarked on a transformative month-long journey to Western Australia, invited by Rotary District 5300 as part of Rotary International’s Vocational Training Team (VTT) program. This initiative, backed by a Rotary Foundation grant, allows professionals from around the world…

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Blogs
Online Sextortion Targeting Teens Surges Nationwide

A Q&A with two detectives on the frontlines of this growing crime ARLINGTON, Texas — The crime of online sextortion is surging across the nation, increasingly targeting teenage boys and in some tragic cases, the young victims have taken their own lives after being blackmailed with compromising…

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Blogs
Our Rescue Donates Digital Forensic Device and Helps Stop Abuse of Minors  

For a 26-year-old man from Middletown, New York, TikTok wasn’t an entertainment site. It was a hunting ground and a place to meet girls under the age of 18. Even though he knew the explicit texts and FaceTime calls he instigated with a 15-year-old were illegal, that didn’t stop him…

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Blogs
An Open Letter from a Mom of Teen Boys, Warning about Sextortion 

Allow me to introduce myself. I am the SVP of Marketing at Our Rescue. It is my job to help share stories of the vital work Our Rescue is doing, alongside our partners.   I recently read an article that kept me awake long after I shut…

Survivor from First Our Rescue Operation in Europe Reclaims Future with New Business
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Blogs
Mission Update: Survivor from First Our Rescue Operation in Europe Reclaims Future with New Business 

**In this story, the survivor’s name has been changed to protect her identity.  Two years ago, Our Rescue worked alongside authorities to help dismantle an international trafficking ring preying on vulnerable women from Latin America and Africa. The traffickers lured them to Greece with false promises…

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Blogs
Redefining the Future: A Survivor’s Path to Entrepreneurship 

**In this story, the survivor’s name has been changed to protect her identity.  Tsehay thought the opportunity to go to Lebanon and become a domestic worker would be a good way to provide for herself and her family.   Instead, Tsehay suffered traumatic abuse at the hands of her employers,…

4 min read
Homepage Featured
The Dark Market Economics of Human Trafficking

The Dark Market Economics of Human Trafficking  Beyond the Human Cost  A $172.6 billion industry thrives in the shadows of our global economy, profiting from human suffering (International Labour Organization [ILO], Global Estimates Report, 2023). Human trafficking generates profits that rival some of the world’s largest…

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Blogs
Operation Amanecer III: Our Rescue Assists in the Arrest of Children’s Music Teacher in Ecuador After a Decade on the Run  

A man in Latin America was wanted on charges of rape of minors and the production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) since 2014. The suspected pedophile worked as a children’s music teacher, taking advantage of his trusted position with students to sexually exploit them. Despite his crimes and the…

2 min read
Blogs
America’s Hidden Crisis: Online Sextortion and the Deadly Risks for Teen Boys 

Daily Wire Reporter Amanda Prestigiacomo Highlights Our Rescue CEO Tammy Lee in Coverage of Sextortion Crisis  A devastating trend is quietly claiming the lives of young boys across the United States: online sextortion. A recent Daily Wire article and Morning Wire podcast…

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CSAM
What is CSAM?

Understanding CSAM: Definition and Terminology  Child sexual abuse material (CSAM), commonly known as child pornography, refers to any form of media that depicts the sexual exploitation or sexual abuse of children. This can include images, videos, or even live streams that show minors being sexually abused or exploited. The term…

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Blogs
Wyoming Man Faces 548 Years in Prison for Creating and Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Material of 16-Year-Old Girl 

A 34-year-old Wyoming man faces 548 years in prison if he’s convicted of all the charges for the manufacturing, possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) following his arrest.   The Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children,…

6 min read
Homepage Featured
Sounding the Alarm: Why the Fight Against CSAM Can’t Wait

ARLINGTON, Texas — Sex crimes against children are surging online, creating a backlog of digital evidence piling up faster than police officers across the US can sort through. Cyber tips for child sexual abuse material (CSAM) cases have tripled nationwide since 2020. This leaves police departments facing a logjam of…

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Blogs
Our Rescue Partners with Peruvian Authorities to Dismantle Sex Trafficking Network 

70 survivors identified and 7 suspects arrested in collaborative operation   The Peruvian town of Llacuabamba, nestled in the rugged Andean mountains, is far from any typical tourist route. Located a grueling 15-hour drive from the coastal city of Trujillo, it is separated by miles of barren terrain and challenging mountain…

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Blogs
Our Rescue and Thai Authorities Rescue 12-Year-Old Boy and Dismantle Illicit Chat Group  

An informant for the Thailand Internet Crime Against Children (TICAC) program thought the group on the chat app seemed suspicious. His instincts were correct. For 150 Thai Baht, equivalent to $4.45, anyone could purchase a lifetime membership to the group and get access to a trove of Child Sexual Abuse…

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Blogs
A Father’s Love Leads to Criminal Arrests and the Rescue of Eight Trafficking Survivors in Peru 

In January 2024, a desperate father pleaded with authorities in Peru to help him find and rescue his 17-year-old daughter, who had been kidnapped by a Venezuelan Transnational Criminal Organization (TCO) and trafficked to a southern Peruvian coastal town for sexual exploitation.   To help with this lifesaving mission, the Peruvian…

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Blogs
Our Rescue Partners with Police in Greece to Bust Human Trafficking Ring 

Thirteen women from Latin America and Eastern Europe arrived in Greece with dreams of a better future. They believed they had secured stable jobs, only to have their passports ripped from their hands and their identities stripped away. Trapped in a nightmare, their captors forced them into sex work under…

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Blogs
Congratulations to the K9 Class of Spring 2025! 

We are excited to announce the graduation of eight new Electronic Storage Detection (ESD) K9s from the Jordan Detection K9 training program! These incredible dogs completed their training on Friday, March 14, and are being placed in police departments across the country and Canada to help fight child exploitation. Our…

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Homepage Featured
Lives on the Line: The Urgent Need for More Survivor Shelters Near Nepal and India Border 

Lives on the Line: The Urgent Need for More Survivor Shelter Near Nepal and India Border  Charimaya Tamang was just 16-years-old when her life and dreams were violently disrupted, as traffickers forced her across the border from Nepal to India.  For nearly two years, she endured unimaginable abuse, suffering, and…

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Blogs
Breaking: Teacher arrested, 20,000 files of suspected child sexual abuse material seized, 15-year-old removed from teacher’s home

Earlier this month, a family in Thailand made a devastating discovery — a teacher was sexually abusing their nine-year-old son. The child revealed the teacher was coercing him into performing explicit acts, which the teacher filmed and uploaded online. His parents immediately reported the crime to the Cyber Crime Investigation…

Our Rescue female team members
11 min read
Homepage Featured
International Women’s Day 2025: Women Leading the Fight Against Human Trafficking

International Women’s Day is a global movement fueled by collective action, celebrating women’s achievements since its start in 1911, while confronting the work still needed to achieve true gender equality.  At Our Rescue, we are proud to be a women-led organization empowering female leaders. This day is…

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Blogs
Our Rescue Works with Thailand ICAC to Rescue Six-Year-Old Girl 

On February 19, a coordinated effort between Our Rescue and Thailand’s Internet Crimes Against Children (TICAC) Task Force led to the successful rescue of a six-year-old girl and the arrest of the family member who was abusing her.   The Thailand Internet Crimes Against Children (TICAC) Task Force, supported by the…

Photos of Our Rescue pillar work
5 min read
Our Rescue Perspectives
From Darkness to Light: The New Our Rescue

One year ago, I took on the opportunity of a lifetime as Our Rescue’s new CEO. I accepted this pivotal role with one goal: to transform the organization as a leading partner in the mission to end sex trafficking and child exploitation.   I said ‘yes’ because I saw so much…

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Blogs
Our Rescue Helps Strengthen Malta’s Fight Against Human Trafficking 

In February, Our Rescue’s Training & Prevention, Survivor Care, and Rescue Operations teams traveled to Malta—a beautiful island country on the Mediterranean Sea–with a shared mission: empower those on the front lines of justice.   Malta is on the Tier 2 Watchlist of the U.S. Department of State’s Trafficking in Persons…

group of kids drawing on a paper heart
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Blogs
Help Fund a Shelter in Nepal

For over six years, Our Rescue has partnered with Shakti Samuha, a pioneering survivor-led organization established in 1996. Shakti Samuha is dedicated to providing comprehensive support for survivors of human trafficking, including shelter, education, vocational training, and legal aid. In addition, the organization works closely with law enforcement to combat…

Quote from Lindy Borchardt
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Our Rescue Perspectives
A ‘Survivor-Centered Prosecutor’ Helps Transform Justice System as a Champion for Sex Trafficking Survivors 

A “Survivor-Centered Prosecutor” Helps Transform Justice System as Champion for Sex-Trafficking Survivors  Assistant Criminal District Attorney Lindy Borchardt, of Tarrant County, Texas, sets the gold standard for what we champion at Our Rescue: to be the light in the darkness in the fight against human trafficking.  Lindy, who serves on…

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Prevention & Awareness
The Transformative Shift in Prosecuting Sex Trafficking and Child Exploitation

Learn how survivor-centered approaches are transforming justice systems, with groundbreaking results in Tarrant County, Texas. As the conversation around human trafficking gains urgency in the public eye, a transformative shift puts survivor care at the center of the process, from the first intervention on the streets all the way to…

1 min read
Blogs
Operation in Greece Dismantles Major Human Trafficking Network  

In a significant step against sex trafficking, Greek authorities, with support from Our Rescue and nonprofit A21, dismantled a criminal trafficking organization in December of 2024.   The Directorate for Combating Organized Crime led the investigation, uncovering a network that had been operating since 2019. The traffickers targeted vulnerable women abroad,…

1 min read
Our Rescue Perspectives
Debunked Images Found on Google Maps in LA Ignites Conversation around Real Threat of Human Trafficking

Over the past day, disturbing markings such as “HELP” found on Google Maps in LA went viral, sparking fears of human trafficking in the area. While the Los Angeles Police Department has confirmed there is no legitimate threat, and the images are over a year old, the incident highlights a…

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Blogs
Our Rescue ESD K9 Cruzer Uncovers Key Evidence in Federal Child Sexual Abuse Material Case  

Jesse Blaine, 42, of Harlan, Iowa, has been sentenced to seven years in federal prison after Our Rescue-sponsored Electronic Storage Detection (ESD) K9 Cruzer and his handler helped search his home, finding hidden electronic devices containing child sexual abuse material.   The investigation began with a CyberTip from the National Center…

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Our Rescue Perspectives
Our Rescue CEO Tammy Lee Joins National Podcast to Discuss Combating Human Trafficking in Short-Term Rentals 

Human trafficking is happening everywhere, including in all 50 U.S. states, and short-term rental properties are not immune. Our Rescue CEO Tammy Lee joined the “Short Term Rental Secrets” podcast to discuss how this pervasive issue can infiltrate communities in unexpected ways. Short-term rentals are typically homes and apartments rented through…

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Statistics
Our Rescue Invites Communities Across the Nation to Join the Fight Against Human Trafficking on January 11 

National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, observed on January 11, is a call to join our collective movement to protect vulnerable individuals from human trafficking around the globe. As an organization, we partnered with communities across the U.S. and asked them to take a stand and Join the Fight™ against sex trafficking…

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Blogs
Our Rescue-Supported Operation in Ghana Results in 19 Rescues, Including 8 Minors 

In November of 2024, Our Rescue proudly collaborated with the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit of the Ghana Police Service to support a crucial rescue operation.  The Anti-Human Trafficking Unit initiated the operation, following an investigation that found children had been trafficked from Nigeria into Ghana and then forced into illicit cyber…

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Our Rescue Perspectives
11 Ways to Join the Fight™ in January 

January 11 is a call to action: join our fight to eradicate sex trafficking and child exploitation here and everywhere. To mark National Human Trafficking Awareness Day in the United States, we are shining a light on the global disgrace of human trafficking and inviting you to join as a…

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Resources for Parents
Top 11 Sex Trafficking Myths Debunked

There is a lot of confusion about the realities of human trafficking and sex trafficking. Many people have unrealistic ideas about sex trafficking based on sensationalized movies, the media, or assumptions. Dispelling myths helps to raise awareness about the true nature of sex trafficking.  If you want to help people…

3 min read
Statistics
11 Sex Trafficking Red Flags in Youth 

Several factors make children and adolescents more susceptible to sex trafficking. Most traffickers know their victims, either through family, friends, or online connections. Traffickers often present themselves as a love interest or trusted mentor/parental figure—gaining the victim’s adoration, affection, and trust, before eventually exposing them to sex trafficking.   Having…