Since the advent of the Internet, child pornography crimes have exploded, causing irrevocable harm not only to the child victims, but also to the law enforcement officers, forensic analysts, prosecutors, judges, and other professionals who must view their violation in order to rescue them. Exposure to child sexual abuse materials can have widespread and serious negative effects on professionals. Psycho-educational programs are crucial to helping exposed individuals learn how to recognize and cope with problems, before they become severe or permanent.
The Innocent Justice Foundation has partnered with the Department of Justice’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), five Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force Commanders, and a leading global mental health expert in the child sexual abuse material field to develop one of the first comprehensive, foundational training programs in the United States to address this exploding problem. The program, including several basic and advanced level trainings, is called the Supporting Heroes in Mental Health Foundational Training (SHIFT). Below are direct links to selected resources posted on their website.
The Innocent Justice Foundation has partnered with the Department of Justice’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), five Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force Commanders, and a leading global mental health expert in the child sexual abuse material field to develop one of the first comprehensive, foundational training programs in the United States to address this exploding problem. The program, including several basic and advanced level trainings, is called the Supporting Heroes in Mental Health Foundational Training (SHIFT). Below are direct links to selected resources posted on their website.
- Video: Impacts of Investigating Child Sexual Abuse Images - This video outlines the impacts of viewing and investigating child sexual abuse images and the strong need for mental health wellness programs for exposed individuals.
- Judicial Guide - Judicial personnel’s guide to understanding the needs of individuals exposed to child pornography in the workplace.
- Upper-Level Management (Administrator’s) Guide - A high-level administrator’s guide to understanding the needs of individuals exposed to child pornography in the workplace.
- Friends and Family of Exposed Individuals Guide - The support of friends and family is essential in assisting exposed individuals deal with trauma. In fact, 90% of the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task forces surveyed reported that a strong family and friend base contributed to staying healthy. This guide provides advice and support to family and friends of exposed individuals.
- Unit Commander Guide - The Purpose of this Guide is to (1) Provide best practice recommendations for those managing or supporting individuals exposed to child pornography images through their work; (2) Provide suggestions for practical guidelines that can be implemented within the workplace; and (3) Provide advice on finding an appropriate mental health professional to work with your unit or to work with employees individually.
- The Confidentiality Guide - This guide explains how confidentiality and data protection is applied in counseling.
- Finding a Mental Health Professional Guide - The Purpose of this Guide is to (1) Provide best practice recommendations for choosing a mental health professional for your organization to work with those individuals exposed to child sexual abuse images; (2) Provide suggestions for practical guidelines ranging from identifying possible candidates to initiating a formal contract; and (3) Provide suggested questions to ask during the interview process.