The Arkansas State Police is urging families to prioritize online safety following a dramatic surge in reports of child exploitation, according to preliminary 2025 data released on Safer Internet Day.
The ASP Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force recorded significant increases across multiple categories compared to 2024: 391 sextortion cases (up 118%), 5,653 online enticement reports (up 490%), 11 suicide threats (up 120%), and 5 child sex trafficking cases (up 150%).
Sextortion cases have risen sharply from just 16 cases in 2020 to 391 in 2025. Officials attribute part of the increase to the federal REPORT Act, which expanded mandatory reporting requirements for electronic service providers, resulting in higher CyberTip submissions nationwide.
Online enticement involves offenders grooming minors online with the intent to meet in person for sexual activity, a crime that can escalate quickly and pose immediate danger.
“The internet offers incredible tools for learning, friendship, and discovery, but those same tools can be exploited by criminals who seek to harm children,” said Sgt. Corwin Battle, Commander of the Arkansas ICAC Task Force. “Parents and caregivers should know the risks, talk about them openly, and stay involved. A trusted, ongoing conversation is one of the best forms of protection.”
Major Stacie Rhoads, ASP Criminal Investigation Division Commander, emphasized empowerment over fear. “When parents and kids communicate regularly about internet use—what’s safe, what’s not, and how to respond when something feels wrong—they build the confidence to manage the online world safely,” Rhoads said.
ASP recommends parents educate children about online safety, monitor their activities and apps, set social media accounts to private, disable location sharing, and maintain open conversations about internet dangers.
Suspicious online activity can be reported to local law enforcement, the Arkansas State Fusion Center at (501) 618-8001, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678, or online at www.cybertipline.com.
