BEE BRANCH, Ark. — In September, we first reported the alarming rise in child exploitation cases that some said has reached a "crisis level."
That warning led to a face-to-face discussion Thursday with parents in Van Buren County.
"It's very concerning," parent Adam Pardue said.
Pardue is one of several parents afraid about their children's safety on social media.
On Thursday, the Van Buren County Sheriff's Office and the Children's Advocacy Alliance held an informational meeting at Southside High School in Bee Branch, not to scare parents but to educate them about what's happening at home.
"We want the parents to be educated not only on what child exploitation is, but what to do whenever their child comes to them if it happens to them," Chasta Harrison with the Van Buren County Sheriff's Office said.
Harrison and Brooke Lasley with the Children's Advocacy Alliance explained the signs to look for in your child and how to have that difficult conversation with them if they are a victim of exploitation.
Unfortunately, it's happening more.
Just two weeks ago, the sheriff's office reported a 600 percent increase in cases, and that number continues to rise.
"We have one that is supposed to be coming in pretty soon," Harrison said. "I had to talk to the grandparent about how to report it to the cyber tip hotline, but I suspect it'll come in pretty soon."
Now, they're trying to expand their reach by hosting meetings like this.
"We just want the parents to understand that even if your child doesn't come to you, then maybe they will come to somebody," Harrison said. "There are people there that can help."
Harrison recommends setting rules for what your kids can share on social media, setting up privacy settings, creating strong passwords, and talking about their friends list.
"People can look on Snapchat and see where your locations are," Pardue said. "They can spot where every kid is that they're friends with, and these people are pretending to be teenagers."
Pardue said the whole discussion was eye-opening, and he plans to use what he learned to set more boundaries for his two kids.
"You always got to have your eye open," Pardue said.
According to the Sheriff's Office, most cases involve girls ages 11 to 15.
If your child is a victim of exploitation, you're encouraged to contact your local sheriff's department and report the predator to the CyberTipline by calling 1-800 THE LOST.
Harrison said the next step is to go into schools to educate students about the same topic.