Tim Tebow urged Congress to go to battle for child abuse victims. Here's what he said
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Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback and SEC football legend Tim Tebow donned a suit and tie Wednesday to go to battle for special MVPs: Most Vulnerable People.
The man who will forever be known as the Florida Gator who led the team to two BCS National Championship titles, Tebow testified March 6 at a House hearing on child abuse.
The Tim Tebow Foundation is proposing legislation "to enhance the capability to identify and locate the more than 50,000 unidentified children who are being abused, raped and tortured."
On Wednesday, Tebow made an emotional appeal, asking members of Congress to rescue unidentified children.
Operation Renewed Hope: Homeland Security Investigations partners with others to identify child victims
In August 2023, Homeland Security Investigations completed Operation Renewed Hope, the first of its kind in the U.S.
International law enforcement agencies worked together to to identify previously unknown victims of online child sexual exploitation and abuse.
"In 15 days, they were able to identify 316 boys and girls, but that's a tiny dent," Tebow said, saying there more than 50,000 unidentified children who are being abused and raped and whose images and videos have been captured.
Of the 316 identified, more than half were in the U.S., Tebow said.
"That means there's thousands of boys and girls that are starving for hope in our own backyards and we have the chance to bring hope to those who are starving for it, if we are willing."
Tim Tebow: Build a rescue team to save boys and girls
"I'm here today to ask you to say yes to a bill we'll present. The bill has one goal: to build a rescue team.
"There are so many frontline warriors and heroes, but there just aren't enough and we need to support them. We need more of them to get to these 50,000 boys and girls.
"The bill's intent is to build a team that has the funding, the support, the training, and the technology so they can get to these 50,000" children.
Appeal from child victim. 'Can someone please rescue me'?
Tebow read a powerful letter from a child victim who he said was raped almost every night for seven years. The child's letter said:
"Rescue me. Help me. Monsters are chasing. Can't you see? Monsters are whispering. Can't you hear? Monsters are shouting you're nothing. Can't you feel my pain? Monsters are pushing. End it all. Just jump. Monsters are laughing; You're all alone in this. Can someone please rescue me?"
"Hear and answer her call," Tebow said.
"Every one of those boys and girls is worth us answering the call and doing everything we can so they can experience the faith, hope and love that they deserve, not the bondage and torture they're in right now."
"We have to do more than talk about it; we have to act," Tebow added.
What is the Tim Tebow Foundation doing?
"In every second that goes by, 156 images of child sexual abuse material are being shared, uploaded, and distributed across the internet," the foundation's website said. "The exploitation and abuse of children not only inflicts unimaginable harm upon its victims but also undermines the worth and value instilled to us by God, who created us in His image.
"Despite ongoing efforts to combat this evil, the growth of CSAM — child sexual abuse material — is happening at an alarming rate. The workforce fighting these crimes simply isn’t big enough. It is imperative that Congress takes proactive measures to expand law enforcement's ability to identify child victims, investigate, and prosecute offenders at scale."
The foundation's proposed victim identification bill would "build a rescue team of analysts to locate and protect the children seen in sexually abusive imagery at the global level. Specifically, the bill would:
Create a position focused exclusively on victim identification within law enforcement and the funding to deploy these analysts around the world.
Expand HSI and Interpol's world class training capabilities to support this work globally, because American victims' images are shared by computers around the world.
Modernize the ICSE database so that law enforcement around the world can keep pace with this growing threat against children..
The foundation urged the public to prioritize Child Exploitation and Victim Identification initiatives and asked Congress to work across party lines to ensure bipartisan support for these critical efforts.
Who to notify if you suspect a child victim of exploitation
Members of the public who suspect a child might be a victim of exploitation are urged to call the HSI tip line at 866-347-2423 or fill out the online tip form.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Tim Tebow Foundation proposes bill to identify 50,000 victims of abuse
