Nearly 5,000 child-protection professionals from more than 16 countries will gather at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel beginning Sunday for the 38th annual Crimes Against Children Conference, the world’s largest conference devoted to training people who investigate, prosecute and respond to crimes against children.
The Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center will host the conference through Thursday, August 6. Sunday features early registration and orientation, while the formal program opens Monday at 8 a.m. with a plenary address by former NFL quarterback and child-protection advocate Tim Tebow.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, Tebow, the founder and chairman of the Tim Tebow Foundation, urged Congress in March to devote more resources to identifying and rescuing children depicted in sexual-abuse material.
The conference will offer more than 500 live sessions and more than 50 on-demand sessions. A faculty of 226 experts will cover subjects including digital forensics, online exploitation, child trafficking, medical care, forensic interviewing and courtroom testimony.
More than 4,700 professionals attended in 2025. Organizers expect a similar-sized crowd this year.
“When thousands of professionals come together to learn from one another, share what is working and confront the challenges facing children today, the impact reaches far beyond the conference itself. They return to communities around the world better equipped to recognize abuse, pursue justice and help children heal,” DCAC President and CEO Lori Allen said in a statement.
“I am incredibly proud that DCAC continues to bring this community together and help move this critical work forward. This week of learning turns into a lifetime of impact.”
Texas data separate investigations from confirmed deaths
The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services investigated 581 possible child abuse- and neglect-related fatalities in fiscal year 2025, down from 587 a year earlier and a 10-year high of 997 in fiscal year 2022.
The agency confirmed that abuse or neglect caused 124 deaths in fiscal year 2025, up 25% from 99 a year earlier. That equals more than two confirmed child maltreatment deaths per week. Children age 3 and younger accounted for 73.4% of the confirmed deaths.
Online exploitation reports surge
Texas law enforcement received more than 234,000 CyberTipline referrals in 2025, including more than 65,900 related to the possession, distribution or production of child sexual abuse material and more than 67,700 concerning online enticement, according to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. NCMEC also received reports of 5,416 missing children from Texas during the year.
Nationally, the CyberTipline received 21.3 million reports in 2025. More than 400,000 reports had a generative-artificial-intelligence connection, and more than 182,000 involved someone possessing, generating or attempting to generate AI-created child sexual abuse material.
NCMEC received an average of 137 financial-sextortion reports per day, a 37% increase from 2024. The organization said the crime often targets teenage boys and has contributed to the suicides of at least three dozen boys in the United States.
FBI Dallas and the North Texas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force announced 276 child-exploitation arrests and the rescue of 89 children through Operation Soteria Shield in March and April. Ninety-one law enforcement agencies participated in the statewide operation. The arrests do not establish guilt, and each defendant remains presumed innocent unless convicted.
DCAC’s work beyond the conference
DCAC coordinates child-abuse investigations, prosecutions and healing services in Dallas County. The organization served 12,049 children and eligible family members in 2025 and coordinated 9,158 cases through its multidisciplinary team.
Anyone who reasonably suspects child abuse or neglect must report it immediately under Texas law. Texans can call the Texas Abuse Hotline at 1-800-252-5400 or report suspected abuse online. Anyone who believes a child faces immediate danger should call 911.
Provided by Dallas Express
