For the first two months of 2026 we are excited to partner with Defenders for Children! They are a local charity who are dedicated to preventing crimes against children and helping children who are the victims of abuse. They also help source and provide highly specialized K9s to law enforcement, that are trained to detect micro SD cards, USB devices, and any electronic devices that can contain evidence of these crimes.

We are hopeful that this Q&A and the links at the bottom will give you a good insight into their operation and the work they do!

 

Q: Who is Defenders For Children?

A: Defenders For Children (DFC), founded in 2010, is a Greenville, South Carolina–based grassroots nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting children and stopping those who harm them. At the heart of everything we do is one unshakable belief: children deserve to grow up safe, protected, and free from pain and fear.

While DFC operates several community-focused programs, Shield Of Hope, Be The Light, & Cast Against Abuse, its most impactful work centers on equipping law enforcement with Electronic Detection K9s—highly trained Labradors and Golden Retrievers that locate hidden electronic storage devices used in child sexual exploitation, CSAM (Child Sexual Abuse Material), trafficking, sextortion, and other serious crimes. These K9s help uncover solid evidence that gives victims a voice and stops offenders from continuing to harm children.

With strong community support, Defenders For Children now supports agencies in seven states, with additional expansion planned for 2026.  

In 2022, Defenders For Children received the South Carolina  Secretary of State "Angel Award", recognizing both the impact of its programs and its careful stewardship of donors’ hard-earned contributions.

“We don’t just raise awareness—we help stop the abuse and protect children where it matters most.”  

 

Q: What drove you to develop this organization?

A: In 2010, Greenville, South Carolina, had—and continues to have—one of the highest rates of child sexual abuse and trafficking reported cases in the state. One agency alone has an average of 800 to 1000 sexual abuse cases a year.  These cases include child sexual abuse, trafficking, and CSAM. Behind every statistic is a child whose sense of safety has been shattered.

As digital crime expanded, it became clear that electronic devices are how offenders hide, trade, and escalate harm. Once the scale of online exploitation became clear, it was impossible to look away. Defenders For Children was created out of the belief that silence helps predators—and action protects children.  An estimated 90% of cases involve electronics. 

 
“Children cannot wait for systems to catch up. They need protection now.”

 

Q: What is an Electronic Detection K9?

A: An Electronic Detection K9—a sweet Labrador or Golden Retriever—trained to detect the tiny pin drop scent on all electronic storage media, including phones, micro-SD cards, thumb drives, hard drives, tablets, hidden cameras, and other devices capable of storing images and videos of children being hurt.  The device located becomes the solid evidence needed. 

Offenders intentionally hide devices in walls, vents, insulation, furniture, vehicles, and outbuildings—places meant to keep their crimes hidden and victims unseen. These K9s bring what offenders try to bury into the light.

In addition to detection, these K9s serve as therapeutic support animals, offering comfort to child victims, standing quietly beside them in courtrooms, and supporting investigators who carry the weight of these cases long after the searches end.

“These K9s don’t just find evidence—they bring comfort where there has been trauma.”

 

Q: How does a K9 change outcomes in real cases?

A: Electronic evidence is often the difference between a case moving forward and stronger or stalling because there is no solid evidence.  A single recovered device can identify victims, link offenders across jurisdictions, strengthen prosecutions, remove harmful material from circulation, and prevent future abuse. One thumb drive can hold millions of images and videos of children being hurt in ways we can not imagine. 

For a child who has been hurt, this evidence can mean being believed, being protected, and finally being safe.

“One hidden device can mean multiple victims—and one search can change lives forever.”

 

Q: What makes Defenders For Children different from other nonprofits?

A: We are community-based, allowing you to help make a direct impact. Defenders For Children is mission-built for operational impact. This work goes far beyond awareness or conversation. We focus on action—equipping law enforcement with specialized tools that lead directly to arrests, more vigorous prosecutions, stronger sentencing, and faster protection for children.

Every K9 placed, every case supported, and every device found represents a step toward stopping abuse and preventing another child from being harmed. 

“Awareness doesn’t stop predators. Reporting and Evidence does.”

 

Q: How widespread is the need?

A: The United States is a global leader in the creation and distribution of CSAM. The Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force Program, where our K9s primarily assist, comprises 61 task forces and more than 5,400 participating law enforcement agencies nationwide, underscoring that these crimes affect every community, regardless of size or location.

No town is untouched. No family is immune.

“This is not someone else’s problem. It is happening in every community.”

 

Q: What are the biggest challenges you’re facing?

A: Demand for services continues to outpace resources as crimes against children increase. Defenders For Children receives no state or federal funding and relies entirely on public support to continue this life-saving work.  We rely on the hearts of the communities. The more we raise, the bigger the impact we can make.  

When government agencies cut the budgets, or increase them when needed, the women and children cases will suffer as Technology continues to evolve rapidly. As Online enticement and AI-generated child exploitation reports have surged dramatically, placing increased strain on investigators who are already overwhelmed and need our help.

Secondary trauma is also a significant concern. The constant exposure to abusive material takes a heavy emotional toll on those fighting to protect children behind the scenes.  This can cause many officers to experience high levels of secondary trauma, which can lead to burnout rapidly.   The K9s are therapeutic and help officers cope with trauma.

“The people protecting our children are carrying unimaginable weight—and they cannot do it alone.”

 

Q: What does expansion into seven states mean in practical terms?

A: Expansion means more agencies equipped, more cases supported, and more children protected across state lines. Offenders do not respect jurisdictional boundaries—and neither can the response.

Defenders For Children currently supports agencies across seven states and has placed or supported 23 Electronic Detection K9 teams. These teams have helped locate more than 4,600 electronic devices initially missed during searches, leading directly to the arrest of offenders and accountability.  Our K9s also assist the FBI, Homeland Security, Secret Service, and State Agencies.  They have been successful in the frequent searches of the homes of sex offenders who are on house arrest.  Many of the existing sex offenders have been rearrested, and more children have been saved. 

“When one child is protected, the impact reaches far beyond one case.”

 

Q: What does community support look like in Greenville, SC?

A: Community support means the need for more donors, sponsors, business partners, specialized volunteers, and local leaders choosing to stand up for children. Greenville is not just our home base—it is proof that when a community comes together, real change happens.  Greenville’s support has created a powerful ripple effect in the fight against crimes against children across our Nation. 

“Many Greenville citizens have chosen action over silence—and children are safer because of it.”

 

Q: What can the public do to help immediately?

A: The public can help fund the K9 programs, training, equipment, and deployments; sponsor or name a K9 team or a specific operational need; and use their platforms to share credible education, prevention, and reporting resources.  One-time donations, as well as Yearly, Quarterly, or Monthly donations of any size, would be invaluable. 

Every action matters. Every contribution helps protect a child.

“Supporting this work means standing between a child and harm.”

 

Q: If you could tell parents one thing, what would it be?

A: Predators go where access is easiest, and accountability is lowest. Parents must protect their children’s digital world with the same seriousness as their physical safety, their home, and their car. Knowing what your children are doing and what they see on their devices is your responsibility. Offenders are everywhere, actively seeking opportunities every day—and involvement makes a difference. 

“Protection starts at home—and it starts online.”

 

Q: What keeps you going?

A: We are driven by every device located, every arrest made, and every child saved from horrible pain.  Children cannot fight these battles alone. If adults do not step up, predators win. Defenders For Children exists to give communities a way to fight back—by equipping law enforcement with needed tools, supporting investigators, and refusing to look away while children are being hurt.  

Quote:
“If adults don’t step up, predators win. We refuse to let that happen.”

 

Contact: 

Defenders For Children - 501(c)3 #27-3388956 

Email: DefendersForChildren@gmail.com. 

Website: www.DefendersForChildren.org