Seven people in Acadiana are facing up to hundreds of child pornography charges.

The State Attorney General’s Office investigated all of the cases. 

After these recent arrests, counselors hope this is a wake up call for parents to have difficult conversations with their children about safety on the internet. 

“Any possession or taking of any photographs or videos regarding any sexual contact or any display of private areas of the body, if that person is under the age of 18, that’s child pornography,” explains Val Senegal, with Hearts of Hope. 

The organization provides support for sexual abuse victims. She tells News 10 that predators are sometimes getting sexually explicit videos and photos from children themselves.

Through social media and the internet these pictures spread.

“We need to have this conversation more often in our own homes,” said Senegal. “Parents have got to continually talk about the law. And they have to constantly talk about the things that you can and cannot do with electronics.” 

In a recent study, 58 percent of children in Acadiana admitted to communicating online with adults they didn’t know. “Giving devices for these children, to have all this freedom, that’s how they are opening Pandora’s box,” Senegal said. “ And that is why these cases continue to climb and we continuously see these numbers.” 

April is National Child Abuse Prevention month. For more information visit this website.