They are saying it takes a village to lift a toddler. At Thorn we consider it additionally takes a village to guard one. Our employees neighborhood, stuffed with the perfect hearts and minds from tech, baby safety, enterprise and nonprofit fields, creates highly effective merchandise and applications to defend kids from sexual abuse.
We sat all the way down to have a dialog with Dr. Rebecca Portnoff, Head of Knowledge Science at Thorn, to study extra about her profession and what working to defend kids with expertise is de facto like.
Q: What’s your background and experience?
A: I obtained my BSE in laptop science at Princeton. My undergraduate thesis at Princeton was targeted on machine studying, particularly pure language processing. I then went to UC Berkeley to get my PhD in laptop science, the place I labored within the laptop safety and machine studying departments. My dissertation targeted on constructing machine studying expertise to fight baby sexual abuse, and different unlawful actions on-line.
I’ve been working within the intersection of machine studying and combatting baby sexual abuse for the final 10+ years. I’ve devoted my total profession to this mission.
Q: What drew you to Thorn?
A: Within the first yr or two of my PhD program, I cold-called NGO’s, regulation enforcement officers – actually anybody who would discuss to me – and requested how expertise might assist them higher. I discovered loads by way of these conversations in regards to the unbelievable baby security ecosystem that already exists, and the numerous methods baby sexual abuse manifests. I turned these conversations into my PhD dissertation: constructing expertise to fight baby sexual abuse.
It was by way of these conversations that I obtained linked to Thorn.
In direction of the top of my PhD, I had a dialog with a LE associate, the place I requested him the place he thought a pc scientist working on this difficulty house might have probably the most affect. He instantly answered, “Thorn. There’s nowhere else like Thorn.” Seven years later, the reply to that query – the place can a pc scientist have probably the most affect engaged on this difficulty – continues to be the identical: Thorn. That’s why I’m right here.
Q: What do you admire most in regards to the affect Thorn makes?
A: It’s simple to change into indignant when working on this house. Seeing the dimensions of abuse that’s occurring, and the devastating harms that come to every baby on account of these great betrayals, is heartbreaking. The counter to that, is listening to the tales of therapeutic and hope that come after restoration.
Q: What do you want individuals knew about this difficulty house?
A: I want individuals knew that this isn’t a distinct segment difficulty, and this isn’t an overblown difficulty. If we take a look at simply the US, the CDC reports that roughly 1 in 4 ladies and 1 in 13 boys expertise baby sexual abuse. 91% of abuse is perpetrated by somebody recognized and trusted by the kid or the kid’s members of the family.
What meaning is that virtually each household, group or establishment you might be in may have struggled with this difficulty. A baby in your neighborhood has suffered this abuse; an grownup in your neighborhood has betrayed a toddler by abusing them. The selections which are made in your neighborhood to both shield the kid or cowl up the harms the abuser has perpetrated may have actual life penalties, and these penalties will unfold out to the remainder of your neighborhood.
I would like individuals to know this not as a result of I would like individuals to reside in worry, however as a result of I would like individuals to reside with compassion, kindness and duty. The alternatives you make, the phrases you communicate, have an effect. When one thing this painful is dropped at your consideration, you could have a selection: to look away, or to ask – how can I assist? Every of us may have alternatives, no matter our line of labor or stroll in life is, to make that selection, to decide on to assist.
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For extra inspiring worker tales, see our “Life at Thorn” assortment.
