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A groundbreaking national assessment reveals a devastating truth—every state is falling short in the fight against child sexual abuse and exploitation. The 2025 United States Out of the Shadows Index, developed by Economist Impact and supported by World Childhood Foundation USA, delivers states a failing average score of 49.9 out of 100, exposing fractured systems, outdated laws, and inadequate survivor support. More than a report card, it is a critical tool for understanding—and transforming—America’s response to this crisis. The mandate is urgent and unmistakable: America must do better.
Mary L. Pulido, PhD, joined The World Childhood Foundation USA as the Executive Director in 2023. Prior to that time, she served as the Executive Director of The New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, the first child protection agency in the world. She has held senior management positions at the Child Protection Center of Montefiore Medical Center (a Child Advocacy Center), the Children’s Village, and at Covenant House/Under 21.
She served on the National Board of the Association of Professionals Solving the Abuse of Children (APSAC) and is a Board member of the NYS Chapter of the APSAC. She is an APSAC Fellow.
She served as a principal investigator on a project to design a child sexual abuse prevention curriculum for elite, Olympic gymnasts, coaches and parents, following the child sexual abuse crimes involving Larry Nassar. She was also the Principal Investigator on an NIH grant to test a child sexual abuse prevention curriculum, Safe Touches, in the NYC public school system.
Dr. Pulido holds the rank of adjunct Assistant Professor at the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College.
She has published in the areas of detection and prevention of child abuse and neglect, providing supervised visitation services, crisis debriefing, child sexual abuse prevention and managing secondary traumatic stress.
Jim Cole is a retired Homeland Security Investigations Supervisory Special Agent with over 35 years of law enforcement experience, including two decades focused on child exploitation and digital forensics. He pioneered the HSI Victim Identification Program and Laboratory, developing methodologies that have helped identify and rescue child victims worldwide. He previously served as Chair of the INTERPOL Specialists Group on Crimes Against Children. Jim currently serves as Senior Advisor for Cyber Strategy & Child Protection at Our Rescue and is a founding partner of Onemi-Global Solutions, where he supports law enforcement agencies through training, technology, and operational strategy.
Lauren Book, MSEd, is an author, educator and internationally respected and renowned child advocate. As founder and CEO of Lauren’s Kids, Lauren seeks to create a world where the exploitation of children is not tolerated. She has been named a PEOPLE All-Star Among Us, L’Oreal Woman of Worth and is the recipient of a Congressional Medal of Merit for her tireless work to protect childhood as well as a member of the Florida Children and Youth Cabinet.
Pastor Armstrong is deeply committed to advocating for issues of justice, equity, inclusion, and access. Based on his early educational experiences of integrating Los Angeles public schools (in 1974) and his early childhood experiences of foster and kinship care through the Los Angeles County Child Welfare System, he has cultivated a deep conviction to embolden and empower marginalized and under-resourced communities. His policy training at Stanford University (BA in Public Policy), theological training at Princeton Theological Seminary (Masters in Divinity), and his clinical training at The College of NJ (postmasters EdS in Marriage and Family Therapy) has made him a respected voice in the national and international child and family wellbeing communities. He is the former Director of NJ’s Division of Child Abuse Prevention and Community Partnerships (2006- 2009) and the former Chief Administrative Officer to the United Nations for the Baptist World Alliance (2016-2002). In June of 2024, he was elected Board President of APSAC, the first Black male, and the first religious professional to serve in the position.