Human Trafficking Prevention

There are many tactics that traffickers use to lure youth and often target them by offering attention, food, clothes, housing, friendship, and promises of a better future. Traffickers can deceive youth into increasingly harmful situations. After building a relationship with the youth (a.k.a. "grooming"), the trafficker may manipulate or force the youth to engage in sexual activities, exploitative work, or illegal activities — for example, by threatening them or their loved ones. Sometimes traffickers use a younger person/peer to recruit others and persuade them to become involved.

In cases where a youth is not being forced or manipulated by another person to engage in sexual acts for something of value, the person providing money or resources is considered the "trafficker" under the law, as no force, fraud, or coercion needs to be present if the youth is under 18.

Although no person is immune to potential exploitation, certain circumstances or life experiences may increase vulnerabilities and, as a result, increase the risk of exploitation. Vulnerable groups tend to include those experiencing poverty, family instability, physical and/or sexual abuse, and lack of access to resources. Trauma — as well as racism, discrimination, and historical trauma — also plays a significant role in increasing a young person's vulnerability to experiencing trafficking. Because racial and ethnic minorities are more likely to experience these risk factors, they are more vulnerable to child trafficking.

In many cases, youth who have been trafficked have been groomed by the trafficker, which results in the youth feeling trust, loyalty, and even love for the trafficker. If the trafficker has used force or coercion, the youth may have fear that harm will come to them or to someone they love. Further, if the young person is dependent on the trafficker for housing, food, or other resources, they will weigh their options, and if they have not felt supported by people, organizations, or systems in the past, they may deny that they have been harmed or trafficked.

In these situations, a young person may resist help and may not consider themselves a "victim" of trafficking. In fact, the youth may not understand what "trafficking" means and/or may not use that term at all. Instead, the youth may say that they are "doing what they need to do" or that "someone is helping to pay" for something of value. If a young person is removed from the situation, they may even go back to the trafficker.

Again, it is important to offer support in a nonjudgmental and informed way. If you are in contact with a young person who may be experiencing trafficking, please follow the steps below to seek immediate assistance and to be put in contact with an advocate or other professional who has experience in working with young people who have experienced trafficking.