What is Human Trafficking?

Human Trafficking is the use of force, fraud, or coercion to compel someone to perform labor or a commercial sex act. For minor children, force, fraud, or coercion is not needed for it to be considered sex trafficking. If something of value has been traded for a sex act by a minor child, it is trafficking.

A trafficker can be anyone, male or female. Sometimes traffickers know their victims already, other times they meet them in person or online. Often times there is a "grooming process" where a trafficker builds a relationship and emotional connection with a potential victim. Traffickers may use personal or private information that was shared during the grooming process to later exploit their victims.

Myths and Misconceptions

• Myth-Traffickers are strangers that kidnap victims. Fact-To develop trust a trafficker will begin with a romantic or online relationship. It can also be someone in a child’s family.
• Myth-Human Trafficking is when people are smuggled into the United States: Fact-Trafficking is based on exploiting people and does not require movement at all.
• Myth- Victims will try to get help in public. Fact-Victims may not get help due to threats and fear of violence.
• Myth-Trafficking does not happen in the United States or with US Citizens. Fact-Trafficking happens in every country: in the city, suburbs, and rural towns
• Myth-Individuals must be forced or coerced into commercial sex acts to be victims of human trafficking. Fact-Any minor under the age of 18 who is induced to perform commercial sex acts is a victim of human trafficking, regardless of whether he or she is forced or coerced.

Resources for Parents and Caregivers

Online Resources

• National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC): Victim and Family Support   
• FBI Resources for Parents and Caregivers
• The Smart Talk- Helps families think through and talk about safety planning for technology 
• Thorn for Parents- Discussion guides to help parents talk to kids about social media and online safety

Children’s Division Resources

• Human Trafficking Resource Guide (Coming Soon)
• Approaches to Supporting Youth Affected by Exploitation and Trafficking
• A Caregiver’s Guide to Understanding Child Exploitation and Trafficking

Hotlines and Reporting

• Child Abuse and Neglect: 800-392-3738
• National Human Trafficking Hotline: Report any human trafficking and obtain resources: 888-373-7888
• National Center for Missing and Exploited Children- Report children as missing or exploited: 800-843-5678

Human Trafficking Training

• Polaris: Understanding Human Trafficking
• NCMEC Connect: Trainings for parents and the general public regarding missing and exploited children. Recommended trainings include:
• Introduction to Child Sex Trafficking
• Someone Disclosed to me, Now What?
• Supporting Victims and Survivors of CSAM for Caregivers
• Sextortion: What It Is and Why You Need to Know About It
• Understanding CSAM and Its Impacts
• Shared Hope International: Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking Training, HT Training for Social Services, Healthcare, and Criminal Justice Professionals

Resources for Youth

• NCMEC Take It Down- Free program to remove or stop the online sharing of nude, partially nude, or sexually explicit photos of you when you were under 18 years old. 
• Love 146 Online Safety

Older Youth Human Trafficking Prevention Training

1 - Types of Human Trafficking

2 - Who Are Traffickers

3 - Methods Used by Traffickers

4 - Recognizing The Red Flags

5 - Myths of Human Trafficking

6 - Social Medias Role in Human Trafficking

7 - Thinking of Running

8 - Who Can Help