overview of human trafficking and exploitation

7/19/16
Human Trafficking and Exploitation in the United States:
A Prevention Perspective
LOVE146
Kimberly Casey, Director of Prevention
AGENDA
•  Overview of Human Trafficking and Exploitation
•  Vulnerability and Risk
•  Prevention and Identification: Red Flags
•  Prevention and Early Intervention Strategies
•  Discussion
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OVERVIEW OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND EXPLOITATION
TRAFFICKING VICTIMS PROTECTION ACT (TVPA)
The recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision or obtaining
of a person for…
SEX TRAFFICKING
LABOR TRAFFICKING
…a commercial sex act, in
...labor or services, through the
which a commercial sex act is use of force, fraud or coercion
induced by force, fraud or
for the purpose of subjection to
coercion, or in which the
involuntary servitude,
person induced to perform
peonage, debt bondage, or
such an act has not attained 18
slavery.
years of age.
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DEFINITIONS
CSEC: COMMERCIAL SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF CHILDREN
Sexual abuse of a child (under the age of 18) by another person in return for
payment in money or in kind, paid to the child or to one or more third parties.
DMST: DOMESTIC MINOR SEX TRAFFICKING
The commercial sexual exploitation of any American citizen or lawful
permanent resident under the age of 18 in return for payment in money or kind
paid to one or more third parties.
ANYONE UNDER THE AGE OF 18 IS CONSIDERED A VICTIM…
WHERE DOES HUMAN TRAFFICKING/CSEC OCCUR?
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TRAFFICKER, YES OR NO?
WHO ARE THE TRAFFICKERS?
●  Individual
○  Romantic partner
○  Family member
○  Peer
●  Gang/Criminal Network
●  CSEC without third party
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WHO ARE THE VICTIMS?
ANYONE
can be a victim of human trafficking and exploitation
VULNERABILITIES AND RISK
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Most often children are trafficked through vulnerabilities.
TRAFFICKERS LOOK FOR VULNERABILITIES IN
CHILDREN TO EXPLOIT…
“A PIMP LOOKS FOR THAT WEAKNESS… THEN HE
USES THOSE WEAKNESSES TO HIS ADVANTAGE…
THEY BEGIN TO SEE YOU AS THEIR CHAMPION, EVEN
IF THE WEAKNESS YOU RESCUE THEM FROM IS ONE
YOU CREATED.”
-Ken Ivy “Pimpin Ken”
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VULNERABILITIES & RECRUITMENT
CHILDREN AND YOUTH AT HIGHER RISK ARE OFTEN:
●  Involved in the child welfare and/or juvenile justice systems
●  Experiencing homelessness
●  From low-income families
●  Marginalized
●  LGBTQ
●  Experiencing complex traumatic stress – resulting family
dysfunction, trauma, sexual abuse and other forms of abuse (e.g.,
bullying)
APPLICATION
In small groups:
•  Identify the main vulnerabilities of the youth you
work with.
•  Consider another subpopulation of youth and draw
comparison focusing on their vulnerabilities:
Which are the same?
Which are different?
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UNDERSTANDING VULNERABILITY
INDIVIDUAL
ENVIRONMENTAL
CULTURAL
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RISK FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO VULNERABILITY
INDIVIDUAL
SOCIAL
ENVIRONMENTAL
•  History of
Trauma/Abuse/
Neglect
•  Peer Pressure
•  Poverty
•  Media
•  Low Self-Esteem/
Depression
•  Stereotypes
•  Street Involved
Culture/Economy
•  Low IQ
•  Gender
Inequalities
•  Family Conflict
•  Homophobia
•  System Involved
•  Materialistic
Culture
•  Bullying
•  Gangs
•  Limited
Education/
Knowledge
•  Migratory Status
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RECRUITMENT AND GROOMING
GAINING TRUST
•  Time and attention
•  Gifts and compliments
•  “Love” and “Care”
MOVING FROM TRUST TO EXPLOITATION
•  Abuse
•  Dependency
•  Stockholm syndrome and trauma bonding
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Omegle
Oovoo
Skype
Periscope
Meerkat
YouNow
Smack High
After School
Whisper
Yik Yak
Ask.fm
Whatsapp
Badoo
Okcupid
Grindr
➔  HiCalculator
➔  Calculator+
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PREVENTION AND IDENTIFICATION: RED FLAGS
COMMON SIGNS & RED FLAGS
•  Truancy or decline in academic performance or after
school activities
•  Secrecy in whereabouts; unaccounted for time
•  Frequently discusses trips to other cities
•  Contradicting personal information
•  Uses language from “the life”
•  Lost interest in age appropriate activities
•  Chronically running away
•  Risky sexual behavior
•  Risky online behavior
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COMMON SIGNS & RED FLAGS
•  Sudden possession of expensive clothes and jewelry and/
or access to hair and nail services
•  Tattoo that he/she is reluctant or unable to explain
•  Often appears exhausted
•  Signs of emotional distress (e.g., fearful, anxious, nervous
or submissive behavior, depression or withdrawn
behavior)
•  History of multiple sexually transmitted diseases
•  Signs of physical abuse (e.g., unexplained bruises, black
eyes, cuts or marks)
COMMON SIGNS & RED FLAGS
•  Interest in older men/women
•  The sudden presence of an older “boyfriend” or “friend”
•  Evidence of controlling/abusive relationship
•  Not in control of their own money/earnings
•  Lacks access to personal identification documents
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PREVENTION AND EARLY INTERVENTION
STRATEGIES
STRATEGIES
INDIVIDUAL
ORGANIZATIONAL
SOCIETAL
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STRATEGIES: INDIVIDUAL
INCREASE INDIVIDUAL
KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS
ENGAGE
INCREASE
INDIVIDUAL
KNOWLEDGE
AND SKILLS
REPORT
•  Increase your understanding of human
trafficking/CSEC
•  Learn about the youth you are working with,
particularly those with high-risk indicators
•  Maintain awareness of trends, jargon, social
media
•  Learn and stay current on community
recruitment tactics
•  Understand your role and learn how to
respond to disclosures
•  Familiarize yourself with local resources for
vulnerabilities, abuse, and exploitation and
learn how youth can access them
•  Understand, and increase your ability to
decrease, barriers to disclosure
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RESPONDING TO DISCLOSURES
•  Build rapport and listen in a non-judgmental way
•  Ask few but key questions primarily about safety
•  REPORT
•  Make referrals/provide support
Basic needs
Counseling needs
Mentoring
Job development and case management
Prevention intervention
Services specific to trafficking victims
•  Build relationships with all youth in your
programs
ENGAGE
•  Engage with other staff:
•  Counselors
•  Administration
•  Medical Providers
•  Custodial Staff
•  Establish relationships with other L.E.,
child welfare agencies, and community
organizations
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REPORT
•  In the case of an immediate emergency,
call your local police department or
emergency access number (911)
•  Report instances of suspected or
confirmed abuse/exploitation to the
appropriate child welfare agency
•  Call the National Human Trafficking
Resource Center (NHTRC) at
1-888-3737-888
STRATEGIES: ORGANIZATIONAL
EDUCATE STAFF
DEVELOP AND
ENFORCE A
PROTOCOL
EDUCATE YOUTH
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EDUCATE
STAFF
•  Provide human trafficking/CSEC
training to all staff. Training should, at a
minimum, include:
•  Vulnerabilities
•  Indicators and red flags
•  How to respond to disclosures or
suspected incidents
•  Train counselors/social workers on how
to work with CSEC victims
EXISTING TOOLS TO EDUCATE: PROFESSIONALS
www.love146.org/professionals
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EXISTING TOOLS TO EDUCATE: PROFESSIONALS
traffickingresourcecenter.org
DEVELOP &
ENFORCE A
PROTOCOL
•  Develop, adopt, enforce, and implement a
policy to address child trafficking -- this
should be a joint effort between
administration, law enforcement, mental
health agencies, child welfare, victim services
providers, other community agencies
•  Make sure all personnel are properly trained
on the policy
•  Assess the environmental structure and take
every possible step to help make it safe
•  Partner with local law enforcement experts to
provide a parent awareness program on the
dangers and warning signs of child sex
trafficking
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EXISTING RESOURCES: PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS
www.love146.org/parents
EFFECTIVE PREVENTION PROGRAMS
EDUCATE
YOUTH
1.  Are comprehensive
2.  Include varied teaching methods
3.  Provide sufficient dosage
4.  Are theory driven
5.  Provide opportunities for positive
relationships
6.  Appropriately timed
7.  Socioculturally relevant
8.  Include outcome evaluation
9.  Involve well-trained staff
Nation, M., Crusto, C., Wandersman, A., Kumpfer, K. L., Seybolt, D., Morrissey-Kane, E., & Davino, K. (2003).
What works in prevention: Principles of effective prevention programs. American Psychologist, 58(6-7), 449.
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LESSONS LEARNED IN IMPLEMENTATION
•  Presentation matters.
•  Data collection and fidelity monitoring is critical.
•  Information is not prevention.
•  Risk reduction.
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●  Is designed for schools, child welfare and juvenile justice agencies,
and other community settings
●  Moves beyond models of traditional awareness and provides youth
with information and skills
●  Considers all genders as potential victims and perpetrators, and
provides activities for co-ed, male, female, and/or LGBTQ groups
●  Is research based and grounded in best practices in the field of
prevention education
●  Integrates a holistic view by focusing on individual strengths and
personal and societal pressures that create or increase
vulnerabilities
●  Includes information to support a whole-school or entire-system
response
EXISTING TOOLS TO EDUCATE: YOUTH
www.love146.org/notanumber
GOAL OF NOT A #NUMBER
To provide youth with information and skills in a
manner that inspires them to make safe choices when
they encounter potentially exploitative situations and
to utilize the healthy support systems that may
decrease their vulnerabilities.
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IF YOU HAVE REASONABLE CAUSE TO SUSPECT HUMAN
TRAFFICKING OR CSEC. REPORT IT.
UNITED STATES
Call the appropriate child welfare or
reporting agency or the National
Human Trafficking Resource Center
(NHTRC) at
888-373-7888
DISCUSSION
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CONTACT INFORMATION
KIMBERLY CASEY
Director of Prevention
Love146
Kimberly@Love146.org
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