FACTS AND STATISTICS

There are currently over 27 million human trafficking victims worldwide. Child trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation is the fastest growing and second largest criminal industry in the world today.  An estimated 5.5 million children are exploited in prostitution or pornography every year. - (  U.S. fund for UNICEF's End Trafficking )

In the United States, there are over 1 million human trafficking victims and of the 1 million victims in America, over 100,000 to 300,000 of them are children. Human trafficking exists all over the United States, but California is a hotspot for domestic and international human trafficking because of its large population, international borders, large economy, extensive ports, and metropolitan regions. -  (National Human Trafficking Resource Center , Shared Hope international , Sowers Education Group )

The average age of entry into the commercial sex trade is 12 years old. - (The Federal Bureau of Investigation's
Efforts to Combat Crimes Against Children) Within 48 hours, one in three runaways will be approached by sex traffickers (National Center for Missing and Exploited Children). Human rights investigations discovered minors were sold an average of 10-15 times a day, 6 days a week, totaling between 9,360 and 14,040 sex acts a year. The girls received none of the money. -( Shared Hope International )

BUYERS

  • 87% of buyers say some form of public exposure, such as having their name or photo in a newspaper, would deter them from buying sex. 

  • 83% of buyers say jail time and 79% said a letter sent to their family would be a deterrent. 

  • 49% of buyers told said that they thought that there were girls under 18 years of age working at strip clubs.

Intermediate

  • Up to 90% of victims are under the control of a trafficker ​

  • 70% of minors who are sex trafficking victims have experienced physical or sexual abuse in their homes.

  • In one study, traffickers sold anywhere from 20-800 individual women in their lifetime. 

  • Traffickers and buyers may use code language to that would appear innocuous to others. 

Advanced

  • 1 out of 5 girls and 1 out of 6 boys will be sexually exploited by the time they reach adulthood. 

  • Over 1.68 million children run away each year. 

  • 85 % of child trafficking victims had experienced some contact with the child welfare system, mostly in the context of abuse and neglect proceedings.

​Experts from the Film Speak about Buyers, Sellers, and Victims

Lt. Andre Dawson, speaks about vulnerabilities of children with disabilities and how they become targets for traffickers/sellers. 

Angela Chung, Attorney at Coalition to Abolish Slavery & Trafficking speaks about the crimes done to victims being trafficked.

​PREVENTION EDUCATION

  • Educate teens about trafficker recruitment tactics.

  • Train teens to identify risky situations and how to respond to predators who approach them.

  • Raise awareness of the strict human trafficking penalties to dissuade recruiters and sex buyers.

  • Inform parents how their own kids can be tricked and coerced by exploiters.

  • Distribute a parent alert in schools.

  • Have a speaker from your local the police, DA’s office or an anti-trafficking group.

  • Start a program in your community to report sex buyers.​

  • Encourage students to report suspected abuse of classmates.

  • Train school staff on how to identify and respond to sex trafficking victims.

  • Create trauma-informed schools to support abuse victims.

  • Display posters at schools with the National Human Trafficking Hotline. 888-373-7888 or text INFO or HELP to BEFREE (233733) 

  • Organize a “Safe Routes to School” program.

  • Alert local businesses to watch for concerning activity.

  • Become a mentor to a kid in foster care.

  • Create jobs for at-risk teens in your community.

Prevention Tips by Abolitionist Mom

​Experts from the Film Speak about Education and Hope

Rachel Thomas, M. Ed., Ending The Game explains what to do if you are approached by a predator.

Nola Brantley, describes the different ways a child could be trafficked.

TAKE ACTION &

REPORT ABUSE

  • Start a sexual abuse and trafficking prevention education program at your school.  There is a variety of curriculum available.

  • Inform teens about the tactics used by traffickers, like “romeo pimps,” “bottom-girls,” Internet friends and fake modeling jobs.

  • Teach parents, students and school staff to recognize the “red flags” of trafficking situations and report suspicious activity.  

  • Raise awareness about the dangers of sex trafficking in community, PTA, religious groups and scout troops.

  • Share videos, articles and infographics on Facebook, Twitter and other social networks.

  • Initiate a child sex trafficking awareness campaign in your community.

  • If you see someone picking up a teen for sex, call 911 or your local police.  Provide details: time, location, description of person and vehicle.  Deter sex buyers by sending them the message that their crimes will be reported. 

  • Students and parents: report suspected self-selling to your school principal, nurse, counselor or police. If you see something suspicious, please take the time to report it.  You are not snitching.  You may be rescuing someone from being raped and beaten. You could save a life.  

NATIONAL RESOURCES


​Call 911, if it is an emergency.
If someone needs help right away because they are an immediate danger.

The National Human Trafficking Hotline: 888-373-7888 or text INFO or HELP to BEFREE (233733) 
The National Human Trafficking Hotline connects victims and survivors of sex and labor trafficking with services and supports to get help and stay safe.
The National Hotline also receives tips about potential situations of sex and labor trafficking and facilitates reporting that information to the appropriate authorities in certain cases. It is confidential and you may request assistance or report a tip anonymously.
​
The toll-free phone and SMS text lines. Help is available in English or Spanish, or in more than 200 additional languages through an on-call interpreter.
​
National Runaway Safeline: 800-RUN-AWAY ​
​National Runaway Safeline is here to support you whether you are thinking of running away or already have. THEY DON’T JUDGE. You can expect to share your story with someone who won’t judge or tell you what to do. THEY’RE TRAINED TO HELP YOU. Each team member has been trained to handle a crisis, provide support and listen to your story. Can talk 24/7 with toll-free text or call.

Referral Directory:
This online Referral Directory is made up of anti-trafficking organizations and programs that offer emergency, transitional, or long-term services to victims and survivors of human trafficking as well as those that provide resources and opportunities in the anti-trafficking field.

​https://humantraffickinghotline.org/training-resources/referral-directory

​National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals.

​
 If Your Child or Friend is Missing 
Step 1: Call 911

  • Provide law enforcement with your child’s name, date of birth, height, weight and descriptions of any other unique identifiers such as eyeglasses and braces. Tell them when you noticed your child was missing and what clothing he or she was wearing.

  • Request law enforcement authorities immediately enter your child’s name and identifying information into the FBI’s National Crime Information Center Missing Person File.

Step 2: Call The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children: 800-THE-LOST 

  • Operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you have information about a missing child or suspected child sexual exploitation, call to report.