Human Trafficking Prevention Month
January is Human Trafficking Prevention Month. This month, we'll be bringing you some basic facts and stats about human trafficking – because the more you know, the better equipped you’ll be to make your community a safer place for children.
Human trafficking is defined as any situation of exploitation that a person cannot refuse or leave because of threats, violence, coercion, deception, and/or abuse of power. In the case of child sex trafficking, force, fraud, or coercion do not need to be present — the crime is simply the exchange of any sex act with a child for anything of value. For vulnerable children, these “things” can include a place to sleep, a hot meal, drugs, a ride, etc.
There is this common myth and misconception when many hear the term “Human Trafficking.” Many seem to believe it can only happen overseas, like in the movie Taken, or that it can only happen to girls. However, this is not true! It can happen in your own backyard, at your child’s school, the local hangout, online, or any other place children frequent. Human trafficking is modern day slavery. It is making a child have sex with someone to pay the bills. It is forcing a child to miss school so they can work at the family business. It is coercing a child to perform a service so they can have their basic needs met, such as food and shelter. It is using a false relationship to exploit a child’s vulnerability. It happens to EVERY age, socio-economic class, and ethnicity. Human trafficking does not discriminate! We do not share this to insight fear. We share this to empower youth and their caregivers to take the necessary steps and open the lines of communication so we can all make safe choices in our lives.
Child Advocacy Services is working hard to protect children in our state by offering the prevention curriculum Not A #Number created by Love146. This program teaches youth how to protect themselves from human trafficking by identifying their vulnerabilities and offering skills they can utilize when they find themselves in risky situations. We also offer a Caregiver training to adults to educate them about human trafficking prevention and how we can protect our children.
If you have concerns, or witness human trafficking or any other form of child abuse, always report it to the authorities. If you suspect trafficking within the United States, you can call the National Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888. Also call your local law enforcement agency via their non-emergency line or 911. Child abuse should always be reported to the Louisiana Department of Children & Family Services Child Abuse Hotline at 1-855-4LA-KIDS (52-5437).
Source: https://love146.org/
