Issue link: http://digital.corporatepress.com/i/886821
Grace Magazine | www.fbcglenarden.org 39 Recently, there have been dozens of missing person alerts of juvenile residents of Washington, D.C., shared on social media, over a short period of time. This has caused shock and outrage, and has resulted in both local and national outcries. Many have expressed concern that the youth are victims of human trafficking. D.C. metropolitan police responded saying, in actuality, the numbers of missing children are decreasing, compared to the previous year; citing numbers from 2,433 in 2015, down to 2,242 in 2016. The perceived increase was because the posted information was misleading. Even so, most would agree that the numbers cited are extremely large for children missing in any jurisdiction. According to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), approximately 800,000 people go missing in this country yearly. Approximately 300,000 of those missing, are reported to be children. Surprisingly, over half or approximately 100,000 are sexually trafficked and tricked into sexual slavery. It is also estimated that traffickers lure 90% of runaway children within 48 hours after leaving home. Sadly, many children who run away from home, envision themselves to be running from dangerous situations toward safety, not realizing their new reality will be a life of sex trafficking. According to NCMEC, who received more than 18,500 endangered runaway reports in 2016, 1 in 6 of those reports were likely victims of sex trafficking. The most popular areas of trafficking are sexual acts, sex entertainment and labor. By far, the demand for sex is proving to be the most lucrative for traffickers, with highest demand for children. This demand is fueled by pornography and the Internet. The Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) defines trafficking in persons as sex trafficking in which a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such an act has not attained 18 years of age," or the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery." Parents and caregivers can help their children feel empowered and teach them to protect themselves against exploitation by taking advantage of available tools and resources. They can also reach out to help empower other children within their spheres of influence. Listed below are a few tips that parents, caregivers and youth should know and can do to help educate and protect themselves. What Parents and Caregivers Should Know Human sex trafficking is one of the most damaging threats to youth across the globe. It is a worldwide, unmitigated attack on their person, spirit and innocence. Worldwide, it is estimated that 27 billion people are trafficked. Trafficking has become the world's second largest criminal enterprise; thereby enslaving millions of youth, resulting in their loss of freedom and ability to make choices for themselves. Due to the encroachment of pornography in society and on the Internet, it appears that an insatiable desire for sex with children is at an all-time high. Children who become victims of the sex trades, come from all socioeconomic levels, races, and ethnic groups. These helpless children become victimized in many different ways. What Parents and Caregivers Can Do According to Love146, a nonprofit advocacy organization, parents should take these five steps to promote prevention: • Participate in human trafficking awareness and prevention education • Talk with your child about safety and develop a safety plan • Learn child safety tips online • Learn "Red Flags" of behaviors suggesting exploitation • Learn, know and teach vulnerabilities specific to your child and neighborhood What Youth Should Know In order for human trafficking to occur, there only needs to be a vulnerable person, and the opportunity for another to exert power and control over them. Youth are vulnerable by virtue of young age, inexperience, and their inability to obtain work, or other means to provide the basic necessities of food, clothing and shelter. This makes runaways extremely susceptible to traffickers or survivor sex." Additionally, it is critical that youth recognize that traffickers have many faces. A trafficker could be a boyfriend or girlfriend, relative, teacher, or other persons in authority, and they vary in age, ethnicity and experience. There is no "one face" of a human sex trafficker. What Youth Can Do Love146 suggests that youth do the following: 1. Participate in prevention and awareness education 2. Learn online safety 3. Have a designated trusted adult (you can confide in), and identify healthy support systems 4. Develop safety skills to help navigate potentially dangerous situations 5. Recognize recruitment tactics and "Red Flags" of predators 6. Understand your vulnerabilities Education and awareness provides parents and youth power to help prevent and stop human trafficking. Being empowered not only enables you to provide safety for your family and loved ones, but also helps enlighten and strengthen others in your community. If you suspect a potential trafficking situation: Call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at (1-888-373-7888). If you have information about a missing child: Call NCMEC at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678). Evangeline Covington Contributing Writer