Know what it is. Know what to look for.
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Sexual exploitation is defined as an act of recruiting, transporting, harboring or receiving a person through force or coercion for the purpose of sexually exploiting them into forced prostitution. Children are sexually exploited through prostitution, pornography, and sexual entertainment which is not limited by gender, race or socio-economics.
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Sex trafficking is the crime of using force, fraud or coercion to induce another individual to perform commercial sex.
The primary factor of vulnerability for sex trafficking of minors is the child’s age. Children are especially susceptible due to the deception and manipulation of traffickers.
Risk Factors for West Michigan Youth
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Poverty
Poor communities are targeted by traffickers who offer children new clothing, jewelry and cash in an effort to trap their victims. Most American children who are sexually exploited live below the poverty line.
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Emotional Poverty
Children that do not have emotionally supportive and loving families and supports will look for those characteristics from those who promise it to them. If a person doesn’t have much and someone offers them more, they will most likely take the “better “.
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Homeless and Runaway Children
1 in 3 runaways will be approached by a trafficker within 48 hours. There are more than 2 million runaway/throwaway children in America. The LGBT population makes up a disproportionate amount of the homeless youth population.
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Substance Abuse
Drugs may be used as a reward, punishment or way to decrease the victim’s will to resist trafficking and abuse. Children who escape this trauma with drugs and alcohol are often controlled by traffickers with these substances. In many cases of familial sex trafficking, the trafficker who is often a parent or adult, may sell their child or other family member for drugs.
How To Identify Victims
Emotional Signs
Victims of trafficking often exhibit emotional signs such as lack of control and substance abuse. This may lead to abnormal behavior such as skipping school or lying about their age. They may also date outside outside of their normal peer age group, or seem controlled by an older man or woman.
Physical Signs
While victims of trafficking can show obvious signs of abuse such as malnutrition, tattoos of their traffickers name, and poor physical health, there are also less visible signs. Those affected may have STDs, unplanned pregnancies, and multiple abortions.
If you think someone may be experiencing exploitation, here are some questions you may ask them:
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Have you been threatened if you try to leave?
Have you been physically harmed in any way?
Is anyone forcing you to do anything that you do not want to do?
Where do you sleep and eat?
What do you do to have a roof over your head?
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Can you leave your situation if you want?
Are there locks on your doors or windows to keep you from leaving?
Can you come and go as you please?
Do you have to ask permission to eat, sleep or use the bathroom?
Since 1960, Wedgwood Christian Services has been dedicated to boldly taking on the toughest problems facing children and families through residential care, counseling services, and community programs. Our goal is to support and help restore the physical, social, intellectual, emotional and spiritual well-being of children, adults, and families in our community.
3300 36th St SE, Kentwood, MI 49512
wedgwood.org
616-942-2110