Addressing The Intersection of Trafficking and Trauma

It is a terrible reality that children who face traumatic and harsh circumstances are often more vulnerable to exploitation. While available data on these issues does not capture the full extent of this tragedy, researchers and advocates have identified specific groups of children who are more susceptible to trafficking. These include children who have experiences in the child welfare system, identify as LGBTQI+, are runaway or homeless, are members of BIPOC communities, or have intellectual or developmental disabilities. In order to effectively protect these vulnerable young people, we must take into account that they often experience psychological trauma and its long-lasting impacts.

One such way to support them is through legislation. Currently, the Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of 2021 (H.R. 5150) contains several critical provisions to address these concerns, including increased oversight through requiring child welfare agencies to report on missing and abducted foster children and youth, whose "disappearance" is often due to trafficking victimization.

Far too often, children remain in this awful cycle of abuse, which underscores the importance of making human trafficking training and prevention resources easily accessible. Screening tools are critical to further identify instances of abuse and exploitation, especially as CSEC youth often don’t initially view themselves as victims of trafficking, and the victim-centered interview approach helps to foster a supportive and safe relationship between a child and service provider. While comprehensive training and programs are vital to helping protect kids, it is equally important to ensure services are culturally appropriate and sensitive, as all experiences are not synonymous.

Education and training are cornerstones of ECPAT-USA’s mission of protecting children from commercial sexual exploitation and trafficking. We will continue to highlight the intersectionality of these crimes with other issues and advocate for state and federal policies that seek to address them.