Child sexual exploitation is a profound challenge to our society and to countries around the globe. Given the scale and persistence of the problem, it is an issue that requires all parts of our community to contribute to the solution. And we are fortunate to live an era that recognizes the horrors of modern slavery and has taken initial steps to address it. However, there is one element of society that can have a disproportionate impact in bringing child sexual exploitation to an end, and that is men.

Alongside this year’s Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), ECPAT-USA presented a panel detailing how youth are using technology to empower their peers and raise awareness of child sex trafficking. The event, featuring Survivor-Advocate Shanifa Bennett and Brooklyn Technical High School students Nasrat Jahan and Rumana Khan, highlighted how important it is for students to take precautions online and for adults to talk to kids about the potential risks.