WHAT DRIVES US

Our Mission

We are dedicated to increasing awareness around child trafficking and supporting organizations that rescue child trafficking victims. We work on changing the statistics in our neighborhoods by creating awareness and communities so we can tackle this situation together.

Child trafficking is the fastest growing and second-largest criminal enterprise in the world.

The USA is a main hub!
We are spreading this invaluable information.

#AwakeAndBold
#OpenYourEyes
#StopChildTrafficking

Note to Teachers:

Child trafficking can affect everybody, while some groups are more susceptible than others. Teachers should pay attention to the early warning signals of vulnerability, exclusion, abuse, or other harmful behaviors.

The range of demographic factors that can make someone vulnerable to child trafficking includes age, socioeconomic situation, nationality, and gender. Controllers frequently prey on those who have limited employment options, unstable living situations, a history of physical or sexual abuse, or who are striving for a better life. Depending on the type of trafficking, the controller, and the network, different recruiting and control tactics may be used by using the unique vulnerabilities of each victim.

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Resources for Teachers

“A teacher would have been the most helpful to either give me the number [of the helpline] or call for me.”

-Survivors referred to schools as a crucial area for intervention:

Teachers and other professionals working in schools are essential in identifying possible cases of human trafficking and assisting potential victims in getting access to specialized services.

Educators are in a unique position to spot adolescents who are victims of sex trafficking as well as youth who are citizens of other countries. While they are still being trafficked, it is not uncommon for young people to attend school, and this might give traffickers the chance to engage with potential victims unsupervised.

Teachers are taught to watch out for potentially risky behaviors, alterations in mood and behavior, as well as indications of abuse and neglect, all of which are likely to be present in child trafficking victims.
In addition to intervention, educators are in a good position to work directly with students on prevention. It is crucial that students understand the signs and risk factors of trafficking, “Know the Save Me Sign” as well as how to get assistance. Schools, extracurricular activities, and recreational locations that are popular with young people may be targeted by controllers looking to recruit for either sex or labor trafficking.

These tools provided are made specifically for educators and other professionals working in schools to help identify, address, and prevent human trafficking in a setting related to education.

List of potential red flags and indicators:

This list of probable warning signs and symptoms that can help you identify someone who might be a victim of sex or labor trafficking is provided inside. It is significant to remember that this is not a comprehensive list. Individually, each sign may not necessarily point to a trafficking scenario, and not all trafficked individuals would display these symptoms. However, acknowledging a number of factors can suggest that more research is required. The majority of the signs listed as potential warning signs for child abuse and neglect will probably be familiar to educators.

Academic/School-Specific Indicators:

Frequently missing lessons or school without a cause, or being unable to attend regularly
Misses a lot of school days in the start or the end of the year (planting or harvesting seasons)
Has attended numerous schools, changing schools frequently, or missing long stretches of time
Refers to unrealistic work or “chore” obligations at home, such as working long hours on chores or performing all domestic duties without the proper tools or to unreasonable standards
Indicates that eating is restricted or under control
Travels frequently or mentions traveling frequently
Displays abrupt shifts in academic performance
Has several contradictions in his or her statement while describing their lives outside of school

Physical Indicators:

Appears to be lacking in essential or fundamental medical care for a condition or injury
Reflexively rejects touching and retreats when approached
Displays symptoms of a drug or alcohol addiction (e.g. red or glassy eyes, shivers, inappropriately cold) and eating disorders
Passes out in class or is unusually lethargic or exhausted
Exhibits indications of abuse or a lack of fundamental needs, such as not having enough food, clothing, or shelter (e.g. revealing, dirty, or inappropriate clothing, no winter coat, no bra, etc.)
Has a tattoo that is clearly visible but that the student is reluctant to explain, such as a tattoo of the trafficker’s name that may serve as “branding,” and has other characteristics that may serve as branding, such as burn marks.

Psychological / Behavioral Indicators:

Uses terms from “the life” or the commercial sex industry, such as “daddy” to describe a boyfriend or “the track” to describe the streets.
Unable to look people in the face or in their eyes, especially partner
Displays behaviors aligned with a trauma history or PTSD
Carries a lot of cash and flaunts it in front of friends; suddenly acquires more material possessions and financial resources
Displays rebellious, risky, or self-harming behaviors
Exhibits abrupt behavioral changes (e.g. a student who was outgoing and social becomes withdrawn)
Refuses to take part in physical education and is excessively timid when changing her clothes.
Behaves in an unusually afraid, anxious, sad, subservient, tense, furious, nervous, or paranoid manner
Demonstrates particularly frightened, worried, or furious behavior in response to any mention of “police enforcement”

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Resources for Parents

Parental Action “Talk to your children.”

Children are a prime target for sex traffickers due to their innocence and fragility. Traffickers are known to seek out potential victims in malls, schools, and at this time, social media is the primary method of recruitment. The typical age of entry into prostitution is between 14 and 16 years old. There are many ways to be recruited, including solicitation by other women or girls, recruiting on the sex trafficker’s behalf, the “boyfriend” strategy of pretending to be romantically interested in them while gradually pressuring them into prostitution, and even the “daddy” form, in which men promise to take care of and provide for the girls and boys who yearn for protection and provision.

What can I do as a parent, you may be asking?
Here are four steps you can take to lessen the chance that a human trafficker will try to entice your child away:

Don’t forget to teach your kids about human trafficking.
Tell them it’s here, what it looks like, and that if they think they see it, to talk to you or another responsible adult. Describe the ways that sex trafficking targets children and teenagers. Inform children that human traffickers deliberately attempt to entice young girls and boys with claims of a better life. Whether they are making claims of love and attention or good stuff and vacations, these traffickers hunt for methods to abuse dreams. Traffickers might be either men or women, even fellow students. Minors are occasionally recruited by traffickers using kids.
Discuss social media with your kids.
Assist your kids in defining friendships. The definition of friendship that our children have of it has been altered by social media. Teach them that a Facebook friend is not a true friend and that a friend is not someone you met yesterday.
It is crucial to offer useful safety advice:
Never give out personal information online, refuse friend requests from strangers, never post naked photos of yourself, and tell a parent or other responsible adult if you feel threatened or uncomfortable.

Technology plays a significant role in the sex trafficking of young people.
Know the passwords to your kids’ phones and what’s on them.
Never forget the value of both safety and privacy.
Pay close attention to your kids.
Follow them on social media and try to meet their friends’ parents and other people they spend out with. Be on the lookout for considerably older partners or friendships that isolate your youngster from other kids or family. If your child has new clothes, a new phone, or any other item that they wouldn’t typically have, pay attention to it, and find out where it came from.

Among the choices to be made and questions to ask while formulating family online norms are:

Do you want your kids to come to you first before using the Internet?
Do you want to restrict how much time your kids spend online? If so, how many hours a day or week?
Would you like to let your kids use instant messaging? If so, do you wish to approve it and ask that they send you a copy of any updates?
Do you want to let your kids use social networking sites and chat rooms? If so, do you just want to let those that you have given your approval to?
Do you want to keep the computer in a common room?
Do you want to use parental controls to limit websites?
Ask—Do you ever get messages from strangers? If so, how do you handle them?
Ask—Do you really know everyone on your friends list?
Start now—It will be simpler for children to accept and adhere to set rules.

18 Apps parents should know about:

TikTok is an app used to create and share short videos. Users have reported explicit content and cyberbullying on the app.
Omegle is a social app that allows users to video chat privately or in a group. Child pornography has been linked to Omegle, authorities said.
Hot or Not is a social app that encourages users to chat and rate each others profiles. The purpose of the app is to hook up, according to law enforcement.
Badoo is a dating app that allows users to chat, share videos and share photos. The app is intended for adults only.
Bumble is a dating app that requires women to make the first move with connections. Kids have been known to create fake profiles and falsify their ages, according to officials.
Whisper is an anonymous social platform that encourages users to share secrets with one another. The app also reveals the users location to allow people to meet up.
KIK allows anyone to message users with unlimited access. The app can bypass traditional text messaging features.
WhatsApp is a messaging app that allows users to communicate through text, calls and video chats worldwide.
Roblox is an online game with a chat function that opens users up to solicitation from sexual predators.
Ask.FM encourages users to allow anonymous people to ask them questions. The app is known for instances of cyberbullying and harassment.
Discord allows users to chat with both friends and strangers through voice, video and text while playing video games. Users have reported racial slurs and explicit content on the app.
Holla is a video chat app that allows users to meet others all over the world instantly. Users have reported racial slurs and explicit content on the app.
Calculator% (Calculator Photo Vault) is one of several secret apps used to hide photos, videos, files and browser history.
Grindr is a dating app for the LGBTQ+ community that allows users to chat, share photos and meet up based on the apps geolocation.
Live.Me is a live-streaming video app that uses geolocation to share videos so that users can find out a streamers exact location. Users can earn “coins” as a way to “pay” minors for photos.
Skout is a location-based dating app and website that allows sharing of photos. Officials said children under the age of 17 have been known to make profiles with falsified ages.
Snapchat is a popular social media app that allows users to create stories, send pictures and videos. The app also shares your location.
Meetme is a social app that allows users to connect based on geolocation and encourages them to meet up.

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