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Myths & Facts
about Human Trafficking
Only Girls Are Trafficked for Sex
The ILO report claims about sex trafficking that“The vast majority of victims (99 percent) were women and girls.” However recent research suggest that boys are affected could be as high as 40%
It doesn't Happen in the United States
Yes it does. Cases of child trafficking and exploitation are reported on a regular basis from law enforcement and social services throughout the United States.
All Victims are usually kidnapped and held udder lock and key.
Forceful kidnapping and containment are not the majority of cases of trafficking. Many children are trafficked through empty promises, false job offers, and coercion. While they are not always kept physically bound to their trafficker, they may be scared to seek help or threatened if they leave. Additionally, in some cases they may not know of or have the opportunity to access help and resources.
Most Child trafficking's is for Sex
According to the International Labour Organization’s estimates, more children are trafficked for labor than sex.
Race has nothing to do with trafficking
Data indicate that there is a disproportionate number of children of color being trafficked
Traffickers target people they don't know.
Victims often report having been trafficked by romantic partners and family members.
(Kelly, 2019; National Human Trafficking Hotline, n.d.; Office on Trafficking in Persons, 2019)
Human trafficking is only an illegal/underground business.
Businesses like restaurants, housekeeping services, construction companies, factories, rural animal processing facilities, agricultural production sites and many more have been reported and prosecuted for human trafficking.
Human trafficking can only involve moving, traveling, or transporting a person across state lines or out of the country.
For a crime to be considered human trafficking it does not require the movement of persons, like human smuggling does. Human trafficking can occur in the victim’s hometown or country. The United Nations reports that more than half of the world’s trafficking victims are exploited in their own country.
Tips for keeping your child safe online.
Start Early
Talk to your kids about internet safety from a young age, even before they start using the internet themselves. This will help them develop good habits and be more aware of the potential risks.
Set Boundaries
Talk to your kids about what is and is not acceptable online behavior. This could include things like not sharing personal information, not talking to strangers, and not downloading anything without your permission.
Use Parental Controls
There are many parental control tools available that can help you restrict your child’s internet access. These tools can block inappropriate websites, limit screen time, and track your child’s online activity.
Be a Role Model
Show your kids how to use the internet safely and responsibly. This means being careful about what information you share online and not clicking on suspicious links.
Talk to Your Kids About Cyberbulling
Cyberbullying is a serious problem that can have lasting effects on your child’s emotional well-being. Talk to your kids about what cyberbullying is and how to deal with it if they experience it.
Be Patient and Understanding.
It takes time to learn about internet safety. Be patient with your kids as they learn the ropes. And if they make a mistake, don’t overreact. Just use it as an opportunity to teach them more about internet safety.
MORE TIPS:
Make it Fun!
There are many games and activities available that can help teach kids about internet safety.
Be Positive
Don’t just focus on the dangers of the internet. Instead, focus on the positive aspects of the internet as well, and how it can be used for learning and entertainment.
Be age-appropriate
Tailor your conversations about internet safety to your child’s age and maturity level.
Be Consistent
Talk to your kids about internet safety regularly and reinforce the same messages.
OK, so your still not sure how to start the conversation about Internet Safety with your child? Contact us at Info@ht-prevention.org We can help!
Child Sexual Exploitation – Glossary of Terms
DHS – Know2Protect
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Child sexual abuse material (CSAM) | Any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a person less than 18 years old. |
| Child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA) | A horrific crime that targets some of the most vulnerable people in our communities — children and teens. It includes a broad range of criminal acts that involve victimizing a minor for sexual gratification or some other personal or financial gain. Online CSEA takes many forms, including the creation and distribution of child sexual abuse material, grooming, sextortion and threats of self-harm. Because this crime takes place online, it occurs all over the world and is a global epidemic. |
| Darknet/dark web | An encrypted portion of the internet that requires special software to access and cannot be accessed by conventional search engines. Although it may be used for legitimate purposes, such as privacy or for the exchange of confidential business information or communication by political activists, it is also a hub for illegal activity and black-market sales. |
| Fake profiles | Social media profiles that are not associated with a real person or are created using a real person’s personal information without their consent. |
| Geotagging/geolocation | The process of adding geographical metadata to various media such as photos, videos and text messages. This data is often added by an automated software program within each device. |
| Metadata | A set of data that describes and gives information about other data, such as photos and videos. It includes the date, time, pinpoint geolocation (often with maps) and phone information attached to those photos and videos. People can access this information regardless of where the image or video is posted, including in text messages, apps or chat platforms. |
| Online grooming | A process by which an online predator establishes a connection with a minor by offering support and attention to gain their trust, gathers personal information about them, desensitizes them to sexual content by introducing sexually explicit conversation and pornographic imagery and exploits any vulnerabilities the child may have. Often, online predators pretend to be minors themselves to manipulate children into providing nude or partially nude images or videos of themselves. They then use the material to coerce children and teens into sending more graphic images and videos or a ransom. (See the definition of sextortion to learn more about how ransoms relate to grooming.) |
| Online enticement | An online predator’s communication with someone they believe to be a child on the internet with the intent to commit a sexual offense or abduction. For more information, visit the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s resource at Online Enticement: missingkids.org. NCMEC is a globally recognized entity in the fight against child victimization. Since 2004, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has had a formal partnership in place with NCMEC. |
| Online predator | Someone who seeks contact with children and teens on the internet for abusive and exploitative purposes that are typically sexual. Predators use the internet to facilitate contact with children and teens to potentially harm them online or offline. |
| Screen capture/screenshot/screen recording | A picture or video taken of the content displayed on a digital screen, such as a cell phone, computer or tablet |
| Self-generated content | Sexually explicit images or videos produced by a child or teen themselves and commonly shared among peers. |
| Self-harm | Hurting or damaging your body on purpose, without suicidal intent, usually in response to intense emotional distress or negative thoughts or feelings. This can include cutting, burning, biting, scratching, picking at wounds or scabs so they don’t heal, pulling out hair, punching or hitting the body |
| Sexting | Sending, receiving or forwarding sexually explicit messages, photos or videos via a cellphone, computer or other digital device. |
| Sextortion | There are two types of sextortion. |
| Traditional sextortion occurs when an online predator threatens or blackmails a victim into providing sexually explicit content | |
| The online predator threatens to share this content with the public. | |
| Financial sextortion occurs when a predator demands money or gift cards in exchange for keeping the victim’s sexual content private. |