{"id":31738,"date":"2022-11-18T20:41:35","date_gmt":"2022-11-18T20:41:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/caseyfamilyv2.wpengine.com\/sex-trafficking\/"},"modified":"2026-06-24T18:01:16","modified_gmt":"2026-06-24T18:01:16","slug":"sex-trafficking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.casey.org\/es\/sex-trafficking\/","title":{"rendered":"How can the child welfare system protect young people from commercial sexual exploitation?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Summary<\/h3>\n

Addressing the commercial sexual exploitation of children requires an intensive, multi-system commitment and seamless collaboration across agencies.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Human trafficking is the second largest criminal industry<\/a> worldwide (second only to drug dealing and tied with illegal arms), and is the fastest growing of all criminal enterprises. One form of human trafficking, the commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC)<\/a>, harms thousands of young people in the United States every year. While exact numbers are difficult to estimate given the clandestine nature of the crime and limited reporting, the National Human Trafficking Hotline identified more than 2,600 child trafficking cases in 2020<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Although human trafficking historically has been under the purview of law enforcement, child protection agencies have a legal responsibility to protect young people from CSEC. The 2014 Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act<\/a> specifically requires child protection agencies to develop policies and procedures to identify children who are victims or at risk of commercial sexual exploitation, and to provide appropriate services. Given the high risk of victimization among children who run away<\/a> from foster care, the act also includes a number of related provisions. Needed improvements to training, screening, and reporting practices<\/a> can help ensure data-driven intervention and prevention efforts.<\/p>\n

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The federal Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015<\/a> changed the legal definition of child abuse to include child sex trafficking. \u201cChildren who experience human trafficking often have a history of abuse, neglect, and trauma,\u201d the Administration for Children & Families explains. \u201cTraffickers exploit these adverse childhood experiences to target children through common online and offline schemes.\u201d<\/p>\n

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CSEC is a complex problem requiring an intensive and unwavering commitment among the wide array of agencies addressing the issue. Developing and implementing compassionate and effective responses requires multi-system collaboration<\/a> among child welfare, law enforcement, judicial, healthcare, education, and mental health systems, with financial and policy support from local, state, and federal governments.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Risk factors<\/h2>\n \n \n \n

Perpetrators of CSEC seek out vulnerabilities in youth. As a result, child welfare involvement<\/a>, running away<\/a>, and child sexual abuse<\/a> are among the primary risk factors for sexual exploitation. Studies show<\/a> that between 70% and 90% of youth who are victims of sex trafficking are survivors of child sexual abuse. One survivor noted that being in foster care was a training \u00a0ground for human trafficking<\/a>, as it taught her that she was attached to a check.<\/p>\n

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Other risk factors<\/a> include: emotional or physical abuse; parental substance use<\/a>; difficulties at school; exposure to domestic violence; history of exploitation in the family or community; and neglect (lack of supervision, care, and basic necessities). LGBTQ youth<\/a> also are at high risk, in part because in cases where rejected by family, they may have to resort to being victimized in order to meet their basic survival needs. Youth in foster care seeking connection with other adults also can fall prey to the tactics of human traffickers, who target children with minimal social support and low self-esteem.<\/p>\n

Of course, many youth in foster care experience several of these risk factors and do not become involved in CSEC. Youth should be appropriately screened for risk and exploitation, rather than assumed to be at risk or exploited.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Child welfare and CSEC<\/h3>\n

Many youth who are victims of sex trafficking in the United States have a history of child welfare involvement<\/span><\/a>:<\/p>\n