Traffickers may offer favors or gifts, use manipulation, promise or threaten, or use other tactics to coerce their victims. In addition, they may get close relationally to a child to gain trust so that the child will come with them willingly. Below we’ve shared prevention tips and specific signs to look for to help keep your child safe from human trafficking.
7 Tips to Help Prevent Child Trafficking
Establish a Relationship with Open Communication
Human traffickers often groom child victims before taking them. This makes it less likely that the child is going to struggle or make a scene.
Often, the children involved in human trafficking are vulnerable to the tactics of traffickers. Research shows that foster children are one of the most at-risk groups since they may run away from foster homes or get involved easily with someone who shows affection or takes care of them. Teenagers who feel misunderstood at home or who are constantly fighting with their parents are also more at risk.
One of the biggest reasons teens are trafficked at a higher level is because social media plays a big role in human trafficking. Imagine this — your teen posts on her social media about how frustrated they are at home and how they feel misunderstood. Minutes later, someone that looks to be about their age (with a profile that states they live nearby) sends a message to your teen to chat. This is how the friendship begins — except it isn’t someone their age on the other side of the computer screen; in reality, it’s a trafficker. After your teen spends time chatting with this stranger, a relationship forms. The trafficker might convince your child to meet them and your teen may agree to meet (even without your knowledge of it). Once a meetup is established, this is when things can get really dangerous.
Cultivating a loving and open-communication environment at home can help meet your child’s needs so that they’re less likely to reach out to strangers online. We’ll also provide some safe social media guidelines your child should be following later in the article.
Learn to Listen
Being a parent is a full-time job on its own and it can be hard to balance that with keeping up with housework, a job, and finding time for other relationships. Even so, it’s important that you make it a habit to talk to (and listen to) your child.
You should set aside one-on-one time to talk to your child every day when you can. Even a few minutes of one-on-one time (even while taking a walk, eating dinner, or playing a board game) gives your child the chance to talk to you about any issues, questions, or stumbling blocks they may be in the midst of. This also is a good time for them to simply share some of their life with you, even the good stuff! For many kids, this interaction is going to be pleasant. Even if your child is talking about something that isn’t necessarily important (like gossip from school or their favorite video game), keep in mind that listening to the small stuff now makes it more likely that they’ll tell you the big stuff in the future.
When your child is talking, make a habit to actively listen. You should give them time to talk without interrupting. Additionally, be sure that you are listening with the intent of understanding your child rather than trying to give advice or come up with a response. You want to accept how they are feeling and respond in a way that encourages them to come to you in the future. You can learn more advice for active listening and how to respond to your child here.
Establish Trust with Your Child
One of the biggest reasons children and teens don’t tell their parents things is because they don’t want to get in trouble or be lectured at. For example, a child might try to clean up spilled juice instead of getting help because they are worried about being yelled at or punished. If your child is taught these things young, they learn that they have to hide things from their parents.
To establish trust with your child, let them know that you want them to communicate with you, no matter what it is. While you can’t guarantee there won’t be any consequences, let them know that the consequences would be less harsh than if they hide something from you and you find out on your own.
You should also be clear that you will always pick them up from a situation they are uncomfortable in, day or night without consequence. Then, you must follow through with it. For example, imagine that your child is at a party with friends and the person who gave them a ride is drinking. Ideally, they’ll feel comfortable enough calling you at the end of the night instead of getting in the car with someone who has been drinking.
Make Sure Your Child Knows How to Get Help
Kids do get lost or separated from their parents in public. It’s important that if they are separated from you, your child knows how to get help. First, be sure that they know their first and last name, as well as yours. Your child should also know their phone number (try teaching it to them with a song) and address.
Something I did when my kids were young and we went to the zoo or somewhere else that was busy, was write my phone number on them. I always wrote it in permanent marker somewhere high on their arm, where it was unlikely to be washed off. Another hack I have seen online is to write the phone number on your child and then cover it in liquid Band-aid so it doesn’t wipe off.
Even though looking for someone with a name tag is a good first step, some traffickers may dress up as a police officer or employee to gain a child’s trust. A good guideline is for your child to stay in a public area with an employee or officer until they can call a parent. This prevents your child from leaving to a second location where they may be hurt or kidnapped.
Be Involved and Be Aware
It’s not uncommon for children to spend less time with their parents as they get older and seek to be more independent. Even so, it’s important that you stay involved in your child’s life and stay aware of what they are doing, both inside and outside of the home. Keep in mind that your child doesn’t have to leave the house to be in danger — many human traffickers find and choose their victims through the internet.
One way that you can be aware is by attending your child’s extra-curricular activities. Pay attention to their relationships with teachers, coaches, and other adults they are around. (It isn’t always a stranger that grooms a child for human trafficking).
Finally, when your child is old enough to go out on their own, be aware of who they are spending time with and what they are doing. Be sure your child has a cell phone so that they can contact you and can check in regularly. Additionally, let them know you want to know where they are at all times, even if their plans change. There are also GPS-trackers that can be turned on in your child’s phone so you can track their movements when necessary. This could be critical for tracking them down if they go missing.
Set Rules and Monitor Social Media Accounts
Once you have decided that your child is old enough to have a social media account, you’ll need to set rules for how they should interact on the platform appropriately. It’s also not a bad idea to steer them away from social media platforms that are more prone to trafficker exposure. If your child cannot follow the rules, they can’t be on social media.
At a minimum, you should make it a rule that your child must keep their social media account private. This means, with the proper privacy settings put into place, that people who are not an “accepted friend” can’t see more than their name and profile picture. Information like their status updates, location, school, and birthday will be kept private, but check the platform’s privacy settings to make sure.
For this to be effective, it’s also important that your child doesn’t accept friend requests from anyone they don’t know. Be sure they understand that this includes people that look like they might be your child’s age (and they may pretend to know someone your child knows to build trust) — it’s all too easy to use someone else’s profile picture to pretend to be someone you aren’t online. It’s also possible for your child to receive a friend request from someone that seems to be someone they know… but in reality, it’s a “fake” account that’s been opened by a completely different person.
Finally, be sure that you are friends with your child on social media and check their page regularly. You should also be able to see who they are friends with so you can monitor that as well. Help your child with decisions on who they should accept as a friend and who they shouldn’t.
As a parent, you’ll also have to decide how much privacy to give your child with their cell phone and social media accounts. You may require them to give you the passwords or check in occasionally. Alternatively, there is software you can use to be aware of social media, Internet browsing, texting, and phone calls. While you don’t want to invade your child’s privacy too much, it is important to periodically check-in and be sure they aren’t doing anything risky that could put them in harm.
Be Aware of Changes
Grooming is something that might happen over a period of weeks or longer. Pay attention to changes in your teen including sudden personality changes, a desire to be online all the time, or unexplained money or gifts. Even though these things don’t always mean your child is in contact with a trafficker, they are signs that something might be going on. These are the times when it’s important to have an open, honest conversation with your child so any problems can be addressed.
FAQs about Child Trafficking
Do I really need to talk to my child about human trafficking?
Most parents spend their child’s earlier years using baby monitors, baby gates, cabinet locks, and other various safety products to keep them safe. As your child gets older and more independent, it becomes important that you continue keeping them safe by being honest about the dangers that exist in the world. It is a good idea to at least address “stranger danger.” While you don’t want to scare your child, it is important that they know that not every person has the best intentions. This will teach them to be aware of their surroundings and why they shouldn’t talk to just anyone, especially online. Of course, you won’t need to have a deeply serious conversation until your child is old enough to understand.
How can I address the dangers of human trafficking with my child?
While talking about human trafficking is important, your child’s age, independence, and maturity level affect how it should be addressed. For younger kids (around 8 or 9), it is best to be vague with details. Let them know that there are dangerous people in the world and give the rule that they should never go anywhere with a stranger — whether they meet them in person or online.
Once you decide your child is old enough to have social media (most major websites won’t let children create an account until they are at least 13), you’ll need to address it again. Since social media poses one of the biggest risks, be clear that your child should never meet with anyone in person that they’ve met online. They should also always tell parents where they are going, how long they will be there, and check in periodically as needed.
For older teens, it is a good idea to discuss social media usage again, as well as what they should and should not do online. Set rules about keeping parents informed about their whereabouts and discuss the importance of letting you know where they are going and who will be there.
Additional Resources
Parents Against Child Trafficking
National Human Trafficking Hotline
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
Save the Children
Shared Hope International
Final Word
If you’re wondering how to keep your child safe from human trafficking, keep in mind that the best defense is being proactive. Cultivating a loving and honest home environment and learning to actively listen to your child is a great place to start. (We have information on how to make your child feel loved and valued here).
You can also talk to them about the dangers of human trafficking and how to stay safe. This might include things like knowing their name and phone number, being aware of their surroundings, avoiding strangers, and knowing when to find an adult they know. Finally, being aware of your child’s social group, what they are doing, and where they are spending their time can go a long way in identifying potential risks.
