Online Safety for Children and Teens: Sex Trafficking Recruitment
Written by Emily Arismendy
In the digital age, the internet has become a hotspot for exploitation, particularly when it comes to sex trafficking. Recent statistics from the National Human Trafficking Hotline have revealed a startling 22% surge in online recruitment during the COVID-19 pandemic, shedding light on the pervasive nature of these crimes.
A study conducted by Thorn found that a staggering 55% of domestic minor sex trafficking survivors who were victims of trafficking in 2015 or later reported meeting their trafficker for the first time through online channels such as text, websites, or mobile apps. Disturbingly, 63% of these traffickers utilized online methods to build trust and intimacy with their victims, exploiting the vulnerabilities inherent in digital interactions.
Who are traffickers targeting?
Women and girls make up a significant majority of individuals subjected to sex trafficking, accounting for 77% and 72% respectively, according to UNODC. Some estimates suggest even higher rates, with sources indicating that up to 99% of sexually trafficked individuals are women and girls.
The majority of those trafficked enter the trade before turning 18, typically between the ages of 12 and 15. Research also indicates that members of the LGBTQ+ community face double the risk of trafficking compared to heterosexual individuals, often due to discrimination and lack of support services that expose them to additional risk factors such as homelessness.
What are the tactics traffickers use?
The Hollywood portrayal of sex trafficking often shows dramatic abductions, but in reality, it usually involves exploitation by those closest to the victim—family, partners, or trusted acquaintances. These traffickers manipulate relationships to control and exploit, making the abuse harder to detect and the victim less likely to seek help. Understanding this shifts the focus from stranger danger to the real risks within personal relationships.
Traffickers often look for people who feel misunderstood or dissatisfied, those with an extreme need, or for those who are easier to exploit. Many times, children are targets due to struggles with isolation, immigration status, poverty, foster care, addiction, trauma, abuse, or unstable housing. Runaways are also particularly vulnerable. These vulnerabilities can be exploited by predators to groom their victims.
Here are a few specific tactics that predators use to trap victims:
- False Identities: Traffickers often masquerade as someone the child knows or trusts, creating fake profiles to establish a sense of familiarity and credibility.
- Exploiting Vulnerabilities: Identifying and exploiting vulnerabilities in children’s lives, such as low self-esteem or emotional distress, traffickers manipulate and control their victims by providing false emotional support and affection.
- Sharing Explicit Content: Predators coerce children into sharing explicit images or videos, subsequently using this material as leverage for further exploitation.
- Online Coercion and Threats: Employing coercion, threats, and intimidation tactics, traffickers compel children to comply with their demands under the threat of harm to themselves or their loved ones.
- Absence of Parental Involvement: Traffickers capitalize on the lack of parental supervision and awareness of online dangers to groom children without detection.
- Online Social Peer Pressure: Leveraging peer pressure, traffickers normalize exploitation within online communities, enticing children to engage in sexual activities.
- “Romeo” Tactics: By creating the illusion of a romantic relationship, traffickers manipulate victims through extreme flattery, promises of affection, and emotional manipulation.
These tactics are disseminated through active targeting (hunting), passive recruitment (fishing), and exploiting vulnerabilities associated with addiction (ice fishing). By preying on individuals’ desires for affection, financial stability, or a sense of belonging, traffickers create a cycle of dependency and manipulation that is difficult to break.
When posting online, as a parent, be mindful of the information you share. Specific details like:
- The high school where your student made the honor roll
- Linking your profile to local neighborhood watch groups
- Relatives wishing someone a happy 16th birthday
- Where you work
These details can provide exploitable information to those with harmful intentions.
Think of your online presence as a story. Many websites ask for bits of personal information, and tech-savvy individuals can easily piece together details like age, school, friends, and family connections. This information can be used to threaten or exploit you. For example, someone might say, “If you don’t do X, I’ll share these pictures with everyone at your school.” This is known as sextortion.
Signs a child or teen might be being exploited
Identifying signs that a child or teenager is being targeted and recruited for trafficking online is crucial for early intervention and prevention. Traffickers often employ sophisticated tactics to groom and manipulate young individuals. Here are several indicators that may suggest a child or teen is at risk:
- Excessive Secrecy About Online Activities
- Device Usage Patterns: Spending unusually long hours online, especially late at night.
- Hiding Screens: Quickly changing screens or hiding devices when approached.
- Multiple Accounts: Possessing numerous social media or gaming profiles, sometimes under different names
- Sudden Behavioral and Emotional Changes
- Withdrawal: Becoming isolated from family and long-standing friends.
- Mood Swings: Exhibiting unexplained anger, depression, or anxiety.
- Loss of Interest: Disengaging from previously enjoyed activities or hobbies.
- Unexplained Possessions or Financial Gain
- Gifts: Receiving expensive items like jewelry, gadgets, or clothing without a clear source.
- Money: Having access to sums of money without a known reason.
- Associating with New or Older Individuals
- Unknown Contacts: Mentioning new friends, particularly older ones, that family members have never met.
- Secretive Relationships: Being evasive about the nature of these relationships or how they met.
- Changes in Language and Online Behavior
- Sexualized Language: Using terms or language that are inappropriate for their age.
- Explicit Content: Sharing or possessing explicit photos or videos.
- Physical Signs
- Appearance Changes: Drastic changes in clothing or makeup style.
- Physical Injuries: Unexplained bruises or injuries.
- Academic and Social Decline
- School Performance: Sudden drop in grades or attendance issues.
- Peer Relationships: Conflicts with friends or being ostracized.
- Travel Without Explanation
- Trips: Taking trips or going places without clear reasons or parental consent.
- Suspicious Items: Possessing hotel room keys, receipts, or cards without a logical explanation.
- Communication from Strangers
- Contact Attempts: Receiving messages or friend requests from unknown individuals, especially those pressuring for personal information or meetings.
Safety Tools
Bark (Smartphone App): Bark monitors texts, email, YouTube, and 30+ apps and social media platforms for signs of issues like cyberbullying, sexual content, online predators, depression, suicidal ideation, threats of violence, and more.
iPhone Family Sharing (free on iPhones)
Life 360 (Smartphone App): Protect and connect your loved ones, pets, & important stuff with Life360’s advanced driving, location, & digital safety features.
Aura (Smartphone App): Protect Your Kids with Aura Parental Controls for iPhone & Android. Filter, block, and monitor websites and apps. Set custom screen time limits for each child. Pause the Internet on their devices with a single tap.
Expect Respect (prevention education): A program of SAFE that works to promote healthy relationships and prevent violence and abuse among children and teens.
Other Resources
24-hr SAFEline
Call: 512-267-SAFE [7233] | Text: 737-888-7233 | Chat: safeaustin.org/chat
Call: 1-888-373-7888 | Text: 233733 | Chat: humantraffickinghotline.org/chat
Call 512-473-9125 or visit the Youth Resource Center at 835 N Pleasant Valley Rd, Monday-Thursday 12pm to 4pm
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Many survivors of sex trafficking do not recognize themselves as victims, especially those who have been manipulated or coerced into believing that their trafficker cares for them. This can make it challenging for them to seek help or even acknowledge that they need it. The trauma and psychological manipulation they endure often lead to a sense of loyalty or attachment to their trafficker, making it difficult for them to break free.
At SAFE, the Peer Support program provides a critical resource for these individuals. Through this program, survivors can connect with others who have shared similar experiences, offering empathy, understanding, and encouragement from those who truly understand what they’ve been though. Peer Support is a community, safe haven and vital resource for survivors to access at any and every stage of their journey. The Peer Support staff, who are survivors themselves, help to build trust and provide guidance as survivors begin their journey towards healing.
SAFE CARES (Collaboration, Advocacy, Response, Engagement, and Support) is another essential program at SAFE, dedicated to supporting survivors of sex trafficking and exploitation. This program offers comprehensive services including case management, crisis intervention, legal advocacy, and access to safe housing. SAFE CARES works closely with survivors to provide the resources and support they need to regain control of their lives, empowering them to move forward in a safe and supportive environment. Together, these programs offer a lifeline to those affected by trafficking, helping them to recognize their victimization and begin the process of recovery.
For crisis referrals to SAFE CARES, please call our 24/7 SAFEline at 512-267-SAFE [7233]. For non-crisis referrals to SAFE CARES, please complete this form.
Ultimately, addressing the threats of sex trafficking demands collective action and a commitment to protecting the most vulnerable members of our society from falling prey to the dark realities of the digital age. Only by shining a light on these crimes and standing united against them can we hope to create a safer, more secure online environment for children and teens.
