Here are some of the latest updates on trafficking in the news!
Social Media Becoming Gateway to Trafficking
Traffickers are befriending teens online and luring them into becoming trafficked. These two articles, one from ABC Action News and one from Eurekalert, highlight some of the tactics and warning signs to watch out for.
“She started coming home with items I didn’t pay for and she didn’t have a job. There was no explainable way she could have these items.”
These articles say parents are the front line and should be monitoring online activity, but we would argue that monitoring online activity of teens, alone, is too little, too late. Talk to your kids early and often about the threat of traffickers and how they operate BEFORE your kids start participating on social media. And continue talking to them through the teen years, to help equip them with the skills and knowledge they need to make wise decisions. We know traffickers are targeting some of our kids online too, so we have workshops to help raise awareness amongst our students.
University Professor Gets DOJ Grant to Study Needs of Trafficking Survivors
The grant is specifically for programs that offer mentoring and support services to victims of commercial sexual exploitation and domestic sex trafficking, as well as provide community awareness activities to help prevent further victimization. This project is the result of several years’ work to develop a multi-agency collaboration with partners such as Homeland Security, United States Marshals and other community, state and federal agencies. It will expand community education and awareness, increase capacity for local mentoring programs and health services for child sex trafficking victims, as well as help research the effects of mentoring programs with trafficking victims.
“There’s never been evidence-based research done on the best way to mentor child sex trafficking victims, and I think the Department of Justice giving this grant speaks to the need of programs and research like this. We seek to try and help these victims with their education, employment, housing, food, clothes, etc. We want to empower them and help them realize the life they have right now doesn’t have to dictate the life they have in the future.” – Dr. Cathy Miller
Source: UTTyler
A North Carolina Couple Open First Long Term Shelter for Boy Victims of US Sex Trafficking
The Anchor House is a licensed, faith-based shelter for boys to receive holistic care and no charge. Kids can stay as long as needed, possibly ranging from one to two years.
Source: CBN News
Thailand and China Agree to Collaborate on Anti-Trafficking Efforts
Thailand and China signed a Memorandum of Understanding that upholds human rights and is centered on the prevention of human trafficking, investigation and prosecution of traffickers, and assistance and protection for human trafficking victims. The agreement is expected to allow both nations to exchange information and work in a collaborative manner to prevent and suppress human trading activities in the trans-national region of the Mekong River basin.
Source: Pattaya Mail
