Identifying child sex trafficking is complex, and understanding the situation is key.

#KnowTheSigns

  • "I was trafficked at 12 years old and traveled alone on the bus. I was so nervous I was shaking. Nobody asked me if I was okay."

    —Survivor of child sex trafficking

  • "I thought my trafficker loved me. But they just needed me to get the job done."

    —Survivor of child sex trafficking

  • "Look at the age difference between me and the man I'm traveling with. He's not my dad, he's my trafficker."

    —Survivor of child sex trafficking

  • "I was so scared I would not make eye contact with anyone. I'd keep my head down, hair covering my face."

    —Survivor of child sex trafficking

  • "Look at the way they speak to me. How they control me."

    —Survivor of child sex trafficking

How can you disrupt child trafficking as a transit rider?

#Know the signs of child sex trafficking. Understanding the situation is key to identify child sex trafficking. It is often a combination of signs that should alert us.

Be aware of your surroundings and note when a child is:

  • Traveling during unusual hours and/or traveling with an older person who seems to be controlling them

  • Easily startled or afraid, head down and/or avoiding eye contact

  • Providing scripted responses or not being allowed to speak for themselves

  • Being yelled at or intimated

  • Having identifying marks or tattoos on their body as a way for traffickers to control them

NEVER DIRECTLY INTERVENE

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NEVER DIRECTLY INTERVENE 〰️

Report suspicious activities while riding on public transit:

>> Call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-3888

>> Text at BEFREE

WHY IS THIS CAMPAIGN IMPORTANT?

Public transportation is a common method traffickers use to move their victims.

We believe in the power of prevention!

Child trafficking for sexual exploitation is a particularly distressing issue. Every child deserves to grow up free from the horrors of sexual exploitation, but the reality is that millions of children worldwide are subjected to this unimaginable crime. The sexual exploitation of children is not only a violation of their rights but also leaves lasting physical, emotional, and psychological scars.

What is child sex trafficking?

Very few people understand the realities of trafficking. The truth is, child trafficking and sexual exploitation happen everywhere in the United States. It affects every community in the United States, and disproportionately affect vulnerable communities experiencing generational trauma and systemic inequality, particularly LGBTQ+ children and children of color. Estimates are conservative. Many cases go unreported, and there is no central data source.

  • Child sex trafficking is when someone under 18 is bought or sold for sexual purposes. There is no cross-state movement required.

  • Sexual exploitation includes collection or sale of child sexual abuse material, online enticement, and child sexual molestation.

  • Abuse can take many forms, but the common thread is the dynamic between the trafficker and the victim. The abuser is often a person already in the child’s life.

TACT Campaign