Understanding Human Trafficking and Foster Care: Awareness and Prevention Strategies
This informative content delves into the critical issues of human trafficking and its intersection with foster care, providing insights on the definition of human trafficking, red flags, vulnerabilities of youth, resources for victims, reporting mechanisms, and investigation processes. It discusses various types of trafficking, including pimp-controlled, gang-controlled, familial, and buyer-perpetrated trafficking. Additionally, it highlights the alarming statistics from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children regarding child sex trafficking reports. The discourse emphasizes the importance of safeguarding our children and communities against this modern-day slavery.
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Presentation Transcript
Human Trafficking and Foster Care Sgt Matthew Dixon Metro Nashville police Department Human Trafficking Unit
Discussion points for today In this class, the participant will learn: 1. Definition of Human trafficking 2. Red Flags/indicators of Human trafficking 3. Why Vulnerable youth(why trafficking attracts them and why they are recruited) 4. Resources for trafficking victims 5. How to report and where to report incidents of trafficking 6. How to help and protect children. 7. Investigation/Court Process for a trafficking survivor
What is Human Trafficking Human trafficking is modern-day slavery and involves the use of force, fraud or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act. 10
Types of Trafficking Pimp-Controlled Trafficking . Child is trafficked by an unrelated individual, male or female, who often develops an intentional relationship with the child which is later used as leverage in the exploitation. Gang-Controlled Trafficking Child is trafficked by a member of a gang or trafficked by the gang. Gangs leverage their organizational structure, violence, and local, national and international networks to instill fear and loyalty in the child victim
Types of Trafficking Familial Trafficking Child is trafficked by a relative or a person who is perceived by the child to be a family member such as individuals referred to as auntie or uncle but are not directly related to the child. Buyer-Perpetrated Trafficking Child is being trafficked but does not have an identified trafficker. Instead, the buyer is directly exploiting the child s vulnerabilities by offering money, food, and/or shelter in exchange for the sexual exploitation.
National Center for Missing & Exploited Childrenhttps://www.missingkids.org/ In 2021, NCMEC received more than17,200 reports of possible child sex trafficking. NCMEC has received reports of child sex trafficking inall 50 U.S. States, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico. These reports include incidents occurring in every type of community: suburban, rural, urban, and tribal lands. Trends show us that when children run away frequently or for long periods of time, they tend to be running from an unsafe situation or to an unsafe situation. 1 in 6of the more than 25,000 cases of children reported missing to NCMEC in 2021 who had run away were likely victims of child sex trafficking
The connection between foster care and Human Trafficking As human trafficking rings and leaders often target those that are most vulnerable, youth and teens previously or presently in foster care are often sourced. In fact, the National Foster Youth Institute recently estimated that 60 percent of child sex trafficking victims have been within foster care (or another part of the larger child welfare system).
Who do Traffickers prey on? Human traffickers will prey on individuals who are most vulnerable, which is why foster children have a greater risk of becoming victims than those who aren t in the system. Things that make people more susceptible to human trafficking include: Those who have feelings of hopelessness and depression Children who have experienced trauma Runaways from group or foster homes Young adults who are sent out of foster care at the age of 18 Homeless youth, especially LGBTQ+
What do traffickers prey on While any child can be targeted by a trafficker, research, data and survivor lived experience and expertise have revealed traffickers and buyers often target youth who lack strong support networks, have experienced violence in the past, are experiencing homelessness, or are marginalized by society. Traffickers are masters of manipulation and prey upon vulnerabilities using psychological pressure and intimidation to control and sexually exploit the child for their benefit.
How do traffikers Recruit? Recruitment: traffickers approach potential victims in a variety of ways, Many traffickers prey on victims who are looking for the promise of a better life, a job opportunity or a romantic relationship. pretending to be a potential boyfriend or friend, contacting them via social media such as Facebook posting newspaper or Internet ads for jobs and opportunities false promises will be made to the victims about money, new clothes, work or education opportunities, financial aid for their family,
Types of Pimps There are two types of Pimps: 1) The Romeo Pimp will draw a young person into their lives with promises of love and affection and access to a more glamour lifestyle 2) Gorilla Pimps find young victims and use violence and sexual assault as a way to break that individual and flip them into the game
How do they control their victim/survivor? Victims are often (but not always) moved around by traffickers, to isolate them from family and/or people they know or areas that are familiar to them Victims of sex trafficked are moved from hotel to hotel Drugs Love , You will do this for the Family .If you love me you will do this
Red flags for Sex Trafficking Behavioral Indicators Chronically runs away from home (especially 3+ missing incidents) Unexplained absences from school Constantly sleeps during class Stops engaging in activities they previously enjoyed Abruptly disconnects from family and friends Significant changes in behavior, including their online activity Appears overly frightened, annoyed, resistant, or belligerent to authority figures Avoids answering questions or lets others speak for them Lies about age and identity or has a secret online profile Uses language or emojis often associated with commercial sex such as trick , the life , or the game References online escort ads or dating websites/apps
Physical Indicators Signs of sexual or physical abuse Symptoms of neglect such as malnourishment Unaddressed or chronic medical/dental issues or STIs Close association with an overly controlling adult Recovered at hotels, street tracks, strip clubs, or other locations where commercial sex is known to occur Has a secret cell phone or apps providing multiple cellphone numbers In possession of material items inconsistent with the child s access to money or socioeconomic status Living out of suitcases, motels, in a car or other evidence of housing insecurity In possession of bulk sexual paraphernalia such as condoms or lubricant Unexplained access to large amounts of cash, pre-paid cards, or hotel keys Tattoos or other branding, such as those indicating money or matching other known trafficking victims, or that the child is reluctant to explain References traveling to other cities or states while missing, or while their whereabouts were unknown Drug abuse or frequent use of party drugs such as GHB, Rohypnol, Ketamine, MDMA (Ecstasy), or Methamphetamines
Drugs Vs Trafficking Reward Why do people do it Purchase 1 kilo of cocaine for $30000 1 person recruited costs-depending on how recruited may cost $0, just time, if you are a Romeo Pimp purchase items, then they have to repay you. cut it into 1 gram bags, cut it half and you have 2 kilos cocaine at 30 per gram, so 2000 gram x $30 per gram= $60,000 $10000 to start- $60000-$30000= $30000 Survivor does 10 tricks a day at $200 a trick= $2000 7 days a week=14000 Risk reward-more likely to be arrested because evidence is on you. 1 month= $48000 10000 cost to run the operation to include hotels, food, rental cars. $38,000
Trafficking as a business Supply vs Demand
Victims dont come forward to the police or organizations for help for a variety of reasons such as: Not recognizing that they are a victim of human trafficking Lack of knowledge of their rights, lack of documentation Cannot reach out for help due to language barriers Fearful of law enforcement and lack of trust in organizations that provide assistance Threats made to the victim and towards people they know or to their families Foreign Nationals with precarious status may be afraid to report for fear of being deported Those who are labour trafficked may not want to report because it will put fellow workers at
So what do we do as police officers to get stories Work with NGO s DCS Other Government agencies Multi disciplinary approach
Non-Profits/Advocacy Groups Nashville Anti-Human Trafficking Coalition
Police cannot do this alone These groups/partners assist us in building relationships with potential victims/survivors
How do you protect the children and yourself
NetSmartz is here to help you as you establish this open relationship with your child. On MissingKids.org/NetSmartz you ll find resources including: Discussion starters. Information about the issues. Tip sheets. Videos.
Where do Children get online? Kids go online from: School computers. Friends computers. Laptops and tablets. Cell phones. MP3 players like the iPod Touch. E-readers like the Nook and Kindle. Game consoles like the Nintendo Wii U, PlayStation 4 or Xbox One. Handheld gaming devices like the Nintendo 3DS or the PlayStation Vita
So what are your kids currently interested in online Use social media sites and apps like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Kik or Yik Yak? Text or play games on your cell phone or their own phones? Use Google to help with their homework? Play computer games or games on a PlayStation or Nintendo 3DS? Play in a virtual world like MineCraft Download music from iTunes? Watch videos on YouTube? Download apps from the App Store or Google Play?
Technology cant catch everything so, communicate But remember, the most important thing is to communicate with your children about what they re doing online. Start the conversation by asking about their interests. Ask them questions like: What s your favorite app? Who do you talk to when you play games? What kinds of pictures do you like to post?
The good news is that most children are not getting into trouble online, but there are still risks to consider. Inappropriate content. Online privacy. Sexting. Online sexual solicitation. Cyberbullying.
options you may want to look into: Filtering and monitoring software - These can help protect your children from seeing sexually explicit content online and even notify you if they re receiving inappropriate messages. Metro Nashville Police does not endorse any particular kind of software, but you can go to www.getnetwise.org to search for the software that best fits your needs.
Cellphones and other Devices Consult your cell phone service provider - They may offer monitoring options for your child s cell phone. Research options for mobile devices Laptops, tablets, handheld games and MP3 players may have built-in monitoring options or software for purchase.
What else can you do? Look at the individual apps they re using - Many apps have the option to turn off chat features or limit who can see what your child posts within the app. Explore built-in security features for programs and websites - These often have their own privacy or filtering services. For example, Google has a free SafeSearch option. Each website or app has different privacy and filtering settings, so you should consult each one to help you better understand their systems.
Some apps that we know about but do not endorse Net Nanny Pricing: Starts at $50 per year and goes up to $129 per year iOS/Android: Both Number of Devices: 1, 5, or 20, depending on your plan Pros Top-notch web filtering system that analyzes websites Can set specific times for children to use devices Blocks content across web addresses and apps Monitors their physical and virtual location Cons Only offers annual subscription No monitoring of calls and texts
Canopy -----Key Specs Pricing: From $8 to $16 per month iOS/Android: Both Number of Devices: Up to 10 Pros Focuses on filtering out nudity and pornography Analyzes photos to detect and prevent sexting Can choose which apps are allowed on different devices Real-time location feature Doesn t sell your data Cons No screen time limits Can t filter or block content within apps
Bark Key Specs Pricing: From $49 to $99 per year or from $5 to $14 per month iOS/Android: Both Number of Devices: Unlimited Pros Monitors in-app conversations and messages Sends alerts for inappropriate or concerning content Allows screen time management One plan covers any number of devices Free 7-day trial Cons Limited monitoring features for iOS users Only premium plans let you monitor texts and apps
Numerous apps, other things to think about Your internet service provider may have resources that you can use for free. Private Wifi- this allows people not to see your wifi address Things also to look for VPN
What Is a VPN? A VPN creates a secure connection between you and the internet. It provides you with an extra layer of privacy and anonymity, so you can: Hide your internet activity and location to avoid being tracked (especially on public WiFi networks) Freely browse the internet without constraints Browse safely and anonymously with no speed throttling VPN services also help you bypass censorship, get around content blocks, and unlock website restrictions. By encrypting your internet traffic, VPNs hide your IP address and physical location, so that no one can tell who you are, where you are, or what you re doing online. That s why VPN means virtual private network it s an on-demand, private tunnel through the internet.
Want more training on Internet Internet Crimes against Children Unit 6158627840 NCMEC-so many resources Someone in this group probably has knowledge, so talk about it. Someone in this group has had to deal with issues relating to internet.
Not For Sale Nashville A community initiative created by the MNPD Human Trafficking Unit Focuses on trainings and awareness for hotels, schools, rideshare, and medical facilities Dedicated email for hotline tips humantraffickingmnpd@gmail.com
Court Process Not solved in and adjudicated in 60 mins like tv show FI s MLE s Multiple interviews by LE Give up phone during investigation Typically goes to General Sessions first victim may or may not testify-we look at the risk of the witness running away. If we can get them on the stand and cross- examined we can use that testimony later. Deciding on Federal vs State prosecution
Court Process Therapy- sometimes therapy brings up new allegations Grand Jury- Victim/survivor does not testify, but could in Federal Grand Jury but there are no cross examinations, only Federal Prosecutor Suppression Hearings-This is where the Defense tries to suppress information. Bring up discredit to victim-I want to know everything from the victim so I can deal with it Criminal Court- will have to testify if no plea has been met.
Child and youth victims of trafficking Support Materials https://ovc.ojp.gov/child-victims-and-witnesses- support/human-trafficking
Not For Sale Nashville A community initiative created by the MNPD Human Trafficking Unit Focuses on trainings and awareness for hotels, schools, rideshare, and medical facilities Dedicated email for hotline tips humantraffickingmnpd@gmail.com
Contacts Metropolitan Nashville Police Department: (615) 862-8600 Tennessee Bureau of Investigation: (615) 744- 4000 Tennessee Human Trafficking Hotline: (855) 558- 6484 Text: BeFree to 233733 National Human Trafficking Hotline: (888) 373- 7888
