Back to School: Resources to Keep Kids Safe

Like many parents, I felt a dual sense of pride and concern as I watched my two oldest kids march into their classrooms without so much as a glance back at me. A few thoughts ran through my head: “I hope they have fun! I hope they develop a love of learning! I hope they stay safe!”

 

Navigating school can be complex in the best of times, much less during a global pandemic. The conversation about school safety encompasses several topics, including how to prevent abuse, exploitation, and trafficking. Sometimes fear can dominate the discussion, with “stranger danger” or sensational stories grabbing headlines. 

 

We think an honest, informed, and hopeful approach is best; one that empowers students and parents to work in partnership with teachers and administrators to prevent exploitation. The truth is that human trafficking is a relational crime. Victims often know, and even initially trust, their trafficker.

 

We used Lighthouse to analyze over 47,000 screenings of youth for sex trafficking between 2016-2021, revealing clear themes such as interpersonal violence, system involvement, and abuse. Of the 5,369 screenings of youth scored as “clear concern” — those most likely to have experienced trafficking — the average age at screening is 16. The chart below shows the top 10 indicators that are most prevalent among youth with clear concern screenings. While it may seem obvious, the data reinforces that young people’s relationships with their parents, their peers, and their romantic partners matter.