Human trafficking remains one of the most pervasive and under-identified issues worldwide. Victims are often hidden in plain sight due to the complex nature of their exploitation and systemic gaps in identification. Recent estimates highlight this disparity: while the International Labor Organization reports 27.6 million victims globally, only a fraction are formally identified.

Screening tools, such as the Commercial Sexual Exploitation-Identification Tool (CSE-IT), play a pivotal role in bridging this gap. These tools standardize the identification process across agencies, helping uncover subtle indicators that may otherwise go unnoticed. In Texas and Louisiana, where the CSE-IT has been deployed, agencies such as juvenile probation departments, schools, and child advocacy centers use this validated tool to assess youth vulnerabilities.

This systematic approach enables earlier interventions and data-driven insights into trafficking patterns. Key findings from Texas and Louisiana demonstrate the power of screening tools. Since 2016, over 174,000 youth in Texas have been screened, with 9.9% identified as “Clear Concern” for trafficking. In Louisiana, where screenings began more recently, 18.3% of the nearly 7,000 youth screened were flagged as high risk. These results underscore the need for universal adoption of validated screening protocols to ensure vulnerable youth do not fall through the cracks.

Standardized screening tools like the CSE-IT are more than instruments; they are lifelines for at-risk populations. As agencies continue to adopt and refine these tools, they must also invest in universal training and inter-agency collaboration to maximize their impact.

Stay tuned as we dive deeper into the findings and recommendations from this critical work.