How to Prevent Your Child from Being Trafficked: A Parent’s Guide
Human trafficking is a serious and complex issue, but there are steps parents can take to help protect their children from this danger.
Educate Your Child About Trafficking 1
What to Do:
• Have age-appropriate conversations about the realities of trafficking.
• Teach your child to recognize warning signs, such as strangers offering gifts, money, or promises of a better life.
Why it Helps:
Awareness is the first step in prevention. When children understand the risks and signs, they are more likely to avoid dangerous situations.
Monitor Online Activity
What to Do:
• Use parental control software to monitor your child’s online activity.
• Regularly review their social media profiles and interactions.
• Teach your child not to share personal information online or accept friend requests from strangers.
Why it Helps:
Traffickers often use the internet to target and groom potential victims. Monitoring online activity helps protect your child from online predators.
3 4 Know Your Child’s Friends and Activities
What to Do:
Establish Open Communiction
• Relationships with caring parents and safe adults are the greatest protection for children. Encourage your child to talk to you about anything that makes them uncomfortable or if someone they don’t know contacts them.
• Create a safe and nonjudgmental environment for your child to share their concerns.
Why it Helps:
Open communication builds trust and ensures your child feels comfortable coming to you with potential issues or threats.
What to Do:
• Get to know your child’s friends and their parents.
• Be aware of your child’s daily activities, school life, and extracurricular engagements.
Why it Helps:
Being involved in your child’s life helps you spot any unusual behavior or new, potentially dangerous influences.
Teach Safe Practices
5 6 Use Code Words and Emergency Plans
What to Do:
• Teach your child the importance of staying in groups and knowing where they are going, even if invited by friends.
• Practice scenarios with your child, such as what to do if approached by a stranger or if they feel unsafe.
Why it Helps:
Practical knowledge and preparedness can help your child react appropriately in risky situations.
What to Do:
• Establish a family code word that your child can use to indicate they are in danger without alerting others.
• Create an emergency plan detailing who your child should contact and where they should go if they feel threatened.
Why it Helps:
Code words and emergency plans provide your child with clear actions to take if they ever find themselves in a threatening situation.
Be Aware of Trafficking Hotspots 7
What to Do:
• Stay informed about local trafficking trends and hotspots.
• Avoid letting your child go to highrisk areas alone or unsupervised. Children are often exploited at parties.
Why it Helps:
Awareness of local risks helps you take proactive steps to keep your child safe.
General Tips for Parents
Stay Informed: Regularly update your knowledge about human trafficking and current trends. Attend local workshops or training sessions if available.
Trust Your Instincts: If something feels off about a situation or person, trust your instincts and take appropriate action.
Report Suspicious Activity: If you suspect someone is trying to lure your child or if you see suspicious activity, report it to local authorities immediately. Call 911 or the Human Trafficking Hotline: (888) 373-7888.
By implementing these measures, you can significantly reduce the risk of your child falling victim to trafficking. Regular discussions about safety, maintaining open communication, and staying informed are key components of effective protection.