Awareness - Learn More
Red Flags to Watch For:
- Signs of Physical Abuse, burn marks, bruises or cuts
- Unexplained Absences from Class
- Less Appropriately dressed than before
- Promiscuous/sensualized behavior
- Overly tired in class
- Withdrawn, depressed or distracted
- Brags about making or having lots of money
- Displays expensive clothes, accessories or shoes
- New tattoo (Tattoos are often used by pimps as a way to brand victims. Tattoos of a name, symbol of money or barcode could indicate trafficking)
- Older boyfriend, new friends with a different lifestyle
- Talks about wild parties or invites other students to attend parties
- Shows signs of gang affiliation (a preference for specific colors, display gang symbols)
Who is Vulnerable?
Anyone with…
- History of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence
- Family background of prostitution
- Displacement by social or natural disaster
- Part of an undocumented, stateless, or ostracized group, including LGBTQ individuals
- Unstable or inconsistent family conditions (e.g. parental absence or neglect, substance abuse, physical/sexual/emotional abuse, foster care)
- Runaway, truant, risky sexual behavior
- Poverty or economic instability
- Previous trouble with the law
- Any child or adult who needs or wants something they don’t have is vulnerable because traffickers will step in to fill that need in order to coerce someone into “the life”.
- TRAFFICKING DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE