Human Trafficking Mandatory Reporter Training

What Every Mandatory Child Abuse Reporter Needs to Know COMMERCIAL SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF CHILDREN

HOW IT IMPACTS YOU…
Due to a recent change in the law, mandatory child abuse reporters must report any child they believe is commercially sexually exploited to the Division of Family and Children Services
Failure to report a reasonable belief that a child is being exploited is a misdemeanor
As professionals who interact with children, you are in a unique position to help victims to escape from this terrible form of abuse

DEFINITION OF CSEC
Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC )
Sexual abuse accompanied by remuneration in cash or in kind to the child or a third person or persons
Types of Victims/Exploitation:
“ Street” victims
Internet victims
Internet is the method or “ virtual street” (i.e. Craig’s List)
Child pornography victim
“ Legitimate” businesses (i.e. massage parlors, escort services)

DEFINITIONS OF TRAFFICKING
Human Trafficking -
- Compelling or coercing another person to perform labor or other services.
Coercion can be overt or subtle; physical or psychological
Two types of human trafficking: Sex and Labor
Sex Trafficking -
Recruiting, harboring, transporting, obtaining or employing a person for commercial sexual activity induced by force, fraud or coercion or performed by person under the age of 18

KEY COMPARISON
CSEC
Sexual exploitation of children
Includes both girls and boys, and transgender youth
Involves both domestic and international minors
Human Trafficking
Has both adult and minor victims
Deals with both labor and sexual servitude
Misconception: Is thought to be only international in scope, but is also domestic

SCOPE OF PROBLEM
Atlanta is one of the 14 cities with the highest rates of prostitution of children in U.S. (source: FBI)
Atlanta is a top sex tourism destination (source: Priebe A., Suhr C. Hidden in Plain View: The Commercial Exploitation of Girls in Atlanta, 2005 )
250-350 girls are exploited in Georgia each month (conservative estimate) (source: A Future. Not a Past.)

METHODS USED TO CONTROL CSEC VICTIMS
Seduction
Force: Rape, beatings, confinement
Fraud: False and deceptive offers
Coercion: Threats, debt bondage, psychological manipulation

MINDSET OF CSEC VICTIMS
Refusal to consider themselves victims
Fear or distrust of health/social service providers, police, and government officials
Loyalties, positive feelings towards pimp as coping mechanism
Desire to protect pimp from authorities
Fear for safety of family
Violated personhood* – (voice, relationship, power) * Langberg, D. (2003). Counseling Survivors of Sexual Abuse. USA: Xulon Press

KEY RISK FACTORS
Abusive Home (physical, mental, or sexual)
Runaways – lured within 48 hours
Learning Disabilities / Academic Underachievers
Isolated / Socially Challenged Children
Drug Abuse in the Home
Early Drug Usage
Gant, B. & Lopez Hudlin, C. (2007). Hands that Heal: International Curriculum to Train Caregiver of Trafficking Survivors (FAAST). Springfield, MO, Life Publishers

DEMAND
PRIMARY DEMAND:
Opportunistic exploiters, pervasiveness of adult sex markets, sex offenders, the “victimless crime” myth (perception of helping the victim), gender inequality, sex tourists or prostitution tourists
SECONDARY DEMAND:
Traffickers, pimps, brothel owners/madams, corrupt public officials, criminals or various criminal organizations
TERTIARY DEMAND:
Media promotion of a culture of prostitution, cultural flattery of men’s sexual promiscuity, religious attitudes and values, rape stigma, lack of laws, and new technology.
Gant, B. & Lopez Hudlin, C. (2007). Hands that Heal: International Curriculum to Train Caregiver of Trafficking Survivors (FAAST). Springfield, MO, Life Publishers

CURRENT LAW ENFORCEMENT PRACTICES IN GEORGIA
Fulton County Juvenile Court and law enforcement have adopted a practice not to prosecute children for prostitution
Exploited children are viewed as victims rather than offenders
Despite this policy children are still sometimes arrested and detained on prostitution charges, and the charge is later knocked down to a lesser charge
Children are still sometimes prosecuted for prostitution in other Georgia counties

CHILD ABUSE REPORTING STATUTE
Professionals who are required to report child abuse do so based on the statute’s definition of child abuse
O.C.G.A. § 19-7-5’s definition of child abuse includes two different sub-parts that encompass CSEC victims:
The sex acts involved in prostitution usually fit into the definition of “sexual abuse”
“ Sexual exploitation” now, as a result of a recent change in the law, includes sexual exploitation that is perpetrated by either parent/caretaker or someone unrelated to the victim (i.e. a pimp)

IDENTIFYING CSEC VICTIMS
Key Questions for Identifying CSEC Victims
How did you get here?
Where do you live, eat and sleep?
Do you owe someone money?
Were you threatened if you tried to leave?
Has your family been threatened?
Were you ever physically abused?
Were you ever forced to stay in one place?
Who are you afraid of?

SIGNS TO LOOK FOR: SCHOOL PERSONNEL
Isolation
Frequent absences
Inappropriate clothing/dressing over-age
Little to no eye contact
Avoiding girls and spending a majority of time with boys
Not eating
Crying/outbursts of anger without a cause
Secretive about her things or writing notes to herself
Art work that is disturbing
Unexplained bruises or other injuries

SIGNS TO LOOK FOR: COUNSELORS / THERAPISTS
History of one or more of the following:
Physical or sexual abuse
Running away
Truancy
Unexplained – or inadequately explained – absences from home
Existence of an adult male “boyfriend”
Presence of “gifts” whose origin is unknown
Ongoing – or increasing – incidents at school
Falling grades
School suspensions

SIGNS TO LOOK FOR: SOCIAL WORKERS
History of one or more of the following:
DFCS involvement in the family, particularly if stemmed from allegation of sexual or physical abuse
Running away
Truancy
Older friends and/or “boyfriend”
Gang signs / affiliation
More than one cell phone
Physical signs such as:
Unexplained bruises
Cigarette burns
Tattoos of someone’s name or nickname

SIGNS TO LOOK FOR: MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS
A young patient who:
Is accompanied by an adult other than his or her parent (often male) who seems controlling, insists on speaking for the patient
Has visible signs of physical abuse
Has a tattoo of a man’s name or nickname
Shows signs of psychological abuse; acts unusually fearful or submissive
Appears underage and engaged in prostitution
Has multiple sexually transmitted infections
Reports multiple pregnancies, abortions or miscarriages
Uses illegal drugs

HELPFUL INFORMATION TO GATHER
The more information that can be provided to DFCS, the more likely the child will get help. If possible, try to provide:
Name and location of the victim
Name and location of the victim’s parents
Basis for your belief that the child is exploited
Name, physical description, and/or location of suspected exploiter
Whether alleged perpetrator is in the area/armed
Location where exploitation occurred

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS
Safe
If victim feels safe she is more likely to disclose
Private
Victim may fear the pimp more than the state
Child-friendly location
No distractions
Minor’s physical/mental state
i.e. sleepy, hungry, on drugs, etc

PREVENTING EXPLOITATION
Engage the child in learning and school
Identify barriers to learning such as learning disabilities and distractions, and develop a plan to address these
Engage the child in extracurricular activities and after-school programs
Develop relationships with trustworthy adults
Help identify / create availability of trustworthy adults
Find a safe person with whom the child can discuss sexual issues and other problems
Teach about good relationships
Model respect for appropriate boundaries
Talk with the child about respect and why it matters
Encourage the child to examine the pros and cons of his or her relationships

PREVENTING EXPLOITATION (Cont’d)
Help children become more media literate
Encourage children to question images they see in the media
Talk with children about things that are normalized on tv and in movies and music and about why those things might not be the same in real life
Build children’s understanding of legal consequences
Children need to know that even though they are young, their actions can carry serious penalties for them
Criminal activity and/or arrests could impact public housing for the whole family
Sex with older “boyfriend” could get him arrested on a range of charges with long sentences
Acts other than intercourse (e.g. oral sex) can sometimes carry even greater penalties than “normal” sex

REPORTING PROCESS
When DFCS receives a report of CSEC by a person who is not the parent, the family will get a referral to a service provider, and law enforcement will be notified
If a parent or caretaker is involved or has failed to protect the child from the exploitation, a DFCS case will be opened
If there is not enough information for DFCS to take either of these steps, they may provide referral information to you

SERVICES CURRENTLY OFFERED
Georgia has some of the only residential treatment
facilities in the U.S. specifically tailored for the
needs of girls who have been commercially
sexually exploited. These include:
Angela’s House
Wellspring Living Inc.
Regional Assessment Center
Living Waters
Center to End Adolescent Sexual Exploitation (CEASE)

Q&A / RESOURCES
Georgia Care Connection: 404-602-0068
Prevent Child Abuse Georgia Helpline: 1-800-CHILDREN
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children: 1-800-THE-LOST
www.afuturenotapast.org
www.WeUrgeYou.com
www.wellspringliving.org
www.notforsalecampaign.org

Human Trafficking Mandatory Reporter Training

by Bill Reichart

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