Risk Factors (Children)

Traffickers Search For Vulnerabilities

Children and teenagers are particularly vulnerable due to their age, naivety, and trusting nature. They can lack knowledge or experience, and traffickers prey on this.
Runaway and homeless youth are vulnerable to trafficking as they lack a strong support system and are often approached by traffickers at transportation hubs, shelters, or other public spaces.
Individuals who have experienced violence and trauma in the past are more at risk of future exploitation.

Traffickers usually focus on those easiest to exploit, which tends to be people with fewer resources or existing vulnerabilities. Here are just a few:
History of physical or sexual abuse
Mental health issues or disorders
Academically off-track
Poor self-esteem
Has run away from home more than once
Rejection related to sexual orientation
Lives in a shelter or group home
Uses drugs or is involved with romantic partners who do
Family members who have bought sex or been trafficked
Parents who abuse drugs
Lives in an area with a large influx of cash-rich workers or tourists
History of arrests for juvenile status offenses, such as truancy or underage possession of alcohol.
Current or past involvement in the child welfare system
History of running from out-of-home care
Lack of social support
Poverty
Learning disabilities or developmental delay
High number of adverse childhood experiences (ACES)
Family dysfunction or instability
Current runaway or homeless status
Involved with, or affiliated with gangs

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