Identifying Human Trafficking

Child and youth victims of human trafficking often may be difficult to identify or locate. It is vitally important for child welfare professionals, runaway and homeless youth service providers, domestic violence service providers, law enforcement, educators, and the community at large to become familiar with the warning signs that a young person is at risk or is a victim of human trafficking.

Possible Red Flags:
While not an exhaustive list, these are some key red flags that could alert you to a potential trafficking situation that should be reported (U.S. Department of State, Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons):

  • Living with employer
  • Poor living conditions
  • Multiple people in cramped space
  • Inability to speak to individual alone
  • Answers appear to be scripted and rehearsed
  • Employer is holding identity documents
  • Signs of physical abuse
  • Submissive or fearful
  • Unpaid or paid very little
  • Under 18 and in prostitution

Human Trafficking and Child Welfare: A Guide for Caseworkers
Series Title Bulletins for Professionals
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
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Download (PDF - 278KB)
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Year Published 2017
Due to their potentially unstable living situations, physical distance from friends and family, traumatic experiences, and emotional vulnerability, children involved with child welfare are at risk for being targeted by traffickers who are actively seeking victims to exploit. This bulletin explores how caseworkers can identify and support children who have been victimized as well as children that are at greater risk for future victimization. It provides background information about the issue, strategies caseworkers can use to identify and support victims and potential victims, and tools and resources that can assist caseworkers.
Human Trafficking and Child Welfare: A Guide for Child Welfare Agencies
Series Title Bulletins for Professionals
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability View
Download (PDF - 357KB)
Order (Free)
Year Published 2017
Due to their potentially unstable living situations, physical distance from friends and family, traumatic experiences, and emotional vulnerability, children involved with child welfare are at risk for being targeted by traffickers who are actively seeking children to exploit. This bulletin is intended for child welfare agency leadership and explores how child welfare agencies can support children who are victims of human trafficking, as well as children who are at greater risk for future victimization. It provides background information about the issue, including its scope and relevant Federal legislation and initiatives, and strategies that agencies can implement to address the trafficking of children. State and local policy and program examples also are provided.

Human Trafficking Screening Tool (HTST) Instructions
State of Florida Department of Children and Families (2015)
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Provides a guide designed to help child welfare and delinquency professionals screen for possible youth victims of human trafficking.

Recognizing the Crime
U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office for Victims of Crime Training and Technical Assistance Center
In Human Trafficking Task Force e-Guide
Presents indicators of human trafficking to create awareness of the presence of human trafficking in everyday life.

Screening for Human Trafficking: Guidelines for Administering the Trafficking Victim Identification Tool (TVIT) (PDF - 1,274 KB)
Vera Institute of Justice (2014)
Offers screening questions that can help social service providers identify victims of human trafficking and help victims obtain the protection and services they need. Professionals also may find it helpful to improve victim identification.

The Typology of Modern Slavery
Polaris (2017)
Describes 25 distinct types of sex and labor trafficking, detailing the trafficker profile, victim profile, recruitment tactics, and method of control.

What Is Modern Slavery?
U.S. Department of State
Defines and describes the different types of human trafficking. The webpage includes a human trafficking awareness training.

Find more resources about identifying human trafficking through Child Welfare Information Gateway's Library by choosing a topic below. Search results are updated continually and include documents from 2012 to the present.