“I know who my children’s friends are.” “This would never happen to us because we live in a nice neighborhood.” “I trust my children online.”
Parents don’t know as much as they think they do. Traffickers are tech-savvy, trained in grooming, and skilled at beating the system.
So how do you protect your children’s innocence and guard their childhood? Is it possible to keep them safe in a world dominated by the World Wide Web?
You can take steps to protect your children, but you must be proactive and trust your gut. If it feels wrong, it probably is.
What is Child Trafficking?
According to Children’s Mercy Hospital, child trafficking can take various forms:
- Sex trafficking involves the sexual exploitation of minors, including prostitution or the production of pornography.
- Labor trafficking is forcing minors into servitude, debt-bondage, or slavery. The typical victim is an older child or teenager.
- Forced criminality of minors coerces them to commit crimes like robbery, panhandling, or producing and transporting illicit drugs.
Traffickers Are the Nicest People You Will Ever Meet
Parents must accept the reality that there are those in the world looking to exploit their children. It exists everywhere, and the sooner parents begin educating themselves, the better.
Human trafficking happens in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Even flyover states like Missouri, Ohio, and Michigan have some of the highest numbers of human trafficking victims.
The myth that many parents believe is that traffickers snatch homeless kids off the street. The truth is, a trafficker can be at your neighbor’s house, in the classroom, at your church, and even in your own home on the internet.
Any child can become a victim. Traffickers aren’t toothless, disheveled bums. They are usually the nicest people. They can be anyone, any gender, age, or socioeconomic status.
Understand the Tactics of a Trafficker
Trafficking begins with grooming. When grooming a child, the perpetrator identifies vulnerabilities. They target individuals, confide in them to build trust, learn information, and then
seek to exploit and maintain control.
Although anyone can become a victim, those living in poverty are the largest target. They’re promised jobs, gifts, and wealth in exchange for their services. Children who feel unloved and unaccepted are offered the emotional support they lack or the promise of a romantic relationship. When bullied in school, kids turn to a listening ear if their parents are unsupportive.
Learn your child’s vulnerabilities. Become aware of your child’s friends, school routine, outside activities, adult interactions, and online habits. Be engaged in every aspect of their life.
Online Grooming
The 2025 Common Sense Census: Media Use by Kids Zero to Eight published the following insights regarding children’s digital media habits:
- 40% of children have a tablet by age 2.
- By age 4, 58% of children have their own tablet.
- Nearly 1 in 4 have a personal cellphone by age 8.
- Children age 8 and younger spend about two and a half hours a day with screen media.
To protect your children, you have to know what they’re watching. Traffickers tap into games like Roblox, circulate pornographic images of children on X and Reddit, and groom kids on Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, and Facebook.
Read Protecting Children From Online Harm: A Guide for Parents and Educators for more information.
Start Talking With Your Children Now
Your children need to know they can come to you with questions and concerns. Don’t lecture them about child trafficking. Get them started talking. Always maintain open communication.
Be alert for warning signs such as isolation, changes in appearance, bruises, angry outbursts, attempts to hide online activity, and depression.
As the parent, you are the gatekeeper between your child and the outside world. Let them know you are on their team.
If you are concerned that your child is being exploited, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline by calling (888) 373-7888, texting 233733, or chatting at humantraffickinghotline.org/chat. Call 911 if you believe your child is in danger.