The Telltale Signs

It might surprise you to know that many young people who have been trafficked would never self-identify as trafficking victims. Sadly, many young people have [somewhat] willingly exchanged sex for rent, food, or acceptance without ever seeing themselves as victims. Even those who have been sold by a trafficker sometimes see themselves as a member of the “family” doing her part to contribute rather than as a victim being bought and sold for someone else’s profit. For those of us who would never willingly go along with allowing someone to profit from violence against us, it is difficult to believe that anyone would fail to consider him or herself as a victim, but this is actually a common phenomenon.

Those of us who interact with kids have an opportunity to identify wrongdoing, report it, and change the trajectory of the life of the young person within our influence. To be able to make that report, we need to be aware of the signs, symptoms, and impact of a young person having had his or her dignity stolen away. Many of us know to watch for new cell phones, long nails, dramatic makeup, provocative clothes, and high heels, but we also need to be aware of some of the more subtle signs and impacts of someone being sexually exploited, which can include:

Psychological/Emotional Impact

• Distorted self-concept

• Anger evidenced by explosive outburst that are out of proportion to the circumstances

• Grieving and depression

• Inappropriate attempts at intimacy and sexual behaviors

• Reliving or revisiting traumatic events as though they’re present rather than past; flashbacks; anxiety; paranoia

• Exaggerated startle reactions

• Hyper arousal/hyper vigilance, inability to stop moving or relax

• Panic

• Self-harming talk and/or behavior

• Dissociation from their feelings, environment, and others often evidenced by no show of emotions either positive or negative

• Speaking of some kind of bond with, or affection for, those who have harmed him or her; failure to understand that he or she was harmed; failure to acknowledge that the perpetrator had nefarious intent

• Inability to sleep soundly because of nightmares or other disturbances

Spiritual Impact

• Hopelessness

• Helplessness/Despair

• Lack of faith in a spiritual power

• Lack of faith in people

Physical Impact

• Sexual transmitted diseases and infections

• HIV and AIDs

• Loss of bowel control

• Sterility

• Pregnancy by rapist

• Tattoo or burned branding

• Brain damage

• Substance abuse and addiction

• Self harming and suicidal thoughts, language, and behaviors

Social Impact

• Preference of isolation

• Homelessness

• Incarceration/career limitation resulting from criminal record

• Missed school/educational deprivation

• Seeming powerless

• Sounding and behaving much younger than chronological age and physical appearance/arrested development

• Lack of healthy relationship skills

• Inability to trust others

• Lack of access to resources, transportation, employment, and other normalized life activities

Any one of these signs does not necessarily mean that a kid has been trafficked, but you don’t have to become an expert in investigation to make an anonymous report. There are professionals who have been trained in substantiating concerns of this nature. Make the call and let the professionals check it out. Put this number in your phone, share it with anyone you know who interacts with kids, and don’t hesitate to make the call: (888) 373-7888. With the average life expectancy of a kid being trafficked estimated at 7 years, you could literally be saving a life.