“We must recognize the reality that the trafficking of boys is more common than the public may realize,” DA Stephan said.
January is Sex Trafficking Awareness Month and California is the nation’s highest trafficking state.
San Diego has up to 8,000 trafficked children per year, and is ranked as one of the 13 worst areas in America for human trafficking by the FBI.
San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan is partnering with Health and Human Services (HHS) and Child Welfare Services (CWS) in a campaign to bring awareness to child trafficking. The month-long campaign will shine a spotlight on the sex trafficking of boys.
The common perception is that girls are targets for child trafficking, but boys are equally vulnerable and the campaign aims to bring attention to the public, and improve screening, identification and services for boys who are sexually trafficked.
Kim Giardina, County Director of Child Welfare services, in an interview with Hunter Sowards KUSI news, notes that 50% of child pornography involves boys. Boys tend to be recruited younger than girls at around 11 to 13 years old. Boy trafficking is highly underreported with estimates that between 10% to 25 % of trafficked children are boys, varying according to jurisdiction.
The multimedia campaign will use billboards, bus transit posters, social media, and public service announcements on the radio to elevate public awareness. It will target youth and families on what the problem is and how they can help.
“We have a responsibility to protect all children who are being trafficked. This outreach is an extension of our work to increase awareness, improve identification and reporting, and develop specialty services for survivors who are boys,” DA Stephan stated.
Giardina says the awareness campaign will be incorporated in schools but parents should talk with kids and ask questions if they notice any signs of trafficking like expensive gifts that can’t be explained or multiple cell phones.
“It’s extremely important that we understand the gravity of the issue and take immediate action by raising awareness through this campaign with the support of our district attorney. At the Health and Human Services Agency, we will promote these valuable and lifesaving resources countywide with all of our community partners. Together, we will help protect our vulnerable children and youth from sexual exploitation.”
DA Stephan advises not to threaten to take away devices that may be conduits for trafficking, rather, have a contract with your child to tell you if something unusual is happening, i.e. requests for private conversations while gaming, requests to remove clothes, dares, anything that interrupts the child’s boundaries.
Resources on child trafficking can be found at www.ProtectSanDiegoKids.org
