Child Exploitation

Subtopics

Human Trafficking

Online Exploitation

Prevent, identify, and respond to child exploitation.

Child exploitation can take many forms and affect youth of any age, race, geographic location, or socioeconomic status. Victimization can occur on school grounds or in the surrounding community, as well as through online or social media platforms. Online child sexual exploitation and abuse includes a broad range of criminal acts that involve victimizing minors for sexual gratification or some other personal or financial gain. This includes the creation and distribution of child sexual abuse material, grooming, sextortion, and self-harm. Child exploitation can have immediate and long-term consequences, including health impacts and psychological and physical trauma.

Understanding the factors that make students vulnerable to exploitation, such as adverse childhood experiences, history of trauma, housing instability/homelessness, or lack of supportive adult figures, and recognizing the warning signs is the first step in identifying potential victims. Signs or indicators may include unexplained absences from school, abruptly disconnecting from family or friends, or significant changes in behaviors including online activity.

Schools are uniquely positioned to support students facing exploitation. Because of the regular interaction between educators and students, school personnel can help identify and report suspected cases of trafficking and exploitation and connect affected students to critical services. School districts should establish and articulate clearly defined policies, protocols, and procedures, supported by collaboration with relevant local community and law enforcement partners, for school personnel to follow if cases of child exploitation are suspected or disclosed. School leaders can also provide training and resources on the risk factors and indicators of child exploitation so that teachers, school staff, and trusted adults can recognize and support impacted students.

To counteract risk factors, identifying and building protective factors and a safe and supportive school community can help protect youth from exploitative and trafficking situations. Protective factors can include encouraging youth to seek help, identifying resources to meet student needs, and offering ongoing and age-appropriate education programs. School communities can also teach students and parents about the risks they face online and how to avoid them, as well as encourage open and ongoing communication on safe digital habits. To protect against exploitation and trafficking on campus, schools can put in place physical security measures and screen visitors to school grounds and events.

Within the larger community, federal child labor laws have been enacted to ensure that young people are not employed in dangerous jobs and that their education and well-being is not jeopardized by the work they perform. Employers may only employ young workers in some types of jobs and for certain hours.

Featured Resources

These resources are a starting point for learning more about child exploitation. Use these resources to help prevent, identify, and respond to child exploitation.

Additionally, SchoolSafety.gov regularly publishes issue briefs that provide a high-level overview of a specific school safety topic as well as a sampling of aligned strategies, resources, programs, and tools. Download and explore the child exploitation-related issue briefs below.

Child Exploitation

Program

Know2Protect

Department of Homeland Security

This campaign educates and empowers young people, parents, and trusted adults on ways to prevent and combat exploitation and abuse both on and offline; explains how to report incidents of these crimes; and offers support resources for victims and survivors of online child sexual exploitation and abuse.

Guidance

Human Trafficking in America’s Schools: What Schools Can Do To Prevent, Respond, and Help Students To Recover From Human Trafficking (Second Edition)

Department of Education, 2021

This guide is intended to provide awareness of the current prevalence of child trafficking and the forms it takes; information on risk factors and indicators of child trafficking; details about three prevention tiers and the implications for schools’ role in addressing child trafficking; information on how professional development of school staff and prevention education for students and families can reduce the likelihood of trafficking; and details on how policies, protocols, and partnerships with other community sectors can help prevent trafficking.

Guidance

How to Talk to Youth about Human Trafficking: A Guide for Youth Caretakers and Individuals Working with Youth

Department of Homeland Security, 2022

This guide can be used by any adult who is a caretaker of a youth or individuals who work with youth through formal or informal programming. It includes information about what human trafficking is, how to recognize it among youth, tips for talking to youth about general exploitation, information about building life skills that may help prevent youth from being trafficked, and reporting options if you suspect a youth is affected by human trafficking or being exploited.

Webpage

Sextortion: FBI Overview

Department of Justice

This webpage provides an overview of sextortion and what parents, caregivers, and youth need to know about this crime.

Filter Resources

All Child Exploitation Resources

Access additional resources below to learn more about child exploitation and related best practices. Use the filters to sort resources based on subtopic and/or preparedness action.

New

Fact Sheet

Sextortion: What Parents Should Know

Third Party, 2024

This tip sheet provides information on what sextortion is, how offenders gain access, and what parents can do.

Guidance

Heads Up: Stop. Think. Connect.

Other Federal Agency, 2023

This resource provides information and tips to help youth reduce the risks associated with being online.

Training Program

Being Tech Smart: A Plug and Play Activity for Youth

Department of Health and Human Services, 2023

This classroom activity is designed to supplement programming for middle and high school students by encouraging them to think twice about their use of digital technology.