Human Trafficking Prevention Resource Guide
Human Trafficking Prevention Resource Guide | post San Diego County Office of Education
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Schools, school employees, parents, and caregivers play an important role in helping to prevent human trafficking of children and youth.
Although human trafficking is not always at the forefront of issues impacting our young people, the FBI identified San Diego as one of the top 13 high-intensity child prostitution areas in the nation.
There are several ways educators and families can raise awareness and prevent human trafficking and also know the signs to be able to report human trafficking and save lives.
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Human Trafficking in San Diego County
A local groundbreaking study found the average age of entry into San Diego’s underground commercial sex economy is 16 years old. Students as young as the 7th grade are being targeted and recruited into human trafficking.
San Diego County sees higher activity due to our region being a place favored for conferences and other large events that draw thousands of people from across the world. The San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force holds operations throughout the year that highlight the demand and the lucrative nature of the commercial sex economy. During Operation Better Pathways, held in February 2023, 48 individuals were arrested for alleged human trafficking, sexual exploitation, and other criminal offenses.
Definition of Human Trafficking
Federal law defines human trafficking as the exploitation of a person through force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of forced labor, commercial sex, or both. Victims of human trafficking include adults and children.
According to anti-human trafficking data hub Polaris, the Action-Means-Purpose (AMP) Model can be helpful to understand the federal law. Human trafficking occurs when a perpetrator, often referred to as a trafficker, takes an Action (induces, recruits, harbors, transports, provides), and employs the Means of force, fraud, or coercion for the Purpose of compelling the victim to provide commercial sex acts (sex trafficking) or labor/services (labor trafficking). At a minimum, one element from each area must be present to establish a potential situation of human trafficking.
Support for Districts and Schools
County offices of education, districts, schools, and charters are encouraged to engage staff members, students, and families in learning about human trafficking and how it occurs. To assist in the effort to keep young people safe, the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) offers trainings and has curated resources to raise awareness about human trafficking.
The SDCOE Human Trafficking of Children webpage provides details on the Project Safe from Exploitation (SAFE) human trafficking prevention education program as well as regional information and referral organizations, resources for schools, and tools for families.
How to Safely Seek Assistance
To get help for yourself or someone else, or to report activity that may be related to human trafficking:
This 24-hour, 7-day-a-week hotline is operated by The National Human Trafficking Resource Center/Polaris Project and supported by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Call specialists can connect victims with local law enforcement and social service providers who can help them get out of exploitative situations and into safe environments where they have access to services, such as emotional support, health care, and legal services.
Resources for Educators
Human Trafficking Prevention Education and Training Act
In October 2017, California became the first state to adopt human trafficking prevention education training for teachers and students (Assembly Bill 1227: Human Trafficking Prevention Education and Training Act).
AB 1227 (2017) amended Sections 51934 and 51950 of the Education Code. AB 1227 became effective on Jan. 1, 2018, and requires that all students in grades 7 through 12 receive comprehensive sexual health education and HIV prevention education — including human trafficking prevention education — from instructors trained in the appropriate courses. Each student must receive this instruction at least once in junior or middle school and at least once in high school. Information on human trafficking must include the following:
- Prevalence of human trafficking
- Nature of human trafficking
- Strategies to reduce the risk of human trafficking
- Techniques to set healthy boundaries
- How to safely seek assistance
As part of meeting the requirements of Section 51934 that education be provided by instructors trained in the appropriate courses, as defined in Section 51931, “continuation training shall be available and conducted periodically to enable school district personnel to learn about new developments in the understanding of abuse, including sexual abuse, and human trafficking, and to receive instruction on current prevention efforts and methods.”
All educators and school personnel are mandated reporters and required to complete annual training. For members of the Risk Management Joint Powers Authority (JPA), mandated reporter training is available.
School-Based
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 4: Quality Education | Target 4.7: By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles | – The article mentions the Human Trafficking Prevention Education and Training Act in California, which requires comprehensive sexual health education, including human trafficking prevention education, for students in grades 7 through 12. This indicates efforts to educate students about human trafficking and raise awareness. |
| SDG 5: Gender Equality | Target 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation | – The article discusses the commercial sexual exploitation of children and provides protocols and resources to prevent incidents of sexual exploitation. This indicates efforts to address gender-based violence and exploitation. |
| SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth | Target 8.7: Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labor, end modern slavery and human trafficking, and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labor | – The article mentions the exploitation of individuals through forced labor and commercial sex, which are forms of human trafficking. This indicates the need to address these issues to achieve decent work and economic growth. |
| SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions | Target 16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and all forms of violence against and torture of children | – The article highlights the importance of preventing human trafficking of children and youth and provides resources to raise awareness and report trafficking. This indicates efforts to address abuse, exploitation, and violence against children. |
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Source: sdcoe.net
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