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Responding to Human Trafficking of Children
The following resources offer information on human trafficking of children and connect concerned individuals to organizations addressing the issue. Resources include State and local examples.
National Human Trafficking Resource Center
Polaris Project
Provides a national toll-free hotline to receive tips and information about potential cases of human trafficking, provide referrals for services, conduct training and technical assistance, and serve as a clearinghouse of information and comprehensive anti-trafficking resources.
The Campaign to Rescue & Restore Victims of Human Trafficking
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Offers information about the campaign, coalition partners, brochures, toolkits for health care, social services, and law enforcement, and more. Also see the Child Victims of Human Trafficking factsheet.
Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons
U.S. Department of State
Partners with foreign governments and civil organizations to develop and implement effective strategies for confronting modern slavery. The Office is composed of three sections: reports and public affairs, international programs, and public engagement.
Building Child Welfare Response to Child Trafficking (PDF - 1649 KB)
Center for the Human Rights for Children, Loyola University of Chicago, & International Organization for Adolescents (2011)
Uses the Illinois child welfare system as a case study and addresses systemic gaps in knowledge, policies, and procedures within local child welfare agencies in the United States to incorporate child trafficking identification and response methods for State and private child welfare systems.
Campaign Against Sexual Exploitation (CASE)
National Center for Prosecution of Child Abuse (NCPCA), National District Attorneys Association
Provides stakeholders with tools to educate communities about child sexual exploitation and to establish a taskforce to address specific issues in their area. The website also includes a newsletter and case law updates.
Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section
U.S. Department of Justice, Criminal Division
Strives to improve the enforcement of Federal child exploitation laws and prevent the exploitation of children. The website includes a guide to relevant Federal laws and addresses child pornography, prostitution, obscenity, trafficking and sex tourism, international parental kidnapping, and child support enforcement.
Child Trafficking
UNICEF
Offers a downloadable training manual to fight trafficking in children for labor, sexual, and other forms of exploitation.
Crimes Against Children
U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation
Uses multidisciplinary and multiagency teams to investigate and prosecute crimes that cross legal, geographical, and jurisdictional boundaries; promotes and enhances interagency sharing of intelligence, specialized skills, and services; and offers victim/witness services.
In Pursuit of Good Practice in Responses to Child Trafficking: Experiences From Latin America, Southeast Europe, and Southeast Asia
Dottridge (2010)
Addresses good practices in nongovernmental agencies and media, awareness-raising and empowerment at the local level, advocacy at the national and regional levels, and networking.
Meeting the Legal Needs of Child Trafficking Victims: An Introduction for Children's Attorneys and Advocates (PDF - 1864 KB)
Klain & Kloer (2009)
Enables attorneys and advocates to recognize that child victims of other crimes may also be victims of trafficking; identify the key legal issues, remedies, and causes of action available to child victims of trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation; and locate and use existing indepth resources on the issues addressed in this guide.
The National Report on Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking: America's Prostituted Children
Shared Hope International (2009)
Synthesizes 10 field assessments conducted in targeted locations in the United States, providing a comprehensive understanding of child sex trafficking across America. The report addresses concerns regarding proper identification of children, treatment and care, and criminalization of buyers.
Pathways Into and Out of Commercial Sexual Victimization of Children: Understanding and Responding to Sexually Exploited Teens (PDF - 280 KB)
Williams & Frederick (2009)
Aims to understand victims' perspectives to better identify factors that may lead to victimization.
Protected Innocence Initiative
Shared Hope International & American Center for Law & Justice
Promotes a strategy of zero tolerance for child sex trafficking starting at the State level. The webpage includes an interactive map with findings from analyses of each State's existing laws against domestic minor sex trafficking, as well as factsheets and issue briefs.
The Relationship Between Intercountry Adoption and Human Trafficking (PDF - 8930 KB)
Ward (2010)
Explains the difference between intercountry adoption and human trafficking, and offers recommendations for greater regulation of intercountry adoption and a commitment to recognize all children have the right to participate in intercountry adoption.
Sex Trafficking of Children in the United States: Overview and Issues for Congress (PDF - 449 KB)
Finklea, Fernandes-Alcantara, & Siskin (2011)
Congressional Research Service
Provides an overview of current laws and issues regarding the sex trafficking of children and discusses the federal response to the problem including services for child victims, funding resources, and data.
Study of HHS Programs Serving Human Trafficking Victims
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2010)
Presents numerous publications from a study to help HHS design and implement effective programs and services that help trafficking victims overcome trauma and injuries, regain their dignity, and become self-sufficient.
State and local examples
Human Trafficking of Children Indicator Tool (PDF - 42 KB)
Florida Department of Children and Families (2009)
Describes possible indicators of child trafficking, outlines considerations for interviewing a child who may be a trafficking victim, and instructs what to do when child trafficking is suspected.
Protections for Child Victims of Human Trafficking Information Kit (PDF - 37 KB)
Florida Department of Children and Families (2009)
Addresses the following topics: awareness and identification, appropriate procedures, Florida and national laws, and hotline numbers and websites.
Shifting the Paradigm From Prosecution to Protection of Child Victims of Prostitution, Part II of III (PDF - 117 KB)
Badawy
Update, 22(8), 2010
Examines alternatives to prosecution used in Dallas, Texas, Georgia, and Alberta, Canada. Other parts in the series address legislative approaches and the effectiveness of different models of response.
The State of Human Trafficking in Texas (PDF - 843 KB)
Sanborn, Kimball, Sinitsyn, & Solak (Eds.) (2009)
Explores the incidence of human trafficking in Texas and includes information on definitions, victim characteristics, and State services. The report discusses anti-trafficking policy on a global, national, and statewide scale as well as successful examples of human trafficking prevention in major U.S. cities.