At Love146, we work with children who have been trafficked. We’ve heard from youth how exploitation can begin. What we found? Exploitation of a child does not typically begin with a dramatic moment, like a kidnapping, but often youth find themselves in dangerous situations through a process of grooming that gradually crosses more boundaries.
Sometimes grooming starts online, sometimes it’s in real life, and often, it’s perpetårated by someone whom the child has grown to trust. Cautioning against “stranger danger” isn’t as effective these days: Even if the perpetrator technically started as a stranger, the child likely doesn’t see them as a stranger by the time exploitation starts.
So we’re working to disrupt exploitation, even at its earliest stages.
That’s why we’ve taken what we’ve learned from years of supporting survivors of child trafficking and compiled an email series. Each week, we send you one practical, actionable tip that helps you as a caregiver to strengthen a child’s ability to recognize unsafe situations, build trust with safe adults, and get help when they need it. You’ll also get our recommended resources related to the tip of the week.
