MYTH:
Child trafficking victims are usually kidnapped and held under lock and key.
REALITY:
While there have been cases of children who were taken from their communities and kept in a locked room, forceful kidnapping and containment are NOT the majority of cases of trafficking. Many children are trafficked through empty promises, false job offers, and coercion. While they are not always kept physically bound to their trafficker, they may be scared to seek help or threatened if they leave. Additionally, in some cases they may not know of or have the opportunity to access help and resources.
The Hollywood versions of trafficking we may have in our minds don’t represent the majority of cases.
Child sex trafficking is someone exchanging something of value for any sexual act with a minor. By definition, in the US, trafficking doesn’t require moving children from place to place. This means that victims of child trafficking may continue to attend school, live at home, participate in sports, religious gatherings, and extracurriculars, all while trafficking is also going on.
How common is this? Well, the Minnesota Department of Health surveyed high schoolers and found that 1.4% had exchanged sex for something of value. That’s 5,000 students in Minnesota alone, and the researchers say it‘s likely an undercount.
Repost from https://love146.org/learn/#common-myths