This year’s theme, “Leave No Child Behind in the Fight Against Human Trafficking,” highlights the campaign to urge accelerated action to end child trafficking. One in three trafficked persons is a child, with girls being disproportionately affected.
According to the United Nations, “overlapping crises such as armed conflicts, pandemics, economic hardships, and environmental challenges, children are increasingly vulnerable to trafficking. Furthermore, the proliferation of online platforms poses additional risks as children often connect to these sites without adequate safeguards. Traffickers exploit online platforms, social media, and the dark web to recruit and exploit children, utilizing technology to evade detection, reach wider audiences, and disseminate exploitative content.”
Saint Francis has taken an active stance in trafficking education, prevention, and response for years. Our Immediate Response Assessment Teams partner with the Kansas Department for Children and Families and law enforcement to identify immediate safety, placement, and treatment needs for youth judged as high-risk for trafficking.
We also look for possible involvement among youth in care. If a youth is assessed to be at risk, we provide specific therapeutic services by a licensed therapist trained in human trafficking and trauma-informed care.
Is there room in your life to help protect kids from trafficking?
If you suspect a young person is being trafficked, call the Human Trafficking Hotline at 1 (888) 373-7888.
