12 Jan The Face of Child Trafficking is Changing
Author: Cara Starns
Founder and President
Safe Passage
Safepassageky.org
@safepassageky
Cara Starns is the founder of Safe Passage, an organization working to combat child trafficking in Kentucky through prevention and support services.
Kentucky, we have a child trafficking problem.
You can read the reports and headlines for yourself. Our state is annually investigating over 200 alleged cases of child trafficking. At Safe Passage, we work with these very survivors, ages 11-19, in your city. Traffickers no longer have to kidnap when they can identify lonely and depressed youth on Tiktok and Snapchat, luring them in with, “You’re beautiful”, “I love you”, “No one loves you like I love you,” “No one sees you like I see you, “So forget everyone else – and come with me.”
Love, promises, and coercion is the new face of child trafficking.
But not Kentucky-
Kentucky is not the face of child trafficking.
Although we see it everyday at Safe Passage, we’ve made it our mission to combat child trafficking in Kentucky, and we spend each and every day with the youth who will never make a headline. Yet they’re the ones we should be giving our attention to.
Help us fight child trafficking by…
- Providing prevention programs to schools and youth agencies
- Providing awareness trainings to community members and professionals
- Providing survivors with qualified support services
- Supporting our local law-enforcement and funding them to hire specialized detectives and advocates
- Sharing this article with one more person
- Educating yourself about child trafficking
All adults in Kentucky are mandated reporters of child abuse and neglect. Report suspicions of children involved in the commercial sex trade to the Department for Community Based Services at 1-877-KYSAFE1 and to local law enforcement. Other concerns about possible trafficking activities should be reported to the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.