Moving From Awareness to Action: What You Can Do To Address Human Trafficking in Your Community
Content Warning: This post includes information about human trafficking, child abuse, and other traumatic subject matter. Please proceed with caution and consider whether or not you have capacity to engage with this post right now. We respect your choice and there are many other ways to support our work!
You see it in the headlines of newspapers. On social media. In movies. Television. Maybe you've even attended a fundraiser or heard someone talk about it on a podcast.
The topic of human trafficking has received a wide variety of coverage in recent years and social discourse on this issue includes a staggering amount of misinformation and sensationalism. So what do we really know about human trafficking? And how does it relate to the young people at Cocoon House? Read on to find out.
What is human trafficking?
Human trafficking is illegal on both federal and state levels in all 50 states. Under Washington state law, someone has committed the crime of human trafficking when they use force, fraud, and/or coercion to compel someone into forced labor, involuntary servitude, or sexually explicit acts. Additionally, commercial sex acts with a minor are also considered sex trafficking, regardless of whether or not there is force, fraud, or coercion involved. Minors do not have the legal ability to consent to "commercial sex acts", defined by federal law as "any sex act on account of which anything of value is given to or received by any person, whether it be money, goods, personal benefit, in-kind favors, or some other kind of benefit."
For instance, a 15-year-old who is propositioned by an acquaintance of their family to have sex in exchange for drugs would be considered sex trafficking of a minor. Even if there is no third party forcing, defrauding, or coercing the minor and even if there's no exchange of cash or formal currency. This is commonly referred to as "survival sex", when a person trades sex acts for basic needs like food, shelter, addictive substances, or other things they need for daily survival in their circumstances. While survival sex may also be considered sex trafficking for adults when there is co-occurring force, fraud, or coercion, survival sex for people under the age of 18 is always considered sex trafficking under federal and state law.
People can also be trafficked into other work besides the sex trades, such as agriculture, domestic labor, beauty services, factory work, food services, and more. Forced labor and involuntary servitude into work outside the commercial sex industry is called labor trafficking. Unlike sex trafficking, there is no age exception for minors, meaning that force, fraud, or coercion must be present to compel someone's labor in order to be considered labor trafficking no matter how old they are. Both labor and sex trafficking of minors are forms of child abuse and instances of these crimes are subject to mandatory reporting guidelines for people who work with youth under Washington state law.
Why does this matter for youth experiencing homelessness?
When people do not have the resources to meet their basic needs, they can be especially vulnerable to the tactics of people looking to exploit them. While human trafficking is a risk faced by young people and adults alike, youth experiencing housing instability are particularly at risk of exploitation. This can be due to a variety of factors such as:
Inexperience
Less options for stable employment and economic security
Lack of a strong and reliable support network.
Scarcity of resources specifically for minors
Shelter/housing, community services that don't require parental consent, substance use treatment options, etc.
Youth and young adults who experience marginalization and systemic oppression face even more barriers, leading to disproportionate rates of trafficking amongst young people who are LBGTQ+ and/or BIPOC. Other underserved populations that experience higher rates of trafficking include those with a history of involvement in the child welfare system, people impacted by poverty and/or the criminal justice system, people that have immigrated to the United States, and people with disabilities. Our society's response to these experiences and identities produces increased risk for both housing instability and exploitation.
Consider this scenario:
A minor is kicked out of their home when they come out to their family as transgender and they have no other friends or family that can house them, even temporarily. They have never slept outside before. This young person calls local organizations to try and access youth shelter, but all the beds are full. They may even try to get in to adult shelters but are told that those shelters are not available to people under the age of 18 (and they are also at capacity).
As night approaches and the circumstances become more dire, they are approached by someone at a bus stop who notices they look distressed and asks them if they're okay. The youth tells this person all about what has been happening and expresses their fear about having to sleep outside because they have nowhere else to go. The bus stop person offers the minor a place to stay for the night and seems to be the only adult that took the time not only to listen to this youth, but also offer a way to meet their needs; the minor accepts the offer and is grateful for a place to stay.
Fast forward to several weeks later, when this minor has developed trust with the stranger from the bus stop who helped them avoid living on the streets. The bus stop person tells the youth that they really want to continue helping them but in order for them to stay there longer, the youth has to contribute financially to the household. The minor is told that there is an opportunity to do this that won't require them to work a tedious job; they are asked to perform a sexual act in exchange for money. Although hesitant, this young person believes that their perceived benefactor has their best interests at heart and they want to pull their weight in this new living situation. The minor agrees, and the adult at the bus stop becomes their trafficker.
These are the kinds of situations that young people are faced with every day in our communities. When the systems in place do not have adequate resources to meet the needs of people in vulnerable circumstances, bad actors often bridge those gaps.
What can you do about it?
At Cocoon House, we vision a reality where every young person in our community is safe and thriving. There are actionable steps that each of us can take to prevent human trafficking before it happens and support the people who have already suffered its impacts. This issue affects us all and we need your help to break the cycle of homelessness and exploitation.
Spread the word
Share accurate information and educational resources throughout your networks. Having meaningful conversations with your friends and family in person, over the phone, or possibly social media can be extremely impactful. You can refer to organizations that provide anti-exploitation support for further learning and information about services. Listening to people with lived experience of human trafficking is the best way to learn more about this issue! Remember to always use language that prioritizes respect and reduces stigma when you communicate with others about people impacted by human trafficking.
National Survivor Network and Framework both have a variety of free online educational resources related to labor and sex trafficking.
Consider becoming a Host Homes volunteer with Cocoon House
This opportunity is a community-based support for young people. Host Homes are an alternative short-term shelter option for young people ages 12-17 where they can stay with a community member located throughout Snohomish County. Trained volunteer hosts provide a safe place to stay in their homes while Cocoon House staff provide the youth with case management support. As demonstrated in the scenario above, this can be the difference between a young person placing their trust in a responsible adult instead of someone who is looking to exploit them.
There are also other volunteer opportunities available through Cocoon House that contribute to anti-exploitation efforts. Click here to learn more.
Donate to organizations doing the work
You can participate in sustaining programs that support young people experiencing exploitation. Through a combination of grant funding and community donors, we are able to provide the services that survivors of trafficking are asking for to keep themselves safe. Consider what you may be able to contribute to this cause, whether that is a monetary donation, meals to our drop-in center, or items in high demand (e.g., portable phone chargers, backpacks, tents/sleeping bags, gift cards, etc.)
Please click here to learn more about opportunities to make a difference.
Advocate for policies that support survivors and increase services
In order to reach our vision, we must constantly work to improve our response to exploitation and violence in our communities. You can advocate on local, regional, statewide, and national levels to improve the services and legislation that impact survivors. Pay attention to your city council and the state legislature. Call, write, or speak directly to your representatives on issues that relate to the trafficking of young people. Demand the federal funding that is necessary to support victims. Vote in ways that support the healing and well-being of young people experiencing homelessness and/or human trafficking.
Do you know who your state and congressional representatives are? You can search for them on the Washington State Legislature website along with their contact information and voting records.
Thank you for taking the time to read this post. Although much more work needs to be done to achieve a world without exploitation, there have already been great strides toward increasing awareness and action on this very important topic. As January’s Human Trafficking Awareness Month comes to an end, we invite you to join us in committing to unwavering support of people impacted by human trafficking in the months and years ahead.
Written by Kate Walden (she/they), THRIVE Services Manager at Cocoon House - January 31, 2025