This document discusses domestic minor sex trafficking in the United States. It begins with the story of Alexa, who was sexually abused as a child and later trafficked by multiple men who sold her for sex. It defines human trafficking and domestic minor sex trafficking, providing statistics estimating that thousands of minors become trafficking victims in the U.S. each year. It outlines common recruitment tactics used by traffickers, such as gaining a minor's trust before subjecting them to physical and psychological abuse. It also discusses risk factors for trafficking and signs that someone may be a victim. It describes the work of an Ohio organization called Gracehaven that supports trafficking survivors and works to prevent trafficking through education.

1. Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking

2. These numbers have faces...
‣ Story of Alexa
‣ Sexually molested by mom’s boyfriend for 3 years beginning at age 8
‣ Sexually assaulted by a neighbor at 13
‣ Began to run away at 14
‣ Met a man who allowed her to stay with him and provided her with food and
a cell phone - began to sell her for sex.
‣ Traded / Sold her to a trucker who sold her for sex at truck stops
‣ Traded / Sold her to a man in South Carolina where she was sold on the
internet for sex until she was turned in by a client to the police

3. Human Trafficking Defined
‣ Human trafficking is a form of extreme exploitation in which one human
being is used by another for financial gain
‣ Exploited for:
‣ Commercial sex
‣ Labor
‣ Human organs
‣ Child Soldiers
‣ Human trafficking is one of the fastest growing criminal enterprises

4. Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking
‣ Domestic minor sex trafficking:
‣ When a U.S. citizen or legal permanent
resident who has not attained 18 years of
age is engaged in a commercial sex act.1
1 Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) of 2000

5. Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking
‣ “Commercial sex act”
includes:
‣ Prostitution
‣ Exotic dancing/stripping
‣ Pornography1
1TVPA of 2000

6. Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking
‣ “Commercial sex act”
‣ Any sex act on account of which
anything of value is given to or
received by any person.
‣ Value:
‣ Money
‣ Food
‣ Drugs
‣ Shelter
‣ Higher Status in a Gang

7. National Statistics
‣ FBI
‣100,000 - 300,000 estimated victims within the US annually1
‣“Operation Cross Country VII”- a series of nationwide sweeps targeting criminals involved in trafficking
American children into prostitution. July 2013: More than 106 children were rescued; 151 pimps
arrested. June 2014: 168 victims rescued, 281 traffickers arrested.
‣To date 2,700 children have been recovered from prostitution through the FBI’s Innocence Lost Task
Force
‣ U.S. Dept of Justice
‣Estimates the average age of entry to be 12-14 yrs old
‣As many as 1.68 million children run away each year in the US. Within 48 hours of hitting the streets,
one-third of these children are lured or recruited into the underground world of prostitution and
pornography - The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
‣Approximately 80% of human trafficking victims are women and girls and up to 30% are
minors. U.S. State Department
1 Ernie Allen, Director, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, July 19, 2010, Human Trafficking Caucus, U.S. House of Representatives

8. Trafficking in Ohio
‣Most recent report issued by the Ohio
Commission to Study Human Trafficking
(2012)
‣Each year an estimated:
‣1000 kids become victims of sex-trafficking in Ohio
‣Over 3000 children are considered to be “at-risk”
for trafficking

9. Why Ohio?
‣ Extensive highway systems (can get out of the state no matter where you
are within 2 hours)
‣ International borders close by
‣ Large amount of truck stops
‣ 5th leading state for the number of strip clubs
‣ 24% of children are in poverty in Ohio1
1 http://datacenter.kidscount.org/data/acrossstates/Rankings.aspx?ind=43

11. Pathways Into Sex Trafficking
‣ Guerilla Pimp
‣ Tricks the girl into coming with him
‣ Uses brutal force and threats to control her
‣ Story of Deric Willoughby, Toledo
‣ 14 and 15 y/o cousins walking home from
fast-food restaurant were grabbed and
shoved into car and held behind a locked
and iron barred door forced to prostitute.

12. Pathways Into Sex Trafficking
‣ Finesse/boyfriend Pimp
‣ Acts like a boyfriend
‣ Treats them special
‣ Buys them gifts
‣ Traps them in the relationship

13. Recruitment: Initial Seduction
‣ Telling the girl:
‣ How beautiful she is
‣ How much he likes/loves her
‣ Giving the girls gifts
‣ Jewelry
‣ Clothing
‣ Cell Phone
‣ Locations
‣ Malls, bus-stops, drop-in centers
/ shelters, FACEBOOK, and the
internet

15. Pimp Control
‣ The pimp cuts a girl off from her friends, and family. This
is all too easy in many cases where a girl has been
violated and victimized at home. He makes her believe
that he has her back, and he alone loves her, and when
that is accomplished he bring out the weapons of
violence, fear, degradation, and drugs.

17. Pimp Control
‣ Pimps are masters of the art of seduction; they are able to identify the vulnerabilities of a
specific child and exploit them.
‣ Once seduced, pimps use torture tactics to control their victims.
‣ Such tactics consistently lead to complete obedience and a breakdown of personal
agency and autonomy.
‣ These behaviors include both physical and psychological torture.
‣ Pimps use the increased glamorization of pimp/ho culture, as well as cultural acceptance
of demand for child victims, to help maintain control of the child.

18. Pathways into Sex Trafficking
‣ Female “Friend”
‣ A female that could be previously
known or unknown who is
working for (often also being sold)
a pimp
‣ Will slowly introduce a girl to “the
life” (shopping, cars, cell phones,
nails, drugs and alcohol)
‣ Over 50% of girls surveyed within
Ohio who were victims of sex-
trafficking were recruited by
another female

19. Pathways Into Sex Trafficking
‣ Family Members
‣ Mothers, Grandmothers
‣ Fathers, Stepfathers
‣ Other family members
‣ Sold out of the house
‣ Often for drug $ or for drugs

20. Pathways Into Sex Trafficking
‣ Jacqueline Toro-Williams.
‣ A 37-year-old Ohio woman from Akron was charged with
prostituting her underage daughter.
‣ According to Akron Police Captain Dan Zampelli, the woman,
was charged with compelling and promoting prostitution in
incidents that involved her daughter, who was 11 and 12
years old at the time.
‣ The woman allegedly drove her daughter to different
apartment complexes in their neighborhood and forced her to
engage in sexual activities with men in exchange for money
and drugs. The activity went on for at least a year or more,
mostly in 2007.

21. What Makes Someone Vulnerable
‣ History of involvement with Child
Protective Services
‣ Runaways without familial support
‣ Failing in school / dropping out of school
‣ Family member in the sex trade (selling
and purchasing)
‣ Friends involved in the sex trade (selling
and purchasing)
‣ Parents who use drugs
‣ History of sexual abuse
‣ Living in a group/ foster home
(The National Report on DMST, Shared Hope)
‣ Involvement with law enforcement /
juvenile justice system
‣ Older boyfriends
‣ Single parent families
‣ 1-2 parents in jail
‣ Self – mutilating
‣ Rape victim
‣ Use alcohol/ drugs

23. Signs/Indicators that
someone may be a victim
‣ Hotel room keys
‣ Dropping out of school / truancy
‣ New circle of friends involved with criminal
activity (drugs, sex-trade)
‣ Chronic runaway/homeless youth
‣ Signs of branding (tattoo, jewelry)
‣ Lying about age/false identification
‣ Inconsistencies in story
‣ Lack of knowledge of a given community or
whereabouts
‣ Presence of an older controlling “boyfriend”
‣ Injuries/signs of physical abuse
‣ Restricted/scripted communication
‣ Demeanor – fear, anxiety, depression,
submissive, tense, nervous
‣ Needing pregnancy tests frequently
‣ Expensive gifts from “friends” or “boyfriend”
‣ Weight loss
‣ Drug and Alcohol Abuse
‣ Recurring sexually transmitted diseases
‣ Has been labeled “promiscuous”
‣ Talks about frequent travel

24. Questions to Ask When
You Suspect DMST
‣ How old is your boyfriend?
‣ How did you meet your boyfriend?
‣ Do you have any friends that “exchange favors” with
neighbors / friends?
‣ Can you come and go as you please?
‣ Have you ever been hurt or threatened if you tried to
leave?
‣ Where do you eat and sleep?
‣ Do you and your parent / guardian “exchange favors?”
‣ Who lives in your home?

25. If you suspect DMST... CALL
Central Ohio Rescue & Restore Coalition Hotline:
‣ (614) 285-4357 (HELP)
‣ Determine if you have encountered a victim of human trafficking
‣ Identify local community resources to help victims
‣ Coordinate with local social service organizations to help protect and
serve victims so they begin process of restoring their lives
Gracehaven
Amy Menter, LISW-S, 740-817-2516

26. GRACEHAVEN
To Eradicate Child Sex Trafficking in
Central Ohio
and Provide Rehabilitative, Trauma-
Informed Care
to Survivors

27. GRACEHAVEN
Fulfilling the Mission…
Through community collaboration and
networking
Through impacting change at the local, state
and national levels via the democratic
process and involvement/influence of
lawmakers.

28. GRACEHAVEN
Survivor Care and Support Program
‣ We provide comprehensive outpatient case management to victims of child sex
trafficking.
‣ We provide trauma-informed, clinically competent counseling to victims of child sex
trafficking.
‣ We provide long-term residential treatment for up to 8 minor victims of sex trafficking.
The residential program includes:
‣ Counseling
‣ Education
‣ Life Skills Development Training
‣ Case Management/Advocacy
‣ Discharge Planning
‣ We provide assessments and recommendations to the courts and social service
providers for victim care.

29. GRACEHAVEN
Intervention Training Program
‣ We train and educate professionals about child sex trafficking, trauma and how to work
with and intervene for these children.
‣ Continuing Education Credits available for Counselors, Marriage & Family Therapists
and Social Workers for DMST 101 presentation.
‣ Other professional trainings available for teachers, health care providers, first
responders, law enforcement, church leaders, etc.

30. GRACEHAVEN
Prevention & Education Program
We spread the word about the problem of child sex trafficking. We present
trainings on domestic minor sex trafficking to:
‣ Sorority/Campus groups
‣ Churches, youth groups, faith-based organizations
‣ Community groups or other agencies
We have partnerships with Huckleberry House, Columbus City Schools
and the Department of Youth Services to educate at-risk youth and victims
on a regular basis. This youth prevention and education program provides:
‣ Group therapies and prevention trainings on the issue of child sex trafficking.
‣ Usually provided to youth 7th to 12th grade.

31. Central Ohio Youth for Christ
Connection
 Since 1981, the ministries of COYFC has successfully engaged at-risk
youth, who have come from broken homes and have been exposed to
drugs, alcohol, physical and emotional abuse. COYFC believes every
young person has value and potential to be a successful, well-adjusted
adult, and is committed to working with youth over the long haul to this
end.
 Due to COYFC’s burden for at-risk teens, and successful ministry track
record, Gracehaven has joined under the COYFC ministry umbrella.
COYFC supports the Gracehaven mission and is pleased to have this
social services ministry expansion as a part of COYFC outreach.
 We invite you to come tour COYFC’s ministries and “See the Story” of
these ministries uniting forces to change lives, strengthen families and
impact our communities. Register for one of our scheduled tours by
visiting www.coyfc.org.

32. RESOURCES
Books
Somebody’s Daughter by Julien Sher
Girls Like Us by Rachel Lloyd
The Slave Across the Street by Theresa Flores
Not For Sale by David Batstone
The Good News About Injustice by Gary Haugen
Videos
Nefarious: Merchant of Souls
Playground – hard-hitting look by Nest Foundation
Half the Sky-PBS documentary on global trafficking
The Pink Room
Very Young Girls – GEMS in New York

33. QUESTIONS?