Traffickers Search for Vulnerabilities

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      Traffickers focus on those easiest to exploit, which tends to be people with
fewer resources, lack a strong support system, or have existing vulnerabilities. 
   

 Here are just a few: ​

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• Children and teenagers are particularly vulnerable due to their age, naivety, and trusting nature.  They can lack knowledge or experience, and traffickers will prey on this.

• Runaways and homeless youth are vulnerable to trafficking as they lack a strong support system and are often approached by traffickers at transportation hubs, like bus stations and the like as well as shelters, shopping malls, and other public places. 

• Individuals who have experienced violence and trauma in the past are more at risk of future exploitation.​

• Children, teenagers, runaways, homeless youth, those using illegal narcotic, individuals with a history of trauma, and those with fewer resources or existing vulnerabilities are a higher risk.

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• History of physical or sexual abuse

• Mental health issues or disorders

• Academically off-track

• Poor self-esteem

• Has run away from home more than once

• Have experienced rejection in some form

• Lives in a shelter or group home

• Uses drugs or is involved with romantic partners who do

• Family members who have bought sex or been trafficked themselves

• Parents who abuse drugs

• Lives in an area with a large influx of cash-rich workers or tourists

• History of arrests for juvenile status offenses, such as truancy or underage possession of alcohol.

• Current or past involvement in the child welfare system

• History of running from out-of-home care

• Lack of social support

• Poverty

• Learning disabilities or developmental delay

• High number of adverse childhood experiences (ACES)

• Family dysfunction or instability

• Current runaway or homeless status

• Involved with, or affiliated with gangs

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