WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW AND SHARE ABOUT THE GROOMING & RECRUITING
OF TEENS for sex trafficking
"This 6 step process being used on our urban and suburban students to RECRUIT them into prostitution and trafficking is well thought out and EFFECTIVE." -Father of a Survivor
1BEFRIEND
This step is the hardest step to recognize. A new, seemingly, non-threatening "friend" strikes up a friendship with your teen. The new friend is typically fun, seems very nice, and often acts as a mentor. Groomers can be anywhere, even at school or church, and some groomers have fake parents or a fake family in a home that is set up only as a facade for the recruiting process.
2INTOXICATE
This step introduces friction in the teen's relationships at home. The new friend's objective is to make sure your child has fun and feels "cool", often introducing alcohol and/or drugs. The friend (aka groomer) will increase the frequency and ease of access to alcohol and/or drugs. Your child begins to feel a sense of independence and a desire to fit in because "everyone" is doing the same.
3ALIENATE
This step begins to turn a teen against his or her parents. ln front of parents, a groomer will be polite and nice. Some groomers have fake families that seem to be nurturing and well-intentioned. Behind the parent's back, the groomer begins to berate the teen's parents and point out parents' unreasonable expectations, with the goal of driving a wedge in between the teen and his or her parents.
4ISOLATE
This step separates a teen from old friends who share core values. A groomer begins to introduce your teen to "new" friends who are "more fun". Parents may start to discover that their teen has stopped hanging around old friends, even lifelong best friend. The new friends support and accept the teen, while the old friends disapprove. The teen might begin to lie about activities, saying that he or she spending time with an old friend when really with the new friend group. Once the trafficker fully takes a teen through this step, the teen is in real and immediate danger.
5DESENSITIZE
This step begins to disorient the teen's moral compass. The groomer starts talking to the teen about having a "better" life, continues to introduce new, older friends, perhaps at a nightclub where the teen somehow gets in, despite being underage. The new friend group fawns over the teen, making him or her feel extra special, reinforcing the idea that the teen's parents are the enemy. The new friends seem to have money and a great lifestyle and entice the teen to begin participating in activities that are normally forbidden (e.g. dancing for money, dealing or doing drugs).
6CAPITALIZE
The purpose of this final step is to take a child away from parents through brainwashing, coercion, kidnapping or a combination of the three. The groomer's intent is to take a daughter or son and make money on him or her. The recruiters wait patiently and take advantage of the right opportunity when it presents itself. Your teen takes a ride with a rapper after the 18th birthday or goes to a party and disappears, never returning home. In this step, if the recruiters can keep your teen away for more than three weeks, it is very difficult to find and rescue the victim.
what you can do at home for prevention
The prevention starts with you! Tell your children that you care and can be trusted. Don't alienate.
Know the process, talk to your children and adjust your parenting to practice prevention
- Watch for the signs above and sudden change in friends, hobbies, or hangouts
- NEVER worry about being overprotective; monitor kids & their friends
- Use "old-school" parenting & techniques
- A child’s “right to privacy” is not relevant; it’s your responsibility to know
- Beware of Snapchat and ALL social media apps. Set up apps, lock down the phone and insist on having the passwords
- Get a 2nd phone & link it to your teen's phone.
- Call other parents to make sure your child is where they say they are
Make trafficking a topic of conversation and discuss it with your friends and family
- Make trafficking a topic of conversation and talk about the challenges our children are facing
- Explain/teach the 6-step sex trafficking process for urban and suburban kids
- Make a pact with friends to watch out for each other's children and practice open communication
- Use this site to explain and educate
STEP 1
Find a recent picture of your child.
Make a list of all known friends and acquaintances.
STEP 2
Contact police & make a report of the incident, IMMEDIATELY.
Call the National Human Trafficking Hotline (888) 373-7888
STEP 3
Dig into your child's phone &social media history / information.
STEP 4
Contact a consultant or search group.
STEP 5
Watch social media and stay in contact with your child's friends
Keep both law enforcement and consultant/search group well informed of activity