Child Sex Trafficking
Report Child Sex Trafficking to the CyberTipline!
Overview
Child sex trafficking is a form of child abuse that occurs when a child under 18 is advertised, solicited or exploited through a commercial sex act. A commercial sex act is any sex act where something of value – such as money, food, drugs or a place to stay – is given to or received by any person for sexual activity.
While any child can be targeted by a trafficker, research, data and survivor lived experience and expertise have revealed traffickers and buyers often target youth who lack strong support networks, have experienced violence in the past, are experiencing homelessness, or are marginalized by society. When youth feel like they are not loved, supported in their identity and voice, or like they don’t belong they become ever more vulnerable to unsafe situations. Traffickers are masters of manipulation and prey upon vulnerabilities using psychological pressure, false promises actions of perceived love/support and intimidation to control and sexually exploit the child for their benefit. The issue of child sex trafficking is complex. Understanding the various forms of child sex trafficking and indicators can create opportunities for prevention, identification, and response. Most importantly NCMEC embraces and encourages all efforts on this issue to be survivor-informed, child-centered, and trauma-informed.
Below are some examples of child sex trafficking:
Familial Trafficking
Child is trafficked by a family member established by blood, marriage, or adoption. This includes, but is not limited to, biological mother and/or father, cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, in-laws, and adoptive, foster, or stepparents.
Buyer-Perpetrated Trafficking
Child is being trafficked but does not have a trafficker. Instead, the buyer is directly exploiting the child’s vulnerabilities by offering money, food, and/or shelter in exchange for the sexual exploitation.
Nonfamilial Trafficking
Child is trafficked by an unrelated individual, male or female, who often develops an intentional relationship with the child which is later used as leverage in the exploitation.
Gang-Controlled Trafficking
Child is trafficked by a member of a gang or trafficked by the gang. Gangs leverage their organizational structure, violence, and local, national, and international networks to instill fear and loyalty in the child victim.
Child sex trafficking can have devastating immediate and long-term consequences, including health impacts, psychological and physical trauma and even death.
Prevention, education and intervention are key to keeping children safer. After making a missing child report to law enforcement we encourage law enforcement, parents, and legal guardians to report ALL missing children, especially children who have run away, to NCMEC by calling 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678). Next, if you are concerned about potential child sex trafficking activity or see situations including the indicators listed below please make a report to NCMEC’s CyberTipline or call 1-800-THE-LOST.
Risk Factors
Understanding adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) as common risk factors helps identify opportunities to proactively intervene in an effort to prevent child sex trafficking. We’ve organized these factors into three categories. The list below is not exhaustive and many factors may be interconnected.
Societal & Environmental
- Racism
- Bullying
- Lack of resources
- Involvement in child welfare or juvenile justice systems
- Gang activity
- Sexism
- Xenophobia
Family
- Inter-generational sexual abuse
- Lack of acceptance of gender identity or sexual orientation
- Housing instability/homelessness
- Immigration status
- Adverse childhood experiences:
- Domestic violence
- Household substance abuse
- Physical/emotional neglect or abuse
- Sexual abuse
- Families with untreated mental health issues
Individual
- History of trauma
- Lack of supportive family or adult figures
- Low self-esteem
- Developmental or physical disability
- Substance misuse
Child Sex Trafficking Indicators
Child Sex Trafficking Vulnerabilities
By the Numbers
In 2024, NCMEC received more than 27,800 reports of possible child sex trafficking.
15 is the average age of child sex trafficking victims reported missing to NCMEC.
1 in 7 of the more than 29,000 cases of children reported missing to NCMEC in 2024 were likely victims of child sex trafficking.
Of the children reported missing to NCMEC in 2024, who had run from the care of child welfare,
18%
were likely victims of child sex trafficking.
What NCMEC is Doing About it
For nearly 15 years, NCMEC’s work on the topic of child sex trafficking has been informed by those with lived experience. NCMEC’s team of lived experience consultants intentionally represents a diverse group of professional, experiential, and cultural perspectives. Our inclusivity is our strength and individual perspectives are valued over consensus. The insight provided has and will continue to refine, shape, and reform our current and future child sex trafficking efforts and programs.
The knowledge survivors of child sex trafficking provide is immeasurable, and NCMEC is committed to having a team of compensated lived experience consultants to inform existing and future programs. NCMEC’s child sex trafficking work will continue to be informed by lived-experience experts from idea to innovation through to the launch.
NCMEC provides training, case management, clearinghouse resources, analytical support, family and peer support, and recovery services assistance on reports involving child sex trafficking, including:
Child Sex Trafficking Analytical Team
The Child Sex Trafficking Team resources are available to law enforcement only. For assistance please reach out to 1-800-THE-LOST and ask to speak with a member of this team.
- Reviews CyberTipline reports relating to child sex trafficking and makes them available to law enforcement for review and potential investigation;
- Conducts link analysis to connect potential victims and/or offenders in multiple states or locations;
- Provides specialized child sex trafficking analytical assistance to law enforcement to assist with the location and recovery of survivors;
- Leverages open source data and specialized child sex trafficking technology tools to develop information and leads;
- Analyzes phone numbers, names, email addresses, and/or publicly accessible online presence of possible traffickers to support law enforcement with the location and recovery of missing children exploited through child sex trafficking.
- Offers law enforcement free, specialized operational support.
Child Sex Trafficking Recovery Planning & Services
The Child Sex Trafficking Recovery Services Team (RST) offers the following assistance to child welfare professionals on cases involving children reporting missing from care who are likely exploited through child sex trafficking:
- Share promising practices in trauma-informed responses and reducing running behavior
- Provide case-based assistance in the development of trauma-informed and victim-centered recovery plans
- Connect professionals that provide specialized services
- Provide resources and support on meaningful youth engagement, effective approaches to trauma responses, strategies to address and reduce running behavior, and safety planning
- Support multidisciplinary efforts to prevent revictimization
For more information, click here.
Family Advocacy & Support
NCMEC provides assistance and support to families impacted by child sex trafficking. Family Advocacy Specialists offer crisis intervention to families as well as local referrals to appropriate professionals for longer-term support. Families of exploited children often feel alone in their struggle and overwhelmed by the issues impacting their lives. NCMEC’s Team HOPE is a volunteer program that connects families to others who have experienced the crisis of a sexually exploited child. These trained volunteers offer peer support, coping skills, and compassion.
Introduction to Child Sex Trafficking
This training offers three modules and builds a comprehensive foundation on the issue of child sex trafficking for all audiences including law enforcement, child welfare, as well as concerned citizens.
To access click here.
Training for Child Welfare Professionals on Child Sex Trafficking
Child Welfare Mirco-Modules:
Training for Law Enforcement
Please note that we recommend members of law enforcement or public safety create a Connect account using their professional email address for compliance training, reporting, and access to sensitive information available exclusively to law enforcement. If a personal email address is used, account verification will be required by submitting your agency’s ORI or providing a copy of your public safety or law enforcement badge or ID to NCMEC’s training team.
Online Self-Paced Courses:
NCMEC writes, contributes to, and publishes multiple publications pertaining to child sex trafficking. See them all here.
