Foster Care System and Child Sex Trafficking

[Human trafficking is thought to generate over $30 billion worldwide. In the U.S., the FBI estimates that over 100,000 children are victims of sex trafficking. Foster children are particularly vulnerable to falling victim to sex trafficking and other forms of human trafficking.

60% of all child sex trafficking victims have histories in the child welfare system.

Homelessness is a key contributor to trafficking of youth. Foster children who have runaway, aged out of the system, or otherwise find themselves on the streets are a greater risk of being trafficked, particularly in the commercial sex trade. Entry into human trafficking often begins with trading sex for essential items such as food and/or shelter, but can quickly evolve to victimization by organized trafficking operations. In a study conducted in the U.S. and Canada one-fifth of homeless youth were victims of sex trafficking. The issue is compounded by the fact that states do not always report when a foster child is missing, despite provisions in federal law that mandate it. LGBTQ+ youth in the foster system are particularly prone to homelessness due to added stigma and discrimination.]

The Foster Care – Human Trafficking Nexus | HUMAN TRAFFICKING SEARCH

Also, Sex and human trafficking in the U.S. disproportionately affects foster youth | NFYI

Click to access Foster-Care-Report.pdf

AMERICA’S FOSTER CARE SYSTEM IS THE PIPELINE FOR CHILD SEX TRAFFICKING | Waking Times

 

Indicators in Raw Numbers | Homelessness In Tokyo Just Hit A Record Low

Read the full article here | THINK PROGRESS

The number of homeless residents in New York City, the largest city in the United States, reached a record high this month at more than 56,000 people. Halfway around the world, another metropolis recently hit a homeless record of its own: just 1,697 people are currently homeless in Tokyo, also its country’s largest city and the most populated city in the world, a record low since surveys began in 2002.

What’s even more surprising than the discrepancy in homeless populations between the two cities is the fact that Tokyo, at 13.4 million people, is larger than New York City (8.4 million people) and Los Angeles (3.9 million people) combined. While the rate of homelessness in New York is currently 67 for every 10,000 people, in Tokyo there is just one homeless individual for every 10,000 city residents.