Our goal is to educate Indigenous youth ages 10-24 about risk factors associated with human trafficking and violence. We cover key topics including online communication, dating violence, as well as safety and self-defense topics.
Education is a key weapon in the fight against human trafficking and sexual violence and we hope to make a difference by educating those within and outside our indigenous communities.
Preventing Human Trafficking
The Facts About Human Trafficking in Indian Country
Native American women are disproportionately impacted by sex trafficking. For example, in South Dakota, 40% of reported victims of sex trafficking were Native women, according to the South Dakota District U.S. Attorney’s office, although they only represent 8% of the population. Similarly, Native Americans are nearly one-quarter of trafficking victims in New Mexico, despite making up only 11% of the population.
Economic need is one of the leading indicators of vulnerability to human trafficking. Historically, the poverty rate in the United States is highest amongst Native Americans at around 25%. The second highest group is African Americans, with 20% below the poverty line, and Hispanics at 17%.
Risk Factors for Children
Another group particularly vulnerable to human trafficking is children who enter the foster care system. This is due primarily to the compounding risk factors commonly experienced by children in foster care, including unstable care environments and homelessness. In addition, over 20% of children in foster care in 2019 were Black, despite representing only 14% of the population.
The U.S. Department of State has also recognized how the devastating impact of human trafficking among ethnic minorities in the U.S. is rooted in the vulnerabilities created by systemic racism. The connection between historical oppression and trauma is directly related to the rates of human trafficking.