How can Washington County address sex trafficking? Local residents learn how to take action
Washington County anti-sex-trafficking officials want community members to know sex trafficking is happening here and there are things they can do about it.
Those actions include learning signs that someone, particularly a youth, might already be a victim of, or at risk of, being trafficked. Another way to help is to talk to your children about potential dangers and learn about trending apps.
“It doesn’t matter where you live. Nobody is safe when it comes to sex trafficking because it can happen online,” said Alicia, co-chair for the county’s anti-human trafficking collaborative. The Herald-Mail is identifying the local anti-trafficking navigator only by her first name out of concern for her safety due to the nature of her job.
As a community, we need to stop thinking somebody else is going to take action, Alicia said.
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Do not attempt to intervene in a trafficking situation, anti-human trafficking officials said. But if you see something, say something by reporting it to officials who can look into the matter to determine if a child is being exploited.
Anyone who suspects a child is being trafficked or abused can call the Washington County Department of Social Services child-trafficking hotline at 240-420-2222 or contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 888-373-7888 or texting 233733. Tips can be reported anonymously.
If you’re a youth and are concerned someone else is in trouble, tell a trusted adult, perhaps a teacher, Alicia said.
“As with any form of child abuse, it’s everyone’s business to make that report,” said Johanna Geesaman, the collaborative’s co-chair and program coordinator for Safe Place, Washington Couty's Child Advocacy Center.
There are people in the community who have a unique opportunity to be in and around places others might not, such as delivery and EMS workers, collaborative members said. It’s important for them to be aware of the signs of sex trafficking or other sexual abuse.
Anyone could become a victim
Geesaman said there is a strong correlation between children who have had adverse childhood experiences becoming victims of sex trafficking.
Such at-risk populations include homeless children, runaways and youths in foster care as well as homes where caregivers are unavailable or there is substance abuse or mental illness, said Leah Derr, a child and family therapist with Safe Place. They could have a history of being abused and be desensitized to abuse.
When they become part of a trafficking operation, they can be gaslighted or manipulated into performing sex acts, Derr said.
But victims also can come from families with no issues regarding poverty, mental health issues or abuse, Derr said.
People of any age or economic background could be coerced into doing things to prevent embarrassment or getting into trouble at home, not realizing the deeper problems that can arise later, according to Alicia.
Examples include sharing inappropriate photos or information because someone threatens to out their sexuality or gender, report a probation violation, or expose their drug use, according to information from the county's anti-trafficking navigator. People also can be coerced into doing things to get out of debt or if they feel their family is in danger.
People who feel isolated, perhaps youths unhappy at home, can also fall victim to trafficking. The danger is in the wrong person paying them the attention they want.
The county’s anti-human trafficking regional navigator presents information about trafficking and warning signs to community members. She's made presentations to the Family Center, Cedar Ridge School, foster parents, the Hagerstown Police Department, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, South Hagerstown High’s staff and to a group of Washington County Public Schools teachers before the start of this school year.
People being trafficked often don’t see themselves as victims or want to acknowledge it. But it’s important for people to be able to recognize troubling signs, collaborative officials said.
If professionals who work with youths, including teachers, continue to check on youngsters showing troubling signs, those youths might be ready to turn to those adults when they are ready for help, officials said.
Talk with the kids
Safe Place officials recommend parents, or legal guardians, talk to their children and set guidelines for internet, phone and social media use as well as remind them to be cautious about requests for personal information and photos.
Geesaman suggests starting to talk to children about online safety and responsibility when they get access to technology that lets them go online.
“It’s more than just a talk,” Derr said. “It’s an open line of communication. Your child should and has to feel safe to come to you.”
And when there is a problem — perhaps a teen sent someone a nude photo and it’s spiraling out of control — be wary of disciplining them because they might not come to you again with future problems, Derr said.
“Everyone makes mistakes, especially children,” Derr said.
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Being proactive
Geesaman recommends parents not just talk to their children, but also check on their internet use and purchases.
Things to cover about online usage include:
Establish rules for internet use, including how much time they spend online.
Don’t post photos or personal or revealing information.
Don’t agree to meet people you don’t know or don’t know well. With some youths inclined to do so anyway, a parent could accompany them.
Don’t respond to threatening messages.
Have youths access the internet when in a common area at home or when an adult is nearby so the adult can hear what’s going on.
Check credit card and phone bills for unusual charges and numbers.
If family members keep credit card info stored in app stores, check for purchases of unusual apps.
Activate parental controls on devices.
Review existing posts on an app or website together to talk about what is and isn’t appropriate.
Geesaman recommends staying up-to-date on apps and interactive websites youths are using. These include Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, Kik, Omegle, WhatsApp and Tagged. If parents need help determining the latest apps, they could check with their child’s school or Safe Place.
Also, be aware of how the app works. When a user deletes a picture on an app, that doesn’t necessarily mean the image is truly gone.
Be watchful of behavior changes
If people notice a drastic change in a child — immediately or over time — that is concerning and help should be sought, Derr said.
Such behavior changes include more anger or irritability, depression, self-harm, or acting out with problematic or inappropriate sexualized behavior, Derr said. Self-harm could be cutting, burning, stabbing, picking at their skin, promiscuity, or other risky sexual behaviors.
Children being trafficked by a family member might exhibit changes in their behavior such as:
Experiencing educational and social delays
Withdrawing from friends
Being overly tired, which could include often falling asleep during class or frequently appearing tired
Not being allowed to speak for himself or herself
Being fearful, anxious, depressed or submissive
Trying to please adults to get inappropriate attention from them
More information about physical and behavioral indicators a child could be a trafficking victim are available at the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children's website at https://www.missingkids.org/theissues/trafficking.
The red flags aren't a checklist but if they are observed in youth, they are an indication more questions need to be asked, to call the hotline, or to connect the child to resources for prevention or intervention, the center's website states.
“I think it’s really hard to say ‘This child has been trafficked’ or ‘This child just has trauma’ because those symptoms/signs are very similar,” Derr said.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: What can Washington County community members do about sex trafficking?
