Ending the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children - California ...

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ConclusionMost commercially sexually exploited children have a history of abuse, neglect, and trauma priorto being victimized by traffickers. Because of this history, many have been involved with the childwelfare system. Indeed, the disorganization in family life that social workers try to repair can bethe same vulnerabilities pimps seek to exploit. Nevertheless, many child-serving agency workersare not trained to recognize threats to a child’s welfare for what they often are: risk factors forcommercial sexual exploitation. Typically, it is not until a youth is arrested for prostitution thatsomeone discovers the child has been exploited. Often, years of exploitation and interaction withcountless agencies and first responders go by before a child is identified as a victim of exploitation.Many slip through the cracks altogether.The California Child Welfare Council was created to improve collaboration between the manyagencies that serve children who are involved in the foster care system. Commercially sexuallyexploited children encounter multiple systems, but are rarely able to access services, specializedplacements, or the assistance they need to escape their violent situations. The informationcontained within this report provides a framework and opportunity to address a problem affectingthousands of children in the state of California. The CSEC Workgroup urges immediate action bythe Council to slow the growth of this problem, and ultimately to prevent youth from being forcedinto violent and abusive situations on our streets.If the recommendations of this report are followed, the newly constituted CSEC ActionCommittee will bring together key stakeholders. The Committee will develop and oversee theimplementation of critical proposals that will lay the groundwork for a comprehensive andcollaborative strategy to effectively address the needs of CSEC and their families or caregivers.The CSEC Action Committee will focus on:1. Prevalence: understanding the scope of the problem in California.2. Identification: identifying CSEC and those at risk for victimization through educationand screening tools.3. Intervention: specialized services and supports for CSEC and their families or caregivers.4. Prevention: reducing the number of vulnerable children that are exploited.5. Legislation: exploring statutory changes to improve coordination and access to servicesfor CSEC and children at-risk of exploitation.62 | Chapter 8: Conclusion
In addition to the CSEC Action Committee’s broad focus outlined above, the CSEC Workgroupidentified priority areas for immediate action. These include:■■■■■■■■Placement:Establish safe and secure emergency and transitional placements for CSEC victims.Identification:Implement cross-system screening tools to systematically identify CSEC and childrenat risk of exploitation in order to inform and improve service delivery and placementdecisions.Training:Mandate training for all professionals working with youth in child-serving systems,including, but not limited to, the child welfare, juvenile justice, probation, mental healthand education, to better identify CSEC and children at-risk, provide CSEC specializedservices and supports, and use culturally competent and trauma-informed practices.Data:Develop protocols and strategies to coordinate, collect and share data across systems tobetter understand the scope of the problem, the level of interaction with multiple systems,and CSEC specific needs.Because many CSEC are involved with child protective services and foster care, the child welfaresystem is uniquely positioned to implement prevention and early intervention services. Instead ofproviding “the perfect training for commercial sexual exploitation,” 407 the child welfare system, incollaboration with other partners, could develop innovative strategies for placement, preventiveeducation, specialized services, and emergency and respite care.Building on existing research, lessons learned from other states, emerging and promisingpractices, and survivor input, California has the opportunity to dramatically improve outcomesfor commercially sexually exploited children and reduce the number of children who fall victim toexploiters in the future. Using the energy and expertise of its member agencies, the Child WelfareCouncil and the new CSEC Action Committee must address the challenges presented in thisreport and act with urgency. Delay means more days of unimaginable suffering for thousands ofchildren in California.California Child Welfare Council | 63
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We commend the members of the CSEC
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AcknowledgementsSpecial thanks are
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and track progress. The United Stat
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IntroductionEvery day of the year,
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Several months later, police found
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Prevalence of CommerciallySexually
Page 19 and 20: foster care. A study of Los Angeles
Page 21 and 22: now subject to prosecution in the U
Page 23 and 24: if a girl brings $800 back after a
Page 25 and 26: Despite growing recognition of thep
Page 27 and 28: directly recruit girls from these s
Page 29 and 30: Reflecting this gender distinction,
Page 31 and 32: conditioned to distrust law enforce
Page 33 and 34: avoid law enforcement involvement,
Page 35 and 36: Whereas other models focus on patie
Page 37 and 38: in the media; and community factors
Page 39 and 40: of the harm reduction model to less
Page 41 and 42: CSEC through trauma-informed practi
Page 43 and 44: twenty-five youth each. 217 The STA
Page 45 and 46: hall. The workshop meets once a wee
Page 47 and 48: In order to provide a continuum of
Page 49 and 50: Connecticut, California, Minnesota,
Page 51 and 52: Sexual Exploitation.” 291 The pro
Page 53 and 54: LegislationAs human trafficking has
Page 55 and 56: And, the minor’s consent to explo
Page 57 and 58: DecriminalizationDecriminalization
Page 59 and 60: 1. No previous adjudication for eng
Page 61 and 62: excess of their tax liability to th
Page 63 and 64: The recommendations set forth below
Page 65 and 66: IdentificationNeedsDepending on the
Page 67 and 68: InterventionRecommendations (Contin
Page 69: LegislationNeedsThere are policies
Page 73 and 74: youth-radio-trafficked-teen-girls-d
Page 75 and 76: Approach To Human Trafficking, 89 N
Page 77 and 78: 305. Human Trafficking in Californi
Page 79 and 80: APPENDIX AGUIDELINES FOR IDENTIFYIN
Page 81 and 82: APPENDIX AGUIDELINES FOR ENGAGING C
Page 83 and 84: APPENDIX A■ ■■ ■“Do you f
Page 85 and 86: APPENDIX AWHAT YOUTH SAY WORKSMost
Page 87 and 88: APPENDIX BStage of Change: Pre-Cont
Page 89 and 90: APPENDIX BStage of Change: Action
Page 91 and 92: APPENDIX CInterventions: Models for
Page 93 and 94: APPENDIX CDistrict Attorney’s off
Page 95 and 96: APPENDIX C15. Shelby French, Execut
Page 97 and 98: APPENDIX DSTREAT TeamIn California,
Page 100: California ChildWelfare Council
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