Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC) 101

1. Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC) 101 By: Leah Albright-Byrd, Kevin Cavazos & The SECT Collaborative

2. Welcome!!!

3. Self-Care Alert! • Step out and take a break. • Talk to someone you trust. • Do something relaxing.

4. What is Trauma?

5. Trauma The experience of exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury or sexual violation The individual has an overwhelming sense of: AND Horror Fear Helplessness Terror *Source: NCTSN “Think Trauma Training”

6. Defining The Trauma Spectrum

7. G Traumatic Events in the Lives of Youth • Physical, emotional, or sexual abuse • Community violence and victimization • Abandonment and neglect • Domestic violence • Traumatic loss • Prostitution/Sex trafficking • Serious accident • Medical trauma, injury, illness • Natural disaster *Source: NCTSN “Think Trauma Training”

8. Potentially Traumatizing Events in JJ Settings • Seclusion • Restraint • Routine room confinement • Strip searches/pat downs • Placement on suicide status • Observing physical altercations • Fear of being attacked by other youth • Separation from caregivers/community *Source: NCTSN “Think Trauma Training”

9. We Learn by Experience Implicit Memory Explicit Memory Memory in which there is a need for conscious recollection in order to recall something. • A type of memory that is expressed through performance, rather than conscious recall, such as information acquired during skill learning, habit formation, classical conditioning, emotional learning, and priming. Also known as non-declarative memory.

10. We Learn by Experience *Source: NCTSN “Think Trauma Training”

11. We Learn by Experience *Source: NCTSN “Think Trauma Training”

12. The Fear Response in the Brain Frontal Cortex “Quick Action Plan” Thalamus “Encodes Sensory Input” Amygdala “Emotional Response” Hippocampus “Short Term Memory to Long Term” *Source: NCTSN “Think Trauma Training”

13. The Fear Response in the Brain During Trauma the Pre Frontal Cortex quickly processes which action to take- Fight/Flight/Freeze and generally is not thought out • Functions of the Pre Frontal Cortex • Controlling impulses • Inhibiting inappropriate behaviors • Initiating appropriate behaviors • Stopping upon completion • Shifting/Adjusting when situations change • Organization/Planning • Setting Priorities • Decision Making • Sensitivity to feedback • Insight Fight or Flee *Source: NCTSN “Think Trauma Training”

14. Fight, Flee, or Freeze (to protect) Hippocampus “Stores memories of danger” Hypothalamus “Links the nervous system to the endocrine system to secrete stress hormones” Heart rate and blood pressure increase Breathing rate increases Release of adrenaline and cortisol Digestion and Immune Systems are shut off *Source: NCTSN “Think Trauma Training”

15. G Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Trauma History Age of the youth Trauma at the hand of caretakers Secondary adversities *Source: NCTSN “Think Trauma Training”

16. G How Youth Respond to Trauma: Traumatic Stress Reactions • Intrusion • Avoidance • Negative Alt in cog/mood • Hyperarousal/Reactivity *Source: NCTSN “Think Trauma Training”

17. G How Youth Can Respond to Trauma: INTRUSIVE SYMPTOMS Images, sensations, or memories of the traumatic event recur uncontrollably. • This includes • nightmares • disturbing thoughts • flashbacks • physiological reactions • intense/prolonged psychological distress *Source: NCTSN “Think Trauma Training”

18. G INTRUSIVE SYMPTOMS • These images and sensations can be so intense that we feel as if we are going through the trauma all over again. This is called a flashback. Young children may also re-experience or reenact traumatic experiences through their play. They may try in their play to make whatever happened turn out differently. • There can also be physiological reactions to the reminders including racing heart, stomach ache, headache that occur frequently • Or psychological distress, which is a sudden sense of unease or anxiety *Source: NCTSN “Think Trauma Training”

19. G HowYouth Can Respond to Trauma: AVOIDANCE SYMPTOMS • Avoidance ofinternal reminders • thoughts, feelings, or physical sensations • Avoidance of external reminders • People, places, objects • Activities, situations, conversations *Source: NCTSN “Think Trauma Training”

20. G How Youth Can Respond to Trauma: ALTERATIONS IN AROUSAL & REACTIVITY • Bodies are always primed to respond to any stress (Flight, Fight, Freeze). • Irritable or aggressive behavior • Self-destructive or reckless behavior • Jumpiness or quick to startle (Anxiety) • Problems with concentration • Sleep disturbance • Rapid Heart Rate and Breathing • Impulsive, inattentive • Hyperarousal can lead to hypervigiliance: • a need to constantly scan the • environment and other people for danger. Resource: NCTSN “Think Trauma Training”

21. G How Youth Can Respond to Trauma: DISSOCIATION Mentally separating the self from the experience Derealization: May experience the self as detached from the body, on the ceiling, somewhere else in the room • Depersonalization: May feel as if in a dream or unreal state *Source: NCTSN “Think Trauma Training”

22. G How Youth Can Respond to Trauma: NEGATIVE ALTERATIONS IN COGNITION/MOOD • Inability to remember parts of traumatic event • Persistent negative emotions • Persistent difficulty experiencing positive emotions • Decreased interest or participation in activities • Feeling detached from others • Persistent exaggerated negative expectations • Persistent distorted blame of self or others *Source: NCTSN “Think Trauma Training”

23. Trauma Reminders Things, events, situations, places, sensations, and even people that a youth consciously or unconsciously connects with a traumatic event *Source: NCTSN “Think Trauma Training”

24. Definition of CSEC • The NCSTN defines “severe forms of trafficking in persons” in the following two-tiered definition: • Sex trafficking in which a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such an act has not attained 18 years of age; or, • The recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purposes of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery. *Source: NCTSN

25. CSEC Definition Breakdown *Source: NCTSN

26. Who’s at Risk? • Level One • Age • Foster Youth • School Truancy • Hx of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse • Suspensions/Expulsions (not enrolled in school) • LGBTQ • Minority Populations • Poverty • Educational behavioral problems • Runaway (first or second time)

27. Who’s at Risk? • Level Two • Level One risk factors • Exposure to a trafficker and/or exploited youth/person • Homelessness • CPS involvement • Hx of arrest and juvenile detention • Hx of exploitation in the family • Hx of domestic violence • Accessed emergency shelter • Chronic runaway • Group home and numerous foster care placements • Arrest hx

28. Who’s at Risk? • Level Three • Level One and Two risk factors • Gang Activity • First arrest for prostitution • Level Four • Level One, Two, and Three risk factors • Multiple prostitution arrests • Branding/Tattoos

29. Other Indicators/Risks to Look For • Social Media Accounts • Redbook account • Craig’s list account • Meet Up • “Snap-Chat” app • “Kik” App • In addition: • Inexplicable appearance of expensive gifts, clothing, or other costly items • Presence of an older boy-/girlfriend • Withdrawal or lack of interest in previous activities • Multiple phones

30. Statistics on CSEC • Trafficked Minors • 12-14 years old girls and 11-13 year old boys are the highest rated targeted population for “pimps” • 100,000 to 300,000 youth per year are as risk in coming sexually exploited • Of 1.7 million runaways annually, 1/3rd are reported missing parents • In the US., it is estimated average age of entry into prostitution is 12. • One study estimates 30% of shelter youth and 70% of street youth are victims of commercial sexual exploitation. They may engage or be coerced into prostitution for “survival sex” to meet daily needs for food, shelter, or drugs. • 75% of child victims engaged in prostitution are under the control of a pimp. *Source: NCTSN

31. Myths… • Teens choose to prostitute themselves • If they really wanted out, they could leave at any time • Teens are willing participants/know what they are getting into • Teens get paid to do this • This only happens to females • This only happens to "bad" kids or kids from "bad" families Resource: Sexually Exploited Children & Teens (www.sacramentosect.org) Waging War Against Sexual Exploitation Bridget’s Dream | 2013

32. Reality… • A child victim does not know the reality of the violence and trauma she is facing • Pimps use brute force, manipulation, and the illusion of love and acceptance to maintain control over their victims • The average victim may be forced to have sex up to 20-48 times a day.* • A pimp can make $150,000-$200,000 per child each year and the average pimp has 4 to 6 girls.* • The average age of entry for boys is 11-13 and there are even fewer services and supports available for them • Victims come from ALL backgrounds *Source: Department of Justice

33. Multiple studies estimate that…70 to 90 percent of CSEChave a history of child sexual abuse. 1. Bagley, C. & Young, L. (1987). Juvenile Prostitution and Child Sexual Abuse: A Controlled Study. Canadian Journal of Community Mental Health. 2. Annual Report. (1991). Council for Prostitution Alternatives. Portland, Oregon. 3. Murphy, Patricia. (1993). Making Connections: Women, Work, and Abuse. Paul M. Deutsch Press, Florida.

34. Studies of adult women being commercially sexually exploited reported… 62%of respondents had been raped in prostitution 73%had experienced physical assault in prostitution 72%were currently or formerly homeless 92%stated that they wanted to escape prostitution immediately A Prostitution Alternatives report revealed that their participants were being raped an average of 16 times a year by pimps, and were raped 33 times a year by johns. • Melissa Farley, IsinBaral, MerabKiremire, UfukSezgin, "Prostitution in Five Countries: Violence and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder" (1998) Feminism & Psychology 8 (4): 405-426 • Susan Kay Hunter, Council for Prostitution Alternatives Annual Report, 1991, Portland, Oregon

35. The Question Is… What do we need to understand about CSEC so that we can help them to Heal?

36. Continuum of Childhood Trauma to CSEC Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC) Sexual Exploitation of Children (SEC) Child Trauma

37. IMPACT Debriefing Question: What impact does sex-trafficking have on children?

38. Psychological/Emotional Impact of CSEC • Disruption of healthy psychological development • Self-concept, intimacy, beliefs and goals • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) • Impulse to revisit traumatic events, • intrusive emotions & memories, flashbacks, hyper arousal, • exaggerated startle reaction, panic symptoms • Self-injurious and suicidal behavior • Dissociative disorders • Anxiety • Paranoia • Clinical depression • Explosive outbursts • Sleep disturbance & nightmares • Bond with perpetrators • Hyper-sexualization Spiritual Impact of CSEC Despair Hopelessness Lack of belief in humanity Lack of faith in spiritual power Physical Impact of CSEC Continuous physical abuse Rape & gang rape STDs & STIs HIV & AIDS Loss of bowel control Pregnancy (wanted and unwanted) Sterility Facial/dental reconstruction Tattoos & branding Brain damage Substance abuse/addiction Self-cutting Suicide/Death • Social Impact of CSEC • Isolation from peer group • Disconnection from community • Isolation from mainstream society • Homelessness • Incarceration/Criminal record as obstacle • Disempowerment • Lack of life skills • Trust issues/Difficulty maintaining relationships • Obstacles to vocation • Lack of access to legal economies, lack of job experience/skills • Educational deprivation • Missed school, disconnection with school system Emotional Impact of CSEC Anger and rage Deep emotional pain/grieving Feelings of humiliation/shame Stigma of exploitation Self-blame/Self-loathing Loss of sexual desire, feelings, or response

39. Inappropriate or Inaccessible Services For CSEC Trauma • Experts speak of the trauma suffered by child sex trafficking victims as more severe than most sexually based trauma given the chronic nature coupled with the reinforced victimization from the community at large of buyers. • Additionally, CSEC report severe stigma emanating from first responders as well as from other children.

40. G Victims Need • Crisis housing • Long-term housing • Food • Clothing • Education • Job or income • Viable alternatives for employment • Transportation • Opportunities to Develop • Spiritual Care • New skills and strengths • Medical and/or dental care • Health education • Mental healthcare • Counseling and/or case management • Safety plan • Childcare and/or parenting skills • Legal representation and/or advocacy

41. Pimp Use Tactics Of Coercion and Control that create impediments to rehabilitation Enforcing trivial demands Isolation Degradation Monopolization of perception Demonstrating “omnipotence” Induced debility & exhaustion Occasional indulgences Threats

42. Stockholm Syndrome & Trauma Bonds • The presence of a perceived threat to one's physical or psychological survival and the belief that the abuser would carry out the threat • The presence of a perceived small kindness from the abuser to the victim • Isolation from perspectives other than those of the abuser • The perceived inability to escape the situation What needs to be present for Stockholm Syndrome to occur?

43. The BIG Obstacle… How is Stockholm Syndrome displayed? • Positive feelings by the victim toward the abuser/controller • Negative feelings by the victim toward family, friends, or authorities trying to rescue/support them or win their release • Support of the abuser's reasons and behaviors • Positive feelings by the abuser toward the victim • Supportive behaviors by the victim, at times helping the abuser • Inability to engage in behaviors that may assist in their release or detachment

44. Prepare Yourself to Respond • Keep an open and non-judgmental mind • Familiarize yourself with resources for rehabilitation • Identify key community partners that can assist • Foster a trusting relationship with identified victims • “I believe you…” • Stay calm • Avoid “Why” questions • Meet them where they are • Respect cultural differences • Assess risk • Notify appropriate authorities (i.e. CPS, Support Programs for Victims, etc.)

45. Multi-Systems Response • Probation, • Behavioral Health • Child Protective Services County and School Districts Youth • District Attorney • Public Defender • County Counsel • Children’s Law Center • Parents’ Attorneys Local and Federal