Two state agencies are working to identify kids vulnerable to sex trafficking before they’re victimized. The Florida Department of Children and Families and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement have announced an enhanced screening tool and new grant funding for law enforcement.
Under the programs, $900,000 to combat human trafficking will go to FDLE and six county law enforcement agencies statewide.
Joan Reid, a criminology professor at the University of South Florida, says once exploited, 70 percent of boys and 90 percent of girls are repeatedly exploited.
“When we consider the detrimental psychological impacts and severe health consequences of repeated exploitation in human trafficking," she said, "it becomes so clear how important preventing that initial entrapment and early intervention is in order to stop this repeated exploitation. It can literally make the difference between life and death.”
Reid’s research shows two key findings about traffickers of youth:
“One is that they’re master manipulators of youth," she said. "And two, they look for youth, they seek to exploit youth who have no one looking after them.”
