What is family-facilitated human trafficking or familial trafficking?

While the anti–human trafficking field has largely focused on steps to prevent and respond to sex and labor trafficking, one type of trafficking—family-facilitated human trafficking or familial trafficking—can slip through the cracks and be overlooked by law enforcement, child welfare agencies, educators, and others. The Journal of Family Violence notes that familial trafficking occurs when a family member (a father, mother, sibling, grandparent, uncle, or aunt) or a guardian (a foster parent or intimate partner of the parent) facilitates the trafficking.

This can include when parents or other family members allow sexual offenders to sexually abuse the victim in exchange for money, drugs, or a place to stay or when caregivers produce pornography of their children and sell, trade, or post the contents in exchange for money or other things of value.

In familial trafficking, the trafficker may be grooming and trafficking the victim at a much earlier age than in other types of trafficking notes. The abuse can be generational and normalized. Due to their young age, victims may not even be aware that they are victims and may not see the exchange of money or things of value. If reported, their experience may be misidentified as solely child sexual abuse or other crimes.

Substance use/addiction in the family was common in domestic minor familial sex trafficking cases, reported by justice professionals: 75 percent of the cases in the study involved family members selling a child in exchange for drugs. One professional noted that family trafficking is often prominent in communities where drug addiction to heroin, fentanyl, and meth is prevalent. Other risk factors noted include domestic violence in the home and acute poverty.

Additionally, the victim may find it challenging to speak out due to their loyalty to and reliance on their family. They may also feel deep shame about the situation and the need to protect their family. Victims may also fear what will happen once they report a family member, since the common approach is to permanently separate the victim from the offender. Given this alternative, many victims choose to stay with what they know. 

https://cops.usdoj.gov/html/dispatch/01-2024/familial_trafficking.html#:~:text=This%20can%20include%20when%20parents,or%20other%20things%20of%20value.

EMOTIONAL DAMAGE TO ABUSED CHILDREN

Child sexual abuse leaves lifelong emotional scars on its victims. The trauma can lead to a host of psychological issues, such as:

• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Many survivors experience symptoms of PTSD, including flashbacks, nightmares, and severe anxiety.

• Trust Issues: Victims often struggle to trust others, making it challenging to form healthy relationships.

• Low Self-Esteem: The abuse can damage a child's self-worth, leading to feelings of worthlessness and self-doubt.

• Emotional Dysregulation: Survivors may have difficulty managing their emotions, leading to mood swings and impulsive behavior.

• Sexual Dysfunction: The abuse can create a distorted view of sexuality, leading to difficulties in forming healthy sexual relationships later in life.

UNDERSTANDING GROOMING

Grooming is the process by which abusers manipulate and prepare their victims for sexual exploitation. It involves building trust, emotional dependence, and secrecy. Abusers use various tactics, such as gifts, special attention, or isolating the child from others, to gain their trust and compliance. Grooming makes it even more challenging for children to recognize the abuse and come forward.

Sources:

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/forensic-psychologist-task-understanding-child-sexual-charles-heller-bceme