Human Trafficking: Get Informed

What Is Human Trafficking?

Human trafficking is the use of force, fraud, or coercion to compel a person into commercial sex acts or labor or services against their will. A market-driven criminal industry, it is based on principles of supply and demand and the prospect of high profits at low risk. Every year, traffickers generate more than $150 billion in profits by victimizing millions of people worldwide. 

But there is a definition of human trafficking that is more accurate still: Enslavement 

The U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime notes that “after much neglect and indifference, the world is waking up to the reality of [this] modern form of slavery.” Currently, an estimated 27.6 million people are victims of human trafficking worldwide, according to the U.S. Department of State. Among trafficking victims, children and youth experiencing homelessness are particularly targeted. 

The Connection Between Youth Homelessness and Human Trafficking 

Why Are Children and Youth Facing Homelessness at Greater Risk of Trafficking? 

Traffickers often target children and youth experiencing homelessness because they may lack stable housing, trusted support systems, access to basic necessities, and perceive them to be low-risk. By offering food, shelter, affection, financial support, or a sense of belonging, traffickers can create relationships built on manipulation and control. Without safe alternatives and supportive adults to turn to, vulnerable young people may become trapped in situations of exploitation that are difficult to escape—disappearing into trafficking rings where no one will know they’re gone. 

How Prevalent Is Trafficking of Homeless Youth?

Covenant House research shows that 68% of youth who had either been trafficked or engaged in survival sex did so while homeless. 

Of all youth in our U.S. and Canadian shelters, 22% were approached for paid sex on their first night of homelessness, and nearly 20% were trafficked. 

Nearly one-third of LGBTQ+ young people served by Covenant House have experienced some form of trafficking. 

At our Latin America sites, where our residents are just 12 to 18 years old, the percentage of trafficking survivors is even higher: 51%, and at our Guatemala site, 65% of our children and adolescents are survivors of sex trafficking. 

How Does Human Trafficking Impact Victims and Society?

Human trafficking can have lasting physical, emotional, and psychological effects on survivors. According to the U.S. Administration for Children and Families, survivors may experience anxiety, emotional numbness, memory loss, and depression. They may also develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), dependence on substance or alcohol use, or eating disorders. 

For children and youth, who are still developing emotionally, cognitively, and physically, these impacts may have long-lasting effects. Beyond its impact on individual survivors, human trafficking harms families, communities, and economies by undermining safety, human rights, and social well-being.