Youth Facing Homelessness are Extremely Vulnerable to Human Trafficking

Traffickers use violence, threats, deception, and other manipulative tactics to trap millions of people worldwide. Children and youth experiencing homelessness are a prime target of this criminal industry.

Human Trafficking: Statistics and Research

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.

The most common form of human trafficking (79%) is sexual exploitation, and worldwide, nearly 20% of all trafficking victims are children, according to UNODC’s most recent report.

Any person can become a victim of human trafficking, but some are more vulnerable than others. Covenant House research and data reveal that young people experiencing homelessness are especially vulnerable to the lure of human traffickers.

20%

Nearly one in five Covenant House residents across our U.S. and Canada sites are survivors of human trafficking.

50%

One in two Covenant House residents at our Latin America sites are trafficking survivors.

Let’s Get Serious About Fighting Human Trafficking

Here is some information to help you build your knowledge about how human traffickers take advantage of youth experiencing homelessness and what you can do to take action to protect young people and fight human trafficking.

young homeless black girl on the street | Covenant House - Donate Now

Get Informed

Start here to learn the basics of human trafficking including definitions, who is at-risk, and how youth homelessness and trafficking are linked.

What is human trafficking?
Youth homelessness and human trafficking.
Common myths about human trafficking.

Homeless human trafficking survivor | Covenant House

Prevention and How to Join the Fight

Learn to recognize the signs of trafficking and find out how you can get involved to help protect young people.

Watch for signs a youth is being trafficked.
How Covenant House helps.
How you can help

Survivor Stories

Read stories from survivors of human trafficking, Covenant House staff, and allies.

Human trafficking survivors tell their stories of courage and determination.
Covenant House staff and allies reach out to survivors with unconditional love and relentless support.

Get Help Now

If you or a young person you know needs help, here’s what to do.

Call 911 if you are in immediate danger.
Call the Suicide and Crisis Hotline at 988 if you are in emotional distress.

Call or come into the nearest Covenant House, where you will find safety, services, and support at no cost. Covenant House has locations in 34 cities across five countries. We are here to help, not to judge.