Human Trafficking Prevention Education and Student Conference

Launched in January 2023 for January's National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force's 'Know More, Do Better' human trafficking awareness and prevention event's goal was to align with the California Healthy Youth Act requiring schools to provide all students with comprehensive sexual health and prevention education. The purpose of the event was to create a positive and safe space for social engagement and prevention education about human trafficking and exploitation to middle school students. Our youths today live in a different generation of influential factors that affect childhood development with the advancements in new age information technology and social media connections that can further exacerbate already existing vulnerabilities impacting their physical, emotional and mental health. These vulnerabilities left unaddressed can lead to harmful situations where youths can be easily be exploited.

The youth driven pro social and safety conference for 500 7th and 8th grade students. 50 teacher and parent chaperones, and 20+ middle schools in Orange County aims to educate about the dangers of exploitation, human trafficking, and how to get help or resources. But, more importantly to prevent this from happening in the first place that will impact their safety, well-being and future. This is the power of education.

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View 2023 event video

The 'Know More, Do Better' student event involved the coordination and collaborative work of 44 organizations working towards a common goal - making it about the kids. Their safety and feeling safe within the communities they live and interact with was important to us.

The Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force (OCHTTF) is co-chaired by the Anaheim Police Department and Waymakers. The lead agencies also include the California Highway Patrol, Garden Grove Police Department, Irvine Police Department, Orange County District Attorney's Office, Orange County Probation Department, Orange County Social Services Agency, Santa Ana Police Department, U.S. Attorney's Office, and U.S. Homeland Security Investigations.

The OCHTTF's 'Know More, Do Better' event planning committee is comprised of Anaheim Union High School District, Eastside Church, Global Center for Women and Justice, Higher Ground Youth & Family Services, i-5 Freedom Network, Live2Free, Mary's Path, Orange County Department of Education, Orangewood Foundation, Soroptimist Together Against Trafficking II, and Waymakers.

The success of this event for students, parents and educators included the participation of 30 local resource organizations whose work addressed human trafficking from prevention to victim services support. This included the Children's Hospital of Orange County, Collaborative to End Human Trafficking, emPOWERment, Fillipino-American Lawyers of Orange County, Forgotten Children Inc., Fullerton School District, Global Hope 365, K[her]ut, International Sanctuary, Jenna McKaye Foundation, Keeping Every Girl Free, Laura's House, National League of Young Men Greater Orange County Chapter, Olive Crest, Orange County Healthcare Agency, Public Law Center, Radiant Futures, Richfield Community Church, Santa Ana Unified School District, Sisters of St. Joseph, The Salvation Army, UCI Health, Volunteers of America,

The purpose is to help schools achieve the learning objectives required by the California Healthy Youth Act as they relate to human trafficking and healthy relationships. To this end, through keynote speakers and interactive activities, students, teachers and school professionals will be equipped with the following knowledge and skills for:

1. Healthy, positive, and safe relationships and behaviors.

2. Define and describe the prevalence, nature and impact of human trafficking.

3. Awareness of vulnerabilities to exploitation and trafficking, the tools and tricks of traffickers, and skills for prevention.

4. Awareness of youth-focused responses to encourage positive community action.

5. Awareness of resources and support available in the community to seek help.

Dear School Leaders,

January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month. The goal of this awareness event, 'Know More, Do Better', is to align with the California Healthy Youth Act enacted in January 2016, mandating schools to provide all students grades 7 to 12 with comprehensive sexual health and prevention education. Human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation is included as one of the curriculum expectations.

The purpose of the event is to provide a positive space for social engagement and prevention education to students at least once in middle school. This free educational event will include keynote speakers, interactive activities, and one-on-one conversations to teach students about human trafficking, its prevalence and nature, the risks of online exploitation, grooming techniques of traffickers, as well as healthy relationships, how to keep youths safe from exploitation and abuse, and seek help if needed. Students will then take the message back to their school campuses as leaders and peer educators.

It is important to educate students, schools, teachers, school counselors, and administrators about this social issue at the middle school level because in 2021 and 2022, 420 victims of human trafficking were identified and supported in Orange County, according to the latest report by the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force (OCHTTF). Female minor victims of sex trafficking make up the 2nd largest group of all of the human trafficking victims found in Orange County at 32% and male minor victims at 4%. Within the minor sex trafficking victim demographic, 10% were children 13 years old or under, 35% were 14 to 15 years old, and 55% were 16 to 17 years old. Between 2015 and 2022, 503 minors were identified by Orange County Social Services Agency as victims of commercial sexual exploitation; 70% of the victims were residents of Orange County.

The 'Know More, Do Better' event will not replace an entire unit on comprehensive sexual health. Concepts like reproduction biology, STIs, contraceptives, sexual orientation, etc. will NOT be covered. Care will be given to discuss sensitive topics in developmentally appropriate ways, however, some of the topics discussed may go beyond grade level standards for 8th grade. Yet due to the concerning fact that 40% of the identified victims of sex trafficking and exploitation in Orange County are under the age of 18, the OCHTTF in collaboration with government and community-based partners, including the Orange County Department of Education, believe this event is necessary to prevent and protect our students from becoming victims of this crime. When asked why they, the students, matter at the inaguaral event, one student responded, "I matter for future generations making the world a better place."

Frequently Asked Questions

"A note of gratitude. I just wanted to say thank you for putting together a wonderful event! The speakers connected well with the students and the use of the slides helped make the presentations more engaging. It made a difficult subject more accessible. Thank you so much for being responsive to our needs. Great job and your work is making an impact."

- Santa Ana Unified School District