Child Sex Trafficking
Trafficking: defined
Sex trafficking, also known as the commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC), is any sexual activity involving a child for which something of value is given or promised.
Statistics are underreported, manipulated for political gain, and often wrong.
Many victims don’t self-identify as being trafficked until much later in life. Due to their age and emotional maturity, they see their situations as the only way to receive love, shelter, and protection.
What We Know
In 2019, in California alone, 8,579 people were reported as victims of labor and sexual exploitation.
40% of victims of human trafficking are African American; in LA, the African American victim rate reaches 92%.
Aging out of the foster care system makes youth vulnerable to sex trafficking.
Victims of childhood sexual abuse are more vulnerable to CSEC than their non-abused peers.
It has been estimated that more than 1 in 4 homeless LGBTQ children are CSEC victims.
Victim to Survivor to Leader
The girls and boys we serve are so much more than their circumstances. They have individual hopes and unique qualities just like any other child.
A Research-Backed Solution
A 2020 systematic review of academic and research studies, conducted by UCLA in partnership with The Swan Within, found dance movement therapy as a promising treatment for mitigating the physical and mental impacts of sexual trauma.
The Swan Within is leading the nation in using movement and mindfulness as a youth intervention strategy.