Understanding and Combating Familial Trafficking
Hidden in Plain Sight
Familial trafficking, which includes child labor exploitation, domestic servitude, commercial sexual exploitation, and forced marriage, is an often hidden and underreported form of trafficking due to factors of shame, fear, and loyalty. Despite these barriers to reporting, studies have found that up to half of human trafficking globally is perpetrated by family members.
This 3-module toolkit will introduce you to the forms and contributing factors of familial trafficking, provide important signs and indicators of trafficking to look for in youth and young adults, and outline strategies for combating familial trafficking in your community.
- Part 1: What is Familial Trafficking? introduces the forms and contributing factors of familial trafficking and illustrates why it is both prevalent and difficult to combat.
- Part 2: Signs and Indicators shares common behaviors, phrases, and dynamics to look for to help identify and put a stop to familial trafficking.
- Part 3: Standing In Solidarity details how to take a survivor-centered approach to your anti-trafficking work, outlining effective intervention, prevention, and survivor-support strategies.
This toolkit was produced by Youth Collaboratory, Inc. under grant number 2020-MU-MU-K001 awarded by the Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this toolkit are those of the contributors and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.
