1. DFW Regional Model for Child Sex Trafficking Survivor Care: MHC of Tarrant County Engagement
Alan Schonborn
Child Sex Trafficking Team
Texas Governor’s Office
May 2017

2. The University of Texas estimates that 79,000 children and youth are victims of sex trafficking in Texas currently.

3. Are you already serving them here?
Certain vulnerabilities are more prevalent among CST victims
“Predators seem to sense when a child is vulnerable.” CST survivor
physical or sexual abuse
conflict at home or
school
Drug or alcohol use
homeless, throwaway or runaway
foster care or juvenile justice

4. Physical Abuse
“(My pimp) had his girls out on the streets every night. It was either you made the (money) for him or you got beat.” CST Survivor
Most common forms
Gunshot
Strangulation
Burned
Kicked
Punched
Stabbed
Raped
Penetrated – foreign object
92% suffer from at least one type
Average suffer from 6 types
More than half of the victims experienced at least 8 types, including strangulation
Lederer and Wetzel, Annals of Health Law, vol 23, 2014

5. Substance Abuse
“They never asked me why I was on drugs. If they had, I would have told them he fed them to me.” CST survivor
84% used alcohol or drugs
28% forced to use by trafficker
26% overdosed
Lederer and Wetzel, Annals of Health Law, vol 23, 2014

6. Sexual Abuse and Women’s Health
“In most of (my six abortions), I was under serious pressure from my pimps to abort the babies.” CST survivor
Average 13 buyers / day
Median of 10 and some reported
71% ≥ 1 pregnancy
21% ≥ 5 pregnancies
55% ≥ 1 miscarriage
30% multiple miscarriages
50% ≥ 1 abortion
30% multiple
Lederer and Wetzel, Annals of Health Law, vol 23, 2014

7. Trafficking Victims – Public Perception
“The hardest thing is that you are in plain sight. We are not going to walk up and say ‘please help me.” CST survivor

8. Trafficking Victims - Reality
“We aren’t crying. We are angry – stealing cars, selling drugs, fighting and just trying to survive.” CST survivor

9. What Trafficking Does to Children.
The abuse and trauma is severe. The road back to well being is long.

10. On Automatic
“After he’s gone, the invisible chains remain.” CST Survivor
Often, survivors frustrate caregivers when they don’t escape “the life” even if they escape their trafficker.
Won’t take advantage of escape opportunities. Trafficker’s control is so complete that s/he traffics herself (“on automatic”)
Start selling sex on his/her own.
Triggering events, criminal record, safety concerns , inability to trust limit mainstream options to make a living.

11. Perception of Survivors in Treatment
Thankful to have been rescued. Immediately feels safe and accepting of nurture and support.

12. Reality of Survivors in Treatment
Complex trauma.
Fight or flight or freeze

13. Child CSTT Vision and Mission
Our vision is a state where children are free from sexual exploitation.
Our mission is to prevent victimization, help identify and recover survivors, provide them the services to help them heal and thrive, and bring them justice.
Protect
Bring Justice
Child
Restore
Recognize
Recover

14. CSTT Approach Child-centered, collaborative and continuously improving
Child-centered: Children purchased for sex are victims* and survivors* and are treated with dignity and informed of their rights and range of options.
Collaborative: Collective efforts create greater impact.
Continuously improving: Solid strategy relies upon continuous improvement.
*CSTT uses both “victim” and “survivor” to refer to individuals who were trafficked.

15. Questions? Contact Andrea Sparks, Director Andrea.Sparks@gov.texas.gov
Alan Schonborn, Associate Director for Strategic Development
Todd Latiolais, Associate Director of Prevention and Policy