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*Information sourced from Texas Education Agency (TEA).
Human trafficking is the recruitment, harboring, transporting, or procurement of a person for labor or services for the purpose of involuntary servitude, slavery, or forced commercial sex acts. While human trafficking is a global problem, it is also a Texas problem. School-aged children are vulnerable to the manipulation and exploitation tactics of traffickers. Unfortunately, law enforcement has confirmed cases of trafficking occurring on school grounds, at school events, and even carried out by classmates.
Traffickers are brutal, and victims are often subjected to serious, life-altering manipulation, and control through the use of threats of violence, physical, sexual, or emotional abuse, and withholding of basic necessities. Many children do continue to attend school while being trafficked, and as such, are in contact with school personnel on a regular basis. This means that because of your role as an education professional, you may be in a position to identify and report human trafficking, thus facilitating the child’s rescue by law enforcement.
A Form of Abuse:
Human trafficking is defined as a form of abuse or neglect under the Texas Family Code, Section 261.001. All individuals have a duty to immediately report suspected abuse or neglect to law enforcement or the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS)
Reporting:
Identification of possible human trafficking is important, but subsequent reporting is crucial. If you suspect a child is a victim of human trafficking, please contact:
911 in case of emergency
Local law enforcement, or
DFPS at 1-(800)-252-5400