Runaway youths and Human Trafficking

SYSTEMIC PROBLEM ACROSS THEUNITED STATES.

TEXAS...ENHERE IN CENTRAL TEXAS...ISUNFORTUNATELY... NO EXCEPTION..

25 NEWRES PORTER ADAMSCHINDLER SHOWS US HOW MANY OFTHOSE PEOPLE ARE EITHER ATRISK ORUR NAWAY YOUTH.MILLIONS OF CHILDREN AND TEENSRUN AWAY FROM HOME ERYVE YEARPUTTING THEM AT HIGH RISK OFFALLING PREY TO HUMANTRAFFICKERS.

ACCORDI TNGHUMAN TRAFFICKING SEARCH DOTORG... 1 IN 5 HOMELESS ANDRUNAWAY YOUTH BECOME VICMSTIOF HUMAN OR SEX TRAFFICKING.IT'S A STATISTIC LAWENFORCEMENT KNOWS ALL OTOWELL.

SOT- DET.

JOSEPHSCARAMUCCI, DETECTIVE WITHMCLENNAN COUNTY SHERIFF'SDEPARTMENT.

"OUR CHILDREN THATARE BEING TRAFFICKED ANDRE ABEING EXPLOITED SEXUALLY, 9OUT OF 10 TIMES, THEY HAVE AHISTORY OF BEING A RUNAWAY."TRACK 2 SOMETIMES...THEY FALLPREY TO HUMAN TRAFFICKING ENEVBEFORE RUNNING AWAY.

SOT- DET.JOSEPH SCARAMUCCI, DETECVETIWITH MCLENNAN COUNTYHE SRIFF'SDEPARTMENT.

"IT'S COMMON TOFIND WHERE THAT HAVE BEENTRAFFICKED, UNFORTUNATELY BYPARENTS OR CARETAKERS AND THENTHEY END UP BECOMING RUNAWAYSAND INVOLVED IN THE CRIMINALJUSTICE SYSTEM." TRACK 3 ANABUSIVE OR UNSTABLE HOMELIFEIS A LEADING CAUSE FORCHILDREN AND TEENS TO RUNWAY.MANY ARE EVENTUALLY APPOINTEDA CASA OR COURT APPOINDTESPECIAL ADVOCATE.

SADLY...THEAFTERMATH IS SOMETHING CASA'SDEAL WITH REGULARLY.OT SSARAH BEATY, CASA ADVOCATESUPERVISOR, CASA OF BELL ANDCORYELL COUNTIES.

"ONE CHILDTHAT ONE OF ME SEASONEDCOWORKERS DEALT WITH, ACTUALLYENDED UP CALLING HER FROM ASPITHOAL BECAUSE SHE WASSTABBED AFTER THEY RELEASEDHER." BEING THERE FOR CHILDRENTHAT HAVE ENTERED FOSTER CARESTSYEM IS WHAT CASA DOES.

ATTHMEANS WORKING WITHFAMILIES...TO IMPROVECOMMUNICATION.

SOT- SARAHBEATY, CASA ADVOTECASUPERVISOR, CASA OF BELL ANDCOELL RYCOUNTIES.

"SOMETIMERUNNING AW IAYS BECAUSE THEYGET USED TO HIDING THINGS.

SO,TRYING TO CREATE AN ATMOSPREHEWHERE CHILEN CDRAN TALK TOYOU." THE FIRST STEP TOPREVENTING A RUNAYAW FROMBECOMING THE NEXT VICTIM OFHUMAN TRAFFICKING STARTS WHITTHE WHY.

SOT- T.DE JOSEPHSCARAMUCCI, DETECTIVE WITHMCLENNAN COUNTY SHERIFF'SDEPARTMENT.

HE"TRE'S SOMETHINGTHEY'RE RUNNING FROM AND BEINGABLE TO LOOK BACK AT WHAST'CAUSING THAT AND REALLY GET INAND FIX THE ROOT OF THEISSUE." TO MANY YOUTHS INAMERICA FALL PREY TO HUMANTRAFFICKING WITH RUNAWAYSAMONG THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGEAND THOUGH STOPPING KIDS FROMRUNNING AWAY WON'T FIX THEPROBLEM...GIVING THEM A REASONNOT TO...IS A GOOD START.

INKILLEEN ADAM SCHINDLER 25