Hope for Justice has delivered three training sessions to 75 foster parents in Iowa, teaching them how to spot the signs of human trafficking. Foster children are known to be some of the most at risk of being targeted by traffickers. Research shows that a huge proportion of child victims of commercial sexual exploitation (at least half, and possibly as many as 98%) have been involved with the child welfare system.
One of the causes of this is the unmet needs of those in the foster care system.
The idea to train foster parents and the training itself has been led by Hope for Justice Investigator, Devon Greiter. Devon is a mother-of-three who has previously been a licensed foster parent in Iowa.
Devon Greiter said: “When I was training to become a foster parent, there was a huge emphasis on the trauma and abuse that children had previously experienced and the behaviors and vulnerabilities that may be present because of that trauma, but no effort was placed on prevention of further victimization or resilience building.
“Young people often enter the foster care system from traumatic, abusive, or neglectful home environments, which expose them to vulnerabilities such as complex trauma and a scarcity mindset. They have experienced things that no child their age should have been exposed to or subjected to. These youth then enter a system that can inadvertently create more trauma and vulnerabilities due to the lack of resources available for youth in care. They can experience maltreatment, frequent movements as well as the monetization of care. From my professional background in anti-trafficking efforts, I know that traffickers target these vulnerabilities and find ways to exploit people for their personal gain.”
Research shows that a child who was sexually abused in their home is 28 times more likely to be arrested for prostitution later in life.
Young people who face neglect at home may run away to the streets, placing them at risk of trafficking.
Foster youth may lack stability in housing and be without secure support structures. A trafficker might use this to deceive a young person, offering them safety or accommodation, but later holding them ‘in debt’.
One of the ways that Hope for Justice is responding to these concerns is by providing training to equip foster carers to spot the signs of human trafficking and increase their general awareness of modern slavery, as well as digital safety training to keep young people safe online. We delivered in-person and virtual sessions in September, October and November this year. The in-person training was held at Four Oaks Foster Care and Adoption in Ankeny, IA. This service completes and manages placement for around 2,000 youth annually across Iowa.
Devon delivered the training in conjunction with Dave Gonzalez, a former Hope for Justice Investigator, who is now an instructor at the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy.
One of the parents who received the training told us: “It was a great training. I have encouraged and have suggested that this training be added to licensing of all foster/adoptive parents. It could help them with placements and others. As a seasonal parent, I found the training eye opening and have discussed many of the points with our children.”
Devon added: “The hope for this training is that all foster parents will gain an awareness of human trafficking as well as the tactics utilized by traffickers to target and groom their victims. In promoting awareness, our goal is for foster parents to have conversations about trafficking with the youth in their care. We hope that they work together with those youth to identify any potential signs of recruitment or grooming. Ultimately, we hope that parents will be equipped to intercept any attempts made, and to report them to the appropriate authority. Finally, we hope that attendees will share their learning with others.”
Find out more about Hope for Justice training here: Human trafficking training (USA & Canada) | Hope for Justice.
