 Human Trafficking: When someone uses force, fraud, or coercion to compel an exchange of sex, labor, or services for anything of value. When anyone under 18 engages in commercial sex for any reason, that is human trafficking. LGBTQIA+ youth are trafficked at twice the rate of other youth. As usual, LGBTQIA youth aren’t the problem, they’re surrounded by it. One reason traffickers target them is because homophobic family members might kick them out, or fearing rejection, youth run away from home. LGBTQ+ youth deserve to have the right people notice their struggle and be there for support, but far too often, that’s not who shows up. Tragically, one-third of teens are approached by a trafficker within 48 hours of running away. Because of a lack of resources, homelessness is a major risk factor for being trafficked. Traffickers often pose as someone who can help, making false promises for a better life, offering shelter and food in exchange for favors they only define later. They take advantage of people in a desperate situation. Around one-third of homeless or runaway youth have engaged in sex to survive. In one 2022 survey, 24 percent of youth living on the streets engaged in sex in exchange for money, and 27.5 percent for a place to stay. This is called survival sex, and it is considered sex trafficking under the law when the survivor is a minor. People tend to imagine traffickers as scary strangers, but in 90 percent of cases a trafficker is the survivor’s parent, their romantic partner, their pastor, or their friend long before trafficking begins. Some LGBTQIA+ survivors report that traffickers first act as an outlet, offering acceptance of their identity. The grooming process can be slow and plays on our basic human needs. Once trust is built, survivors say the trafficker may threaten to tell their family or community about their identity unless they engage in commercial sex. One of the best trafficking prevention strategies we can use is creating spaces for connection, care, and community for all of our LGBTQIA+ youth. What can we do? Supporting LGBTQIA+ folks can look like advocacy, friendship, community building, support, encouragement, or just plain respect. Trans and non-binary youth whose pronouns are respected have 31 percent lower odds of a suicide attempt in the past year (Polaris), so regardless of what your understanding is, respecting someone’s pronouns is not only a form of trafficking prevention but of suicide prevention. This doesn’t mean you never slip up and say the wrong pronouns, it means when that happens you correct yourself, or respond kindly to someone else’s correction, and move on. Imagine if someone is telling you how their name is pronounced—it’s okay to not pronounce it right a few times, but it’s unkind to not try to learn or purposefully butcher the pronunciation. Understanding these basic definitions can help you engage with LGBTQIA+ youth: Definitions Lesbian = women loving women Gay = Men loving men, also used as an umbrella term for anyone in the LGBTQIA+ Bisexual = someone attracted to more than one gender Transgender = someone whose sex assigned at birth doesn’t match their gender. Cisgender= someone whose sex assigned at birth does match their gender Non-binary= someone whose gender doesn’t fit neatly into the boxes of woman or man Queer= An intentionally expansive word for not fitting neatly into socially defined roles of gender, sexuality, etc. Questioning= Those who are discovering what their gender identity or sexuality is Intersex= someone who is born with both male and female body parts. They are just as common as red heads, and many people live their whole lives intersex without knowing it. We sometimes find out someone is intersex during autopsies Asexual = someone who experiences less or no sexual or romantic attraction More Definitions: Sexuality is about who you’re attracted to (gay, lesbian, bisexual, pansexual). Gender is about your social identity, how you see yourself, and how you form relationships with others (man, woman, genderfluid, non-binary, etc). Gender expression is how you express yourself through things like clothes, haircuts, and mannerisms and can change daily. Sex is the biological identification of body parts as a doctor defines it (male, female, intersex). Any and every combination of these categories can and does exist. There can be an intersex woman with a masculine gender expression who is straight. People often confuse these categories or make pairings in their minds so if they know one element about someone they assume the rest. This might lead to things like parents of lesbians with a feminine gender expression asking them when they will start “dressing like a boy.” Or the converse for gay men. Clearing Up Myths Someone cannot be “turned” gay or straight, cis, or trans. When LGBTQIA+ people see representation in the media, they might feel more accepted and free to come out, but that media or support doesn’t make that person LGBTQIA+. If you’re straight and cis, did you know you were attracted to the gender you are because someone told you to be? Did you know you were a man or woman because you saw a man or woman on TV? Or did it feel easy, like knowing what food you do and don’t like? People have preferences in all areas of our lives, yet few face as much scrutiny as our preferences in gender and romantic relationships. Facing any form of discrimination leads to higher rates of trafficking for that population. Trafficking Signs to Look Out For:
If you suspect someone you know is being trafficked don’t confront the trafficker. Best practice is to gather information for an immediate report and contact local law enforcement, the Georgia Human Trafficking Hotline: (866) 363-4842. or the National Human Trafficking Hotline: (888) 373-7888.  About the Author Kate Gallop serves as the Outreach Manager at Tharros Place, leading community education and outreach efforts focused on human trafficking awareness and prevention.
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