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CSEC 101:

Lagolagoina ole saogalemu o fanau & le soifua manuia fa’alemafaufau

Presented by:

Huckleberry Advocacy & Response Team (HART)

O SE MAFUTAGA FA’ALEA’OA’OGA I LUGA O TAFAILAGI MO MĀTUA MA TAUSI FANAU UMA I TOTONU OLE SFUSD

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MO LE FA’ALILIU GAGANA:

FA’AMOLEMOLE, VILI MAI LE NUMERA TUTOTONU

CHINESE:

1 574-316-0071‬

PIN: ‪856 496 064‬#

SPANISH:

1 320-318-7952‬

PIN: ‪510 531 934‬#

VIETNAMESE:

1 385-325-0382‬

PIN: ‪515 397 978‬#

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Christine

she/her

Therapist

Jules

he/they

Bilingual Intervention Specialist

Chauri

she/her

Bilingual Intervention Specialist

Yaneli

all pronouns

Sr. Program Manager

FEILOAI MA LE VAEGAAU MAI LE HART

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SINI AUTU OLE ASŌ

A’oa’oina ile HART

Iloa lelei le CSEC

Fa’afefea ona tupu le CSEC

Fa’aitiitia ou Vaivaiga

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Yaneli

“Let me tell you a little bit about Huckleberry Youth Programs. For over 50 years, we've been supporting young people in San Francisco and Marin County with programs that focus on safety, health, justice, and education.

One of the programs I want to highlight is the Huckleberry Youth Health Center on cole & haight st. It provides free, confidential health and reproductive services for young people ages 12 to 24. This is a safe place where your child can get medical care, mental health support, or health education without worrying about cost.

Another key program is Huckleberry House, which offers 24-hour crisis services and emergency shelter for youth ages 12 to 17. If your child ever faces a situation where they feel unsafe, Huckleberry House is a safe place with immediate support.

All of Huckleberry’s programs also include case management and counseling. That means your child has a consistent, caring adult who listens, helps them figure out what they need, and connects them to resources

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MANULAUTI A LE HART

Ina ia fausia se nofoaga saogalemu ma le malu puipuia mo tupulaga talavou e lē fa’amasinoina ai, ina ia totogo a’e ai se olaga manuia o lo’o latou filifilia ma fausia ai se ala e fai ma vaifofo mo i latou lava.

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AUAUNAGA MAI LE HART

24 itula le auai fa’avavevave

Fa’asologa o Mataupu /Case Management

A’oa’oga e Foia Ai

Gaioiga Fa’alauaitele

Fautuina o Mataupu & A’oa’oga

Talanoaga/Faufautua

Yaneli

“In 2013, San Francisco made combating human trafficking a priority and established the Mayor’s Anti-Trafficking Task Force. This task force funds a 24/7 response line to support youth who have experienced commercial sexual exploitation. Building on Huckleberry’s existing programs, HART was created not only to operate this line but also to expand advocacy and case management services for these youth.

Our intervention specialists provide strength-based, relationship-driven, trauma-informed care. Through case management and referrals, we help youth increase their safety and stability.

HART also offers psychoeducation for youth on topics like trafficking, vulnerability, boundaries, power and control, and consent—offered both one-on-one and in groups.

We provide pro-social activities that give youth safe, structured opportunities to build positive relationships, life skills, and meaningful connections to their community.

Finally, youth in our program can access therapy, giving them another layer of support and guidance as they heal and grow."

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Lou lava fia auai
Fa’asino mai e se isi vaega/tagata fa’atuatuaina(o galue ma tupulaga talavou) consent)

Talavou (11-24) o:

pagātia i aga fa’afeusuaiga
i latou ua sao mai nei aga fa’afeusuaiga
i latou o loo lamatia o latou soifua ona o nei aga

Fa’afefea?

O ai?

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Yaneli

“I want to take a moment to share about one of our prevention programs that you can refer youth to.

It’s called the Cool Aunt Series, an online/video curriculum created by Rachel Thomas, who is a survivor of human trafficking and now an educator. HART uses this curriculum to run monthly youth prevention groups, where young people learn about exploitation, red flags to watch for, and ways to stay safe. Each youth can attend once, so it’s a great opportunity for those who haven’t experienced exploitation but may be vulnerable or curious about the topic.

We also provide food during the group, and youth receive a $50 gift card for their participation.

This curriculum can also be offered one-on-one for youth who might benefit from a more personalized setting. And for caregivers who are interested, we can offer sessions for parents and guardians, so you can learn more about the topic and how to support your child.

These groups are designed to empower youth and families with knowledge, awareness, and tools to stay safe, while also providing a supportive and welcoming environment for learning and conversation.”

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OLE A LE CSEC?

CHRISTINE

Before we go further, I want to introduce the main topic we’re focusing on today: Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children, or CSEC.

CSEC refers to situations where young people are sexually exploited in exchange for money, resources, or other things of value.

Because this topic involves several related concepts, we’ll walk through them step by step. First, we’ll define the term sex work. Then we’ll look at the spectrum of choice, circumstance, and coercion, which helps explain how situations of exploitation can develop. Finally, we’ll return to the definition of CSEC.

The goal of this section is to help give you, as parents and caregivers, a clearer understanding of what CSEC is, how exploitation can happen, and how supportive relationships with trusted adults can help keep young people safe.

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GALUEGA FA’AFEUSUAI

Ole uiga o lenei fa’aupuga, o se tagata e maua lana ala tupe mai faiga ma aga e fa’asino i feusuaiga, fa’atinoga o feusuaiga, po’o auaunaga e fa’asino iai. E eseese lava mafuaaga e auai ai tagata, ae ole tele o taimi, e ala ona auai, ona ua fa’amalosia.

Everyone deserves respect and safety

Christine

This slide introduces the term sex work. Sex work is a broad term used to describe situations where someone earns money by providing sexual content, sexualized performances, or sexual services.

This can take many different forms. It might include things like creating online content, sharing explicit images, performing sexualized entertainment, or providing in-person sexual services.

People enter sex work for many different reasons. For some adults, it may be a form of work they choose. For others, their involvement may be shaped by financial pressure, lack of support, safety concerns, or other difficult circumstances. And in some cases, it can involve exploitation.

Because of that, when we talk about sex work, exploitation, or trafficking, it’s not always a simple yes-or-no question of choice.

It’s also important to know that situations involving youth are understood very differently under the law. When someone under 18 is involved in exchanging sexual content or activity for something of value, it is considered exploitation, and the focus is on protecting and supporting the young person.

In the next slide, we’ll look at how situations like this often exist along a spectrum, depending on a person’s level of choice, safety, and available options.

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Filifiliga

Tulaga o Iai

Faiga Fa’amalosi

Ua malie e fa’atino le galuega
Mafai lava ona suia le galuega ae filifilia lava e nofo ona o isi tulaga

Malie e galue i galuega fa’afeusuaiga ae manao i se isi galuega
Luitau Tulai Mai: tamaoaiga, pepa nofo mau, sailiga nofoaga
Isi taimi, ua ta’ua ole feusuai ona ole fiaola

Lē malie e galue
Ole pule e maua i ala nei:

taufaafefe, taufaamatau, maua toatasi, sauāina
patino lava i fanau iti/tupulaga talavou/ ma i latou e fa’amalosia gofie

Christine present

This slide builds on what we just discussed. When we talk about sex work, exploitation, or trafficking, people’s experiences don’t always fall into simple categories. Instead, they often exist along a spectrum.

On one end of the spectrum is true choice. This is when a person has their basic needs met—safe housing, financial stability, transportation, and supportive relationships—and they could walk away from the situation without risking their safety or survival.

In the middle are situations shaped by circumstance. This is when someone may agree to exchange sexual activity, images, or attention because their options already feel limited. They may be seeking money, housing, emotional support, or a sense of safety or belonging. Even if something appears voluntary on the surface, those choices may still be influenced by vulnerability, unmet needs, or pressure.

On the other end of the spectrum is coercion, where there is no real consent. This can involve manipulation, pressure, threats, or someone taking advantage of a person’s need for safety, stability, or connection.

People can also move along this spectrum over time. What may look like a clear choice from the outside may actually be shaped by pressure, fear, or a lack of safe options. Instead of asking, “Why did they choose that?” a more helpful question is, “What made this feel like the safest or only option at the time?”

This framework becomes especially important when we think about young people. Because youth are still developing and often depend on others for safety, belonging, and basic needs, they can be more vulnerable to manipulation or exploitation.

On the next slide, we’ll talk about the term used when situations like this involve someone under the age of 18, and how the law understands and responds to it.

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CSEC po’o le

COMMERCIAL SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF CHILDREN/FA’AMALOSIA O FANAU I FEUSUAIGA MO TUPE

Ole Fa’amalosia o Fanau i Feusuaiga mo Tupe po’o le Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC), o ni faiga e patino lava i fanau e i lalo mai ole 18 tausaga ole matua ma ua na fa’atinoina aga faafeusuaiga mo tupe, oloa, nofoaga, meaai, fualaau fa’asāina, po’o nisi lava tulaga e patino iai latou. O nei tulaga e masani ona tutupu ona ua fa’amalosia ai, fa’avaleaina, po’o ua leai lava se isi tulaga e mafai ona ausia e le tamaititi.

I lalo ole tulafono, e lē mafai ona malie se tamaititi ile fa’atinoina o feusuaiga mo se tupe. So’o se aga lava fa’apea e aofia ai se tamaititi, o lona uiga, ua fa’amalosia, tusa lava pe e le tugā ma iloa manino le fa’amalosia ole tamaititi. O tagata mātutua o lo’o galulue ma tamaiti, manaomia lava ona lipotia nei faiga ma atugaluga, ina ia mafai ai ona puipui le tamaititi ma saili ai auaunaga o lo’o moomia.

Christine

Now that we’ve talked about the spectrum of choice, circumstance, and coercion, this slide gives us the name for what it looks like when young people get pulled into that spectrum in a harmful way.

CSEC stands for Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children. It’s a specific form of sexual exploitation that involves someone under the age of 18.

It refers to situations where a young person is involved in sexual activity in exchange for money, goods, shelter, food, drugs, or other things of value. These situations often involve manipulation, pressure, or limited options for the young person.

What matters here is not just what happens, but the power and vulnerability involved. When someone is young and doesn’t have many safe options, these exchanges don’t happen on equal ground.

For example, if a teen feels they have to exchange sexual activity for a place to stay, to avoid being harmed, or to keep someone from abandoning them, that fits what we call CSEC. Not because the young person did something wrong, but because someone else is benefiting from their vulnerability.

Under the law, minors cannot consent to commercial sexual activity. That means any exchange of sexual activity for something of value involving a minor is considered exploitation, even if force or coercion isn’t obvious.

Because of this, adults who work with young people—like teachers, counselors, doctors, and therapists—are legally required to report concerns so that safety and support can be explored.

The key takeaway here is that CSEC is about vulnerability, lack of power, and being under 18—not about blaming or judging young people for their choices.

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TAMAITI LAITI vs TAGATA MĀTUTUA

ESEESE TULAFONO, FETEENAI FAIGA

E eseese le faiga o tamaiti ma tagata mātutua i lalo ole tulafono
Tele ina feteenai faiga fa’avae e fa’atatau ile puipuiga ma le tuuaia
Lalo ole 18 tausaga = E lē mafai ona malilie pe auai fa’aletulafono i faiga fa’afeusuaiga
Tele ina lē manino ma feteenai tali e maua mai i faiga fa’avae
Sui tausaga a le tagata ma sui ai tulaga fa’aletulafono, e le suia ai le tāua ole tagata

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Tagata e Fa’aaogāina Oe/Exploiters

O se tagata matua e avatua tupe ma meaalofa i se tamaititi mo faiga fa’afeusuaiga po’o ata telenoa, ua ta’ua ole:

“john” / “date” / “trick”

O se tagata na te fesootaia nei faiga ona o lae maua ai lana tupe po’o se penefiti, ua ta’ua ole:

“pimp” / “third-party exploiter”

CHAURI ;)

Let’s start by defining a few key terms.

In situations involving Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children, or CSEC, there are adults who play different roles in the exploitation of young people.

These adults are referred to as **exploiters**. Exploiters are individuals who take advantage of a young person’s vulnerability for their own benefit. Depending on the role they play, they may be known by different terms.

Understanding these roles helps us recognize how exploitation occurs and who is responsible.

*READ THE WORD

*READ #1

These individuals may be referred to as:

John

Date

Trick

These terms are commonly used to describe **the buyer**.

A **buyer** is an adult who provides money, gifts, shelter, substances, or other items of value in exchange for sexual acts with a minor. Buyers are active participants in the exploitation of youth and create the demand that drives commercial sexual exploitation.

Buyers may attempt to build trust, appear supportive, or present themselves as friendly before making requests. They may then ask for sexual photos, videos, or sexual acts in exchange for money, gifts, or other resources the young person may need.

It is important to recognize that when a minor is involved, this is **sexual exploitation**, regardless of how the interaction is framed.

*READ #2

Another role in exploitation is the **third-party exploiter**.

These individuals may be referred to as:

Pimp

Third-party exploiter

Trafficker

A third-party exploiter is someone who recruits, manipulates, pressures, or coerces a young person into commercial sexual exploitation for their own benefit. Their motivation is typically financial gain, but it may also involve power, control, or status.

These individuals may target young people who are experiencing vulnerabilities such as isolation, unmet needs, or lack of support. They often use manipulation, grooming, threats, or false promises to maintain control.

For example, someone a young person knows online or in person may pressure them to send sexual images or engage in sexual acts with other individuals. They may promise money, gifts, or opportunities, or they may claim the young person owes them a “debt” that must be repaid through sexual acts.

This is an example of **third-party exploitation**, because the individual is facilitating and profiting from the sexual exploitation of the young person.

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A’AMIGA

O se talavou ua fa’aaogāina e nisi, ona nofo lea ma fa’afesootai isi talavou inei tagata, ona o tulaga ole taufaamatau/taufaafefe, po’o mo se tupe, fulaau fa’asāina ua ta’ua ole:

“Bottom Girl”

O se talavou ua o’o i tulaga sa fa’aaogāina ai e nisi i aso ua mavae ma ua nofo nei ma le popole i tulaga ole lamatia o lona ola ma ua ala ai ona ia a’ami mai isi talavou ma avea ai loa ia o se tagata ua na fa’afesootaia nei tagata/tagata galue e a’ami mai isi tupulaga talavou

CHAURI ;)

Now that we’ve discussed the roles adults play in exploitation, it’s also important to understand how exploiters sometimes manipulate or pressure young people into roles within that system.

While the responsibility for exploitation always lies with the adults who create and maintain these systems, young people may sometimes be manipulated into roles within that system. These roles often result from coercion, trauma, and survival strategies rather than choice.

*READ #1

They may be referred to as:

Bottom girl

In some cases, a young person who is being exploited may be pressured, manipulated, or threatened by the exploiter to recruit or bring other youth to them.

This role is often referred to as a “bottom girl.” The exploiter may give this youth slightly more perceived status, responsibility, or access as a way to maintain control over others.

A young person in this position may recruit others out of fear, coercion, or as a survival strategy. Exploiters may also promise money, substances, protection, or approval in order to maintain that control.

It is important to recognize that this dynamic is the result of manipulation and coercion by the exploiter. The youth involved are still experiencing exploitation and are operating within a system of control.

*READ #2

In some situations, a young person who has previously experienced exploitation may later harm other youth by repeating behaviors that were modeled or forced upon them during their own exploitation.

This can occur when trauma is unresolved and survival behaviors developed during exploitation become normalized or internalized.

While these actions can cause harm to others, it is important to understand the broader context of trauma, manipulation, and conditioning that contributed to these behaviors.

This highlights the importance of trauma-informed responses, support services, and interventions that focus on healing and accountability rather than blame.

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O A FOLIGA O NEI TAGATA O FA’AAOGĀINA ISI/EXPLOITERS?

O sau pa’aga o lua fa’auo
O se sui mai lou aiga/tausi fanau
O se tagata o lo’o ofoina atu galuega e avea ai ma: modeling/dancing/acting
Se tagata ese i luga o tafailagi po’o totonu o pitonuu

It can be anyone

Christine

Building on the previous slide, it’s important to remember that exploiters can be anyone, and they don’t always look the way people expect.

Sometimes exploitation can come from someone who appears trustworthy or familiar. It might be a romantic partner who uses affection or attention to build trust and then begins to pressure or manipulate a young person.

In other cases, it could be a family member or caregiver, or someone who presents what seems like a legitimate opportunity—such as a job in modeling, dancing, acting, or another type of work.

It can also happen through strangers, especially online or out in the community, where someone may slowly build a relationship before asking for something in return.

The key takeaway for parents is that exploitation often begins with relationship-building and trust, which is why open communication and supportive relationships with young people are such important protective factors.

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A’AMIGA O TUPULAGA

Nofoaga patino mo pitonuu
Totonu o pitonuu
Fale tausi mo talavou ua fa’anofoesea
I luga o Tafailagi
Totonu o A’oga

Christine

This slide highlights where peer recruitment can sometimes happen.

Peer recruitment refers to situations where a young person who is already involved in exploitation introduces another youth to the same situation. Sometimes this happens because they are being pressured or controlled themselves, or because they’ve been promised something in return.

These introductions can happen in everyday places where young people spend time—like neighborhoods, schools, foster homes, community spaces, or online through social media.

What’s important for parents to know is that these situations often start with friendships or social connections, not with obvious warning signs. That’s why supportive relationships, open conversations, and awareness of young people’s social environments—both in person and online—can make a big difference in helping keep them safe.

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Galue i Ala tele
I luga ole Initaneti
Fa’aaogā e Aiga
Siva Telenoa
Auaunaga mo Isi
Patī Tumaoti

O a foliga vaaia ole CSEC/Fa’amalosia o Fanau i Feusuaiga mo Tupe/Totogi

Talu mai le 2015

ova ma le 50% o feiloaiga, ma tagata e fa’aaogāina isi, o luga lava o tafailagi

Jules

So as we can see from Christine's explanation of who an exploiter can be, CSEC can look many different ways.

So there's street work, which often means a young person is meeting strangers in-person in the community.

internet-based exploitation:

This can be buying/selling photos or videos on social media, or online soliciting of in-person sex.

Family exploitation: This is when a parent or caregiver facilitates and profits from sex work done by a child/teen in the home

Stripping

Escort services

Private parties

Circling back to internet-based exploitation. This has become more and more common, and because, depending on the situation, it might not involve a third-party exploiter, it can be difficult to understand it as part of the same of the same phenomenon. We want to make sure that youth who experience internet-based CSEC also receive that necessary support.

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E FA’AFEFEA ONA TUPU LE CSEC?

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Ona e le o ausia e tagata tulaga moomia

saogalemu, nofoaga, meaai, tupe, ma fa’alagona ole tausiga

A lē atoa tulaga nei, e fa’atino lava e tagata so’o se tulaga ina ia ola ai
Tulaga O’otia, te’ena, po’o le lē mautonu, e avea ai ia tulaga ma filifiliga e tatau ai

Aisea e lamatia ai na’o isi?

Yaneli

“Something that’s important for caregivers to understand is that all young people have basic needs—things like safety, food, stable housing, financial stability, and caring, supportive relationships. These aren’t extras; they’re fundamental.

When those needs aren’t being met, young people may go into what we often call survival mode. In survival mode, decisions are often about getting through the moment or meeting an immediate need.

Unfortunately, individuals who exploit youth understand this. They often look for unmet needs or vulnerabilities and try to take advantage of them. It’s important to recognize that this isn’t about a young person being weak or making bad choices—it’s about someone intentionally exploiting a need.

For some youth, situations connected to commercial sexual exploitation can initially appear to meet immediate needs, such as safety, shelter, money, or belonging. That’s why it’s so important that we approach this issue with understanding and support, rather than blame.

The key takeaway for caregivers is that all young people have needs, and when those needs aren’t fully met, it can create vulnerabilities that others may try to exploit. By staying connected, supportive, and informed, caregivers play a critical role in helping young people stay safe.”

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O’otia & Tala Fa’asolopito

Sauāina/Tuulafoai

Luitau ile soifua fa’alemafaufau

Sauāga Fa’aleuo

Soifuaga Atoa a le tamaititi ma a’afiaga

A’afiaga i fa’amasinoga mo Talavou

Lagolago & Si’osi’omaga

Leai se lagolago/nofo vaavaaia

Lē mautu nofoaga

Mativa/lē ausia manaoga fa’alesoifua

Fualaau fa’asāina/fa’aaogā

A’afia i luga o tafailagi

Fa’asinomaga & Fa’asinotonu

Talavou o Aganuu ese
Talavou e tupuaga mai Aferika i Amerika
Talavou Femalaga’ai
Talavou o iai vaivaiga fa’alemafaufau
Talavou LGBTQ

VAIVAIGA

“What’s really important about this training is understanding trauma and how it can impact young people. When we talk about exploitation, we’re not just talking about a single event—we’re often talking about a history of experiences that can make youth more vulnerable.

Many young people who are exploited have experienced early trauma or disruptions in attachment, such as abuse, neglect, instability, or inconsistent caregiving. Sometimes youth can clearly identify these experiences, and sometimes they can’t—but the effects are still there.

Early trauma can actually shape how the nervous system develops. A young person’s body may learn how to survive stressful or unsafe environments before it ever learns what consistent safety feels like. Because of that, some behaviors we see in youth are really survival responses, not simply “bad behavior.”

It’s also important to recognize that vulnerability isn’t only about individual experiences. Environmental and systemic factors can also increase risk. Things like a lack of supportive adults, housing instability, poverty, substance use in the home or community, and even what youth are exposed to online can all play a role.

Another factor we think about is identity and marginalization. Some young people face additional barriers because of discrimination, limited employment opportunities, or being rejected by family or community. For example, LGBTQ+ youth—especially transgender youth—are sometimes kicked out of their homes or run away because they don’t feel accepted. In some cases, they may engage in survival strategies, including trading sex, to meet basic needs like housing or even gender-affirming care.

Understanding these layers helps us approach youth with compassion instead of judgment. When we recognize trauma and the broader factors affecting young people, we’re better able to **support them, respond to warning signs, and create safer environments for them to grow and heal.”

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Mautu Nofoaga
Maua manaoga moomia pei o (meaai, lavalava, tulaga vaaia, ma isi lava)
Maua tulaga tau falemai & lagolago mo le soifua manuia fa’alemafaufau
Maua le Galuega
Maua le taavale
Maua le CA ID/laisene ave taavale/ma isi ID
Toaga ile a’oga
Felagolagomai ma isi talavou

Tulaga e Te’ena Ai

Gaioiga fa’alauaitele e tatau ai
Malamalama i tulaga fa’aletamaoaiga
Fai ma fa’ata’itaiga ole saogalemu/mafutaga manuia toe sologa lelei
Mafuta lelei ma tagata mātutua o lagolagoina ma sapaia taumafaiga uma
Fa’amoemoeina
Iloa le pogai o mea uma ma lona mafuaaga
Iloa tausi le va/fa’amoemoe ina ia fa’aaloalogia

Yaneli

“After talking about vulnerabilities, it’s just as important to focus on **resiliency factors**—the things that help protect young people and reduce risk.

As you can see on this slide, many of these factors are about **stability, support, and opportunity**. Things like **stable housing**, **reliable access to basic needs**, and **access to medical and mental health care** help create a strong foundation for young people.

Practical resources also matter—such as **employment opportunities, transportation, and having identification like a California ID or driver’s license**. These things help youth access school, jobs, and other important services.

We also highlight the importance of **regular school attendance**, **prosocial activities**, and **financial literacy**, which can help youth build life skills and positive connections.

Another key protective factor is **relationships**—having a **strong support network of peers** and **multiple caring, supportive adults** they can trust. These relationships help young people develop **self-esteem, a sense of belonging and purpose**, and learn what **healthy, safe relationships** look like.

And finally, helping youth develop the **ability to set boundaries—and trust that those boundaries will be respected—is incredibly important for their safety and wellbeing.

Overall, when young people have these supports and opportunities around them, it helps build resilience and significantly reduces vulnerability.”

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Feusuai ia Ola

A’amiga i luga o tafailagi/ Fa’aaogāina i luga ole Initaneti

A’ami e isi Talavou isi Talavou

Sootaga a faigauo ma mafutaga

Fa’aaogā e le Aiga

Fa’asalalauga pepelo mo avanoa nei “modeling”/ “acting”/“dancing”.

Fa’aaogā fa’avaega/fai kegi(gang)

Sauāina, fa’amalosia, taufa’afefe

ALA FESOASOANI

Jules

Pathways is how we talk about how youth find themselves in situations where they experience exploitation. It can happen through different pathways, and often it starts with unmet needs or someone taking advantage of trust.

One pathway is survival sex — when someone exchanges sex to meet basic needs like food, shelter, money, or safety. A common way this happens is if a young person is unhoused, maybe sleeping outside, and a stranger offers a bed for the night in exchange for sex.

Another pathway is online solicitation or internet-based exploitation. Socially isolated youth are particularly vulnerable to this. Someone may reach out to a young person, through social media or gaming apps, and slowly building trust before crossing boundaries.

Peer-to-peer recruitment - like Christine explained earlier, this can happen when another young person — who may already be experiencing exploitation — is pressured or manipulated into recruiting other youth.

One of the most common pathways romantic connections or affection. This can look like offering love or attention, and then using that relationship to gain control. It's sometimes framed to a young person as "if you really love me, you would do this for me."

Familial exploitation can occur when a caregiver or family member is involved as a third-party exploiter, which can make it especially confusing and hard to recognize or reach out for help. Another dynamic we see is an older sibling who is being exploited then acting as a recruiter, resulting in a younger sibling being exploited as well.

There is also gang-based exploitation which is when a gang might target younger people because of the perception that they're less likely to be suspected by law enforcement, and if caught, they face lighter sentences than adults. The aim is to increase profits while keeping the risk of detection for older gang members to a minimum.

Another common pathway is through targeted false advertising, like fake offers for modeling, acting, dancing, or other opportunities that then become exploitative.

Violence, force, or threats: where a young person engages in commercial sex out of fear of being hurt or punished. One thing we want to clarify here is that, in general, we're not talking about someone getting kidnapped by a stranger like in the movies. Violence, force, and threats is a pathway that usually strengthens or works alongside other pathways. So it could also be familial exploitation, or gang-based exploitation, for example. And with all of these categories, they're not fixed or solid, they can overlap and more than one can be happening at once.

What’s important to understand is that these situations are about manipulation, control, and using a youth's unmet needs against them.

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Aisea e nofo ai pea le tagata i nei tulaga?

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E iai taimi e lagona ai le fia nofo ina ia ausia ai manaoga fa’avae pei o (nofoaga, meaai, tulaga vaaia, ma isi lava.)

Totogo fa’alagona ole leai o se isi mea e alu ai.

Manaoga Fa’avae

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Ole auala lea mai le mafaufau ina ia manino ai ma maua ai se fa’amalamalamaga o ia tulaga, e ui ina taufaafefe ma taufaamatau

Sootaga /o tulaga ua ausia ile va a lē o lo’o afaina ma le tagata o lo’o faia tulaga nei

Sootaga ona ua O’otia

Fai ma alo(excuses)
Pei e fefe i taimi uma
Avea ma Matafaioi

Fa’ailo o Sootaga mai tulaga O’otia:

Jules

A trauma bond is a deep bond or attachment that forms between a person and someone who is hurting them.

It can happen when someone who we should be able to rely on to be kind and safe—like a friend, a partner, or even a parent—is sometimes very mean and then suddenly very nice again.

Our brains are wired to try to help us get through hard experiences. When things are scary, the brain clings to any "small kindness" (like a gift or an apology) because it wants to believe the scary part is over.

It’s our brain’s way of trying to make things feel better, but when we zoom out, that's really not a healthy way to feel loved.

Trauma bonding can look lots of different ways, but oftentimes it can be:

Making Excuses: A young person saying, "They only did that because they had a bad day," even when it happens a lot.

Walking on Eggshells: Feeling like they have to be "perfect" so the other person doesn't get mad.

Feeling Responsible: Thinking it's their job to make the other person happy or "save" them.

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Ole a sau mea e mafai ona fai?

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Tu ma Aga

Suiga i tu ma aga

Fa’ateteleina le fa’alilolilo

Sola Ese

Tiai A’oga

Tele na mafuta ma isi tagata mātutua

Fa’ateteleina le lē mautu o lagona

Nofo Puipuia

Fa’aletino

Maua oloa taugata

ex: lavalava, mea teteu, filifili auro ma uati

Tele le tupe aunoa ma se fa’amatalaga

Fa’ailo ua puletu i faigauo ma mafutaga

fa’aletino & fa’alagona

FA’AILO E ILOA AI TULAGA NEI

Chauri ;)

First lets start with identification factors

When we talk about CSEC identification factors, we are referring to warning signs that MAY indicate a youth is being commercially sexually exploited. These signs do not always confirm exploitation, but they can signal that a young person may need additional support and attention.

Some behavioral indicators may include sudden changes in behavior, increased secrecy, frequent running away, chronic absence, or spending time with significantly older individuals. Youth who are being exploited may suddenly show signs of fear, anxiety, depression, or become unusually guarded about their activities or relationships.

There can also be physical or situational indicators. For example, a youth may suddenly have expensive items like phones, clothing, or jewelry that they cannot explain. They may also have large amounts of cash, or multiple cell phones.

In some cases, adults may notice signs of control by another person—such as someone speaking for the youth, closely monitoring them, or limiting their ability to communicate independently.

Teenagers are very intent on having privacy & independence. The goal is not to suppress or take this away from them, but rather provide support to increase their resilience and maintain open communication.

To conclude, these signs do not always confirm exploitation, but they can signal that a young person may need additional support and attention.

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Fesili iai:

Tatala le mafaufau ma ia sogasogā!
Fa’atāua o latou atugaluga ma aua le fa’amasinoina a latou manatu ma fa’alagona.

Vaevae lelei:

Aua nei tasi se talanoaga telē, ae vaevae i talanoaga pupuu i aso uma tulaga ole saogalemu ma le malu puipuia

FA’ATALANOA!

Ata fa’asolo, ata tifaga, ma upega tafailagi o nisi nei o ala e mafai ai ona fa’afaigofie le talanoaga!

“Have you heard of this happening before?”

“What would you do in that situation?”

Jules

Ask questions:

Asking questions about their day, about their friends, how they feel about different things going on. Staying open-minded and curious!

Take their concerns seriously and avoid judging their insights and feelings.

Break it down:

For a lot of parents, it can seem overwhelming or intimidating to figure out how to have a conversation with their kid about big topics or uncomfortable topics, especially when they might relate to sex, relationships, or abuse. And depending on the kid, these conversations can be intimidating for them too. If this works for your family, then great,

It might be worth considering breaking up those topics, incorporating them into everyday conversation. This can be a great way to open communication about subjects that might seem embarrassing or uncomfortable.

One way to do this is with media, if there's a show or movie you watch together, just letting that prompt the conversation for you. Asking questions like

“Have you heard of this happening before?” or

“What do you think you'd you do in that situation?”

can be a great start.

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Mo le Malu Puipuia & le Saogalemu o Tupulaga Talavou

Ia iloa lelei ala fesoasoani ma fa’ailo mo le CSEC/Fa’amlosia o Talavou i Galuega Fa’afeusuaiga

Toaga e fautua ma lagolago i talavou

Ia fa’apena foi ona e malu puipuia ma saogalemu

E lē na’o oe – a fa’ailoga fesili, a’apa mai mo se fesoasoani e lagolagoina ai oe!

Jules

So, zooming out, let's talk about how we can keep youth in our care safe and supported.

First, through understanding CSEC pathways and warning signs, we're able to be observant and ask the right questions. So everyone watching this presentation can check that off!

Then we have encouraging and supporting youth autonomy. There's two parts of this I want to outline. First, from of the resilience factors that Yaneli explained out earlier, we know that ensuring youth are able to develop social support networks among their peers, safe ways to earn their own money, and access to safe transportation are all things that build youth resilience through a sense of autonomy. The second part I want to outline here is encouraging parents to encourage youth to set and maintain their boundaries and to respect others boundaries.

Another thing we want to outline is the importance of taking care of yourself as a parent. A parent’s well-being is critical to ensuring you can be there to support your child. Keeping yourself safe and healthy really reduces youth vulnerability. It's essential to show up for youth in your care in the best possible way.

And so, just remembering that, parenting is hard, parenting teenagers can be really hard, and you're not alone. Even if there aren't family or friends that can fill the role of supportive and trusted adults in your child's life, there are community organizations that are ready to help.

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HART

Huckleberry House (shelter)

HYPE Center (drop-in center)

Youth Crisis Line

Safe & Sound TALK line

Punaoa mo le Lagolagoina

415-264-7620

415-621-2929

415-525-4438

988

415‑441‑5437

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FA’AFETAI TELE

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FESILI / MANATU