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CSEC 101:

SUPPORTING YOUTH SAFETY & WELLBEING

Presented by:

Huckleberry Advocacy & Response Team (HART)

A WEBINAR FOR PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS OF SFUSD

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FOR LIVE TRANSLATIONS:

PLEASE DIAL THE APPROPRIATE NUMBER

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

MEET THE HART TEAM

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TODAY’S GOALS

Learn about HART

Know what CSEC is

Learn how CSEC happens

Decrease Vulnerabilities

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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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HART’S MISSION

To create a safe space where youth are provided options in a nonjudgmental way in the hopes that they can lead the lives they desire and heal in the ways they define for themselves.

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HART SERVICES

24 hour Rapid response

Case Management

Prevention Education

Pro-Social Activities

Case Consultation

&

Training

Therapy/Counseling

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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Self-referral
Referral from another provider/ trusted adult (with youth consent)

Youth (11-24) who are:

currently experiencing sexual exploitation
survivors of sexual exploitation
at high risk of exploitation

How?

Who?

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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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WHAT IS 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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SEX WORK

Sex work is a term used for situations where someone earns money by creating sexual content, sexualized performances, or sexual services. People enter for different reasons, and it is not always a choice—sometimes it involves exploitation.

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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Choice

Circumstance

Coercion

Fully consenting to the work
Can leave for other employment but chooses to stay for various reasons

Consenting to work in the sex trade but would prefer other work
Potential barriers: finances, legal status, housing stability
Sometimes called survival sex

Not consenting to work
About power & control

threats, intimidation, isolation, abuse
target children/ youth/other vulnerable groups

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

COMMERCIAL SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF CHILDREN

Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC) is a specific form of sexual exploitation that occurs when someone under the age of 18 engages 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.

Under the law, minors cannot consent to commercial sexual activity. Any exchange of sexual activity for something of value involving a minor is automatically considered exploitation, even if force or coercion is not obvious. Adults who work with youth are required to report concerns so that safety and support can be explored.

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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MINORS VS ADULTS

DIFFERENT RULES, CONFUSING SYSTEM

Minors and adults are treated differently under the law
Systems can send mixed messages about protection and accountability
Under 18 = cannot legally consent to commercial sexual activity
Responses from systems may feel inconsistent or unclear
Age changes the legal response — not a young person’s worth

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EXPLOITER

An adult who gives money or gifts to a minor in exchange for sexual acts or sexual pictures.

“john” / “date” / “trick”

A person who helps make that exchange, and benefits financially from it

“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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RECRUITER

A youth currently experiencing exploitation who introduces other youth to their third-party exploiter, under threat of violence or in exchange for money, drugs, or approval from that exploiter.

“Bottom Girl”

A youth who experienced exploitation in the past and reproduces the harm that they experienced by acting as a third-party exploiter to other more vulnerable youth.

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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WHAT CAN EXPLOITERS LOOK LIKE?

A romantic partner
A family member/caregiver
Someone pitching a business opportunity or a job in modeling/dancing/acting
A stranger online or out in the community

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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PEER RECRUITMENT

Community Spaces
Neighborhoods
Foster homes
Social media
Schools

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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Street work
Internet-based
Family Exploitation
Stripping
Escort Services
Private Parties

WHAT CAN CSEC LOOK LIKE?

Since 2015

over 50% have met their exploiter online

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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HOW DOES CSEC HAPPEN?

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People’s needs aren’t being met

safety, housing, food, money, and feeling cared for

When those things are missing, people do what they can to survive
Trauma, rejection, or instability can make some choices feel like the only option

WHY ARE SOME MORE AT RISK?

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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Trauma & History

Abuse /Neglect

Mental Health challenges

Relationship violence

Child Welfare involvement

Juvenile Justice involvement

Support & Environment

Lack of support system / supervision

Housing instability

Poverty / unmet basic needs

Substance use / exposure

Media Consumption

Identity & Marginalization

Indigenous youth
African American youth
Migrant Minors
Youth w/ intellectual disabilities
LGBTQ+ youth

VULNERABILITIES

“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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Stable housing
Reliable access to basic needs (food, clothes, hygiene, etc.)
Access to medical care & mental health support
Employment
Access to transportation
CA ID/Driver’s license/other ID
Regular school attendance
Social support network with other youth

RESILIENCY FACTORS

Prosocial activities
Financial literacy
Models for safe / healthy relationships
Trusting relationships with multiple caring/supportive adults
Self-esteem
Sense of belonging / purpose
Ability to set boundaries / trust that they will be respected

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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Survival Sex

Online Solicitation / Internet Based Exploitation

Peer to Peer Recruitment

Romantic connection/affection

Familial Exploitation

False advertising for “modeling”/ “acting”/“dancing” opportunities

Gang-based exploitation

Violence, force, threats

PATHWAYS

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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WHY WOULD SOMEONE STAY?

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Can feel like staying is the only way to meet basic needs (housing, food, hygiene, etc.)

Can feel like they have nowhere else to go

BASIC NEEDS

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The brain’s way of making sense of a confusing and scary situation

Bond / attachment that forms between a person and someone who is hurting them

TRAUMA BONDING

Making excuses
Walking on eggshells
Feeling Responsible

SIGNS OF TRAUMA BONDING:

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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WHAT YOU CAN DO

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Behavioral

Changes in behavior

Increased secrecy

Running away

Chronic absence

Spending time with older individuals

Increased emotional distress

Guarded

Physical

Sudden access to expensive items

ex: clothing, jewelry

Large amounts of cash or unexplained income

Signs of a controlling relationship

physical & emotional

IDENTIFICATION FACTORS

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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Ask questions:

Be open-minded and curious!
Take their concerns seriously and avoid judging their insights and feelings.

Break it down:

Instead of having one big conversation about risk and safety, bring important messages into everyday conversation

Talk about it!

Shows, movies, and social media can be opportunities for important conversations!

“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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Keeping Youth Safe and Supported

Understand CSEC pathways & warning signs

Encourage and support youth autonomy

Keep yourself safe, healthy, and supported

You’re not alone – when in doubt, reach out for more support!

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

Resources 4 Support

415-264-7620

415-621-2929

415-525-4438

988

415‑441‑5437

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THANK YOU

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QUESTIONS / THOUGHTS