As parents, we want our children to be safe and protected from any harm, but we live in a dangerous world that threatens our kids at every corner. So, how do you protect them from traffickers who want to prey on the weak and rob us of our children? Here are several practical things you can do and be aware of when protecting your children:

· Educate yourself. UNICEF believes that around 1.2 million children are trafficked each year. (UNICEF, 2006)

· Understand runaway outcomes. A 2002 study indicated that 90% of runaways end up in the commercial sex industry. (Shared Hope International)

· Traffickers look for victims who:

o Are impoverished (hungry, poor, in debt)

o Have just lost a parent

o Have lost everything due to a natural disaster

o Are looking for security, love and protection

· Traffickers will tell lies to snare your children and many can and will contact your children:

o In person

o Via the Internet

o Through a “friend”

· Traffickers don’t have to know your children to take them; many can and will see children alone walking down the streets/sidewalks and will kidnap them.

· Know who your children are spending time with and what they are looking at on the Internet.

· Talk to your children about predators and some of the tactics they will try to ensnare them.

· If your children have to take the city bus, set up regular times they will call you to let you know they arrived at their location. If possible, have them pair up with a friend. They are less vulnerable in numbers.

· Keep your children close after the loss of a loved one or after a natural disaster. Talk with them and get them trauma counseling, if needed. This can make a difference.

Stay involved in your children’s lives and provide them with the protection they need. Make no mistake – traffickers are constantly seeking out new victims and will take advantage of anything they perceive as a weakness in order to obtain another source of income.