Let’s Talk Runaway Prevention
This training, presented by Nathan LaChine in partnership with 1-800-RUNAWAY, provides a deep dive into the critical intersection of runaway behavior and the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC). Designed for caregivers and child welfare professionals, the session moves beyond addressing the act of running away to explore the systemic and individual vulnerabilities that lead youth toward exploitation.
Participants will examine the harsh realities facing missing youth, noting that in 2019 alone, 1 in 6 runaways was likely commercially sexually exploited. The training emphasizes a shift in perspective, moving away from viewing these individuals as “bad kids” and toward recognizing them as survivors of a “twisted machine” that targets the vulnerable.
Learning Objectives
- Analyze the Runaway-CSEC Link: Understand the data behind missing youth, including the fact that 60% of child sex trafficking victims have a history in the child welfare system.
- Identify Multi-Layered Risk Factors: Explore how individual traits (poverty, abuse history), environmental conditions (presence of the sex industry), and social issues (racism, homophobia, and transphobia) create pathways to victimization.
- Recognize Pathways of Entry: Learn the tactics used by exploiters, including peer recruitment, internet/social media grooming, and the exploitation of youth seeking funds for basic needs or gender-affirming medical care.
- Detect Early Warning Signs: Gain practical skills to identify red flags such as frequent AWOLs, new tattoos on visible parts of the body, unexplained belongings, or a notable change in status.
- Foster Resilience and Support: Identify key protective factors, including the importance of a supportive relationship with at least one adult and educational completion as a means to prevent exploitation from extending into adulthood.
- Master Mandated Reporting: Clarify the legal obligations for reporting known or suspected involvement in child sexual exploitation to Child Protective Services.
The Science of Vulnerability
The course explores “Survival Sex,” where youth trade sex for basic tangible needs like food, clothing, and shelter, or intangible needs like attention and affirmation.
Impact Assessment
Participants will review the spiritual, emotional, social, and physical impacts of CSEC, ranging from PTSD and hypervigilance to serious physical injuries and neurobiological trauma.
Reframing through Language
The session challenges participants to replace stigmatizing societal views of “prostitutes” with trauma-informed language that recognizes youth as brave, resilient survivors who deserve protection.
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