22 cases of child trafficking confirmed last year as state says many go unreported
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- It may be difficult to see, but the Colorado Department of Human Services says child sex and labor trafficking is happening in the state and is significantly underreported.
As school picks back up all across Southern Colorado, DHS wants to educate the public about what to look for and how to report it.
The state says there were 22 child trafficking cases they were aware of last year, but experts believe a majority go unreported. Yolanda Arredondo with the Colorado Department of Human Services says most cases go unreported because it's harder to detect than other forms of child abuse.
"When people think about child abuse or neglect, they think about physical abuse. They think about a child or youth not having the resources necessary for their safety and well-being," said Arredondo. "They're not always thinking about the other forms of exploitation that may be occurring with child sex trafficking or child labor trafficking.”
Arredondo says the most common form of child trafficking is through debt bondage and forced labor.
“We've seen issues say in the metro area with magazine sales," said Arredondo. "They're forced into magazine sales and have to go door to door. We often see youth and children trafficked in the agricultural area as well."
According to CDHS, high-risk indicators that a child may be involved in trafficking can include a child possessing large amounts of money, a cell phone or other material items that cannot be explained or accounted for, a child being accompanied by a controlling family member or friend, or child posting sexually explicit material online.
“A child or youth may not see the experience that they have as a form of child abuse because it's some trusted adult, even if it's a third-party stranger to the child or youth,” said Arredondo.
If you suspect someone you know may be a victim of child trafficking the state has a 24-hour hotline (844-CO-4-Kids). If you believe a child is in immediate danger - call 9-1-1.
