CSEC

CSEC meaning Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children occurs every day in the Monterey community. The exploitation of minors is an abhorrent crime taking advantage of vulnerable children. On this page, we will explore how it starts and how to spot the sexual trafficking of children. Together we can help.

Recognizing CSEC

It can be difficult to identify as many of the red flags overlap with child abuse. As an adult, we have a moral obligation to help children escape abuse in every form. Children get groomed to accept abuse and will need the help of trusted adults. This infographic can help you identify when a minor is trafficked and the steps to take to get them help.

Statistics show that 65% CSEC youth are contacted through Facebook.

Social media is accessible to everyone with a smartphone or computer which gives traffickers unfettered access to groom minors.

What does “grooming” mean?

Grooming is a method where a trafficker or abuser involves building trust with a child preparing them for sexual activity.

CSEC Targeting

Traffickers target minors with noticeable vulnerabilities like low self-worth, economic stress, or emotional neediness. Victims of abuse are especially vulnerable. They will groom children by offering emotional support, financial support, gifts, supplying alcohol or drugs. Emotional support gains the trust of the victim in order to begin spending time alone with the offender. Traffickers will work to become trusted confidants in order to separate them from their family and friends. In some cases, they will gain the trust of the family members in order to get access to the child.

Becoming Indebted

Having accepted the gifts that were given to establish trust, the child becomes enslaved to the trafficker. They will then use these gifts to establish that the minor owes them, that they are in debt to the Trafficker. This is where grooming shifts to CSEC.

As the Trafficker begins their claim to debt, they demand repayment. These kids cannot repay the cost of rides, mobile phones, cigarettes, or alcohol. The Trafficker will suggest sexual acts as a form of repayment.

Threats and Intimidation

Once CSEC begins, the trafficker will use threats and intimidation to keep it a secret. They will use the child’s loved ones as blackmail with terrible threats of violence or even threatening to expose the child’s sexual activity.