Considerations of Vulnerabilities to being Sex Trafficked

Immigrants/Refugee students:

• May not understand the complexities of the sexualization of women because it looks different in different cultures, and it is a concept that is complicated by American media.
• May enter the country with a lack of basic resources.
• May lack understanding of American social norms, especially the ones that keep one safe.
• May experience isolation from other peers due to cultural or language differences.
• May have an inability to express an unwillingness to do certain things or express that they are
  uncomfortable.
• May struggle with their adjustment to a new school, neighborhood, community, country, which it
  difficult to fit in.
• May have past trauma due to coming from war-torn countries or experiences in refugee camps.
• May feel extra peer pressure to fit in and might do whatever it takes to find their place.
• May have parents that do not know English and are therefore unable to find employment, which
  might put the student in a position where they may become the primary bread winner – and may
  feel they should do anything to bring home money.
• May have a lack of transportation which could place them in recruiting grounds, such as bus stops,
  train stations, and subways.
• May have come into the country with debt (i.e. plane tickets, moving costs, etc.) that needs to be
  paid off and a student may feel they should do anything to pay that off.
• May get confused by various cultural boundaries of ‘touch’.
• May not have an authorized work-permit and may do work under the table.
• May face possible threats of deportation or “calling the authorities” if they don’t comply with
  certain things.
• May have parents that do not understand some/all of the above about the American culture and
  keeping their child safe.