www.restoreonelife.org
RESTOREONE
Of the 222 institutions and programs receiving funding for domestic and international anti-trafficking
programs in 2009, only two programs were committed to combatting trafficking of men and boys
(Jones, 2010).
Rather than being viewed as victims or survivors like sex trafficked girls, boys are often
perceived as homosexual, deviant, promiscuous, exploiters, pimps, hustlers, buyers, and willing
participants in “sex work”
(Friedman, 2013; Jones, 2010; Rivers & Saewyc, 2012).
The 2008 National Institute for Justice noted the lack of investigative and prosecutorial efforts on
behalf of sex trafficked men and boys.
More than 50% of child pornography in the U.S. includes boys rather than girls
(UNICEF, 2001, as cited in Jones, 2010).
Curtis et al. (2008) estimate that as high as 50% of sex trafficked children in the U.S. are boys.
Seawyc, MacKay, Dorzda, and Anderson (2008) found that of 762 street-involved adolescents in
Canada, one in three boys and girls traded sex for money, drugs, shelter, or food.
Boys in treatment for sexual abuse receive less clinical attention than girls with sexual abuse
histories (Douglas, Coghill, & Will, 1996) while adult males’ disclosure of CSA to psychotherapists are
often met with insensitivity and a lack of empathy
(Alaggia & Millington, 2008; Tickner, 2014).
BRAIN
Psychologically –While removed from the trafficking situation, once rescued they are haunted
by their past. Sexually trafficked children experience a magnitude of struggles, ranging from
anxiety, depression, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, suicide ideation and others.
HEART
Safe people are a new concept for children who’ve been trafficked. Prior to their trafficking
abuse, family members, friends and peers took advantage of their vulnerabilities through
sexual abuse and maltreatment.
HANDS
Everyday they are sold for sex, never making a penny and under the control of dangerous
pimps; trafficked children have no preface for what a safe job is and lack the education to
know different. Most children dropped out of school, or are behind from when they were
being trafficked.
FEET
Trafficking violates one’s soul at the core; it is one of the most incriminatory assaults
on one’s spiritual wellbeing. Traffickers use religion and cult abuse to threaten their
victims to obey and stay, thus many survivors avoid from partaking in spiritual
activities.