Los Angeles County is one of the highest intensity child exploitation areas in the country. Human trafficking is happening everywhere in our communities and does not discriminate against ethnicity, gender, and age, nor does it take into consideration immigration or socioeconomic status. That’s why we’re excited to launch the “Know to Say No”, a campaign that empowers the community through education, awareness, and action. We want you to be informed about the recruitment methods used by exploiters to lure children into human trafficking and the signs that someone may be a victim. By understanding these warning signs, you can take action to help protect vulnerable children and youth in our community.

In 2012, Los Angeles County was identified as a major hub for the commercial sexual exploitation of children. Adult traffickers were preying upon children, some as young as 10 years old, and forcing them to sell their bodies for money in our local streets night after night. As a result of a history of abuse and neglect prior to their exploitation, many of these children have been involved in the County’s child welfare system.

Despite being victims of exploitation, these children were routinely criminalized for behavior they were force­fully manipulated into by their exploiters. The County’s child-serving agencies, as well as law enforcement, were brought together to create a countywide response and train staff to identify and better serve child victims of sexual exploitation.

With the Los Angeles County Law Enforcement First Responder Protocol for Commercially Sexually Exploited Chil­dren, we have created a system in which law enforcement officers can identify victims of sexual exploitation and work collaboratively with County agencies and community-based organizations to avoid arrest, keep them safe and provide them with the services they need to escape exploitation. Identifying and engaging youth at this first point of contact will help keep victims of extreme sexual abuse from being criminalized. Together with law enforcement and our non-profit partners, Los Angeles County stands united in saying: “Our children are not for sale.”