Document Type
Portfolio
Publication Date
Fall 2025
Abstract
Goal Statement: Preventing at-risk youth, adolescents, and teenagers from human trafficking victimization.
Significant Findings:Duval County faces the ongoing public health issue of human trafficking at-risk youth. At risk youth can be identified based on risk and protective factors identified through the social-ecological model. Individual risk factors may include child maltreatment, sexual abuse, and exposure to antisocial behaviors throughout childhood. Children with increased exposure to child abuse and maltreatment will escape their homes and engage in endangering behaviors with peers and adults exhibiting antisocial and coercive behaviors. Institutional, Community and Public Policy in Duval County has made advances in treating youth trafficking victims; however, barriers continue to emerge. Child victims of human trafficking receive treatment after victimization is inflicted, therefore, prevention interventions are to be implemented to decrease child abuse and maltreatment within the family system. Promoting prevention of human trafficking victimization with research-based family child maltreatment prevention programs and adolescent social skills training can increase proactive behaviors and improve social skills to identify behaviors of coercion, reducing risk of human trafficking victimization.
Objectives/Strategies/Interventions/Next Steps: Increasing at-risk youth’s awareness of coercive behaviors utilizing Social Skills Training with the TPB Model. Educating families about child development and parenting strategies through Preventive Child Maltreatment Programs. Enforcing human trafficking training and prevention interventions to institutional personnel. Promoting public awareness of human trafficking in Duval County through community outreaches and public organizations. Passing strict public policies to identify and apprehend traffickers through technological platforms.
