Christa Wiens joins Dr. Sandie Morgan as they explore why the answer to online exploitation isn't the perfect parental control — it's helping young people recognize manipulation, build critical thinking skills, and know who they can safely turn to when something feels off.

About Christa Wiens

Christa Wiens is the Executive Director of the Central Valley Justice Coalition, a California-based nonprofit focused on preventing human trafficking through education, outreach, and community collaboration. She has spent over a decade in the anti-trafficking field, beginning her career with the Justice Coalition as an Education Coordinator, where she developed and delivered training programs that reached thousands of youth and adults across the Central Valley. She stepped into the Executive Director role in 2022 and has continued to expand the organization's reach and impact.

Christa is the author of the Understanding Human Trafficking series and has contributed to multiple publications on trafficking awareness and prevention. Her work frequently intersects with faith communities, education systems, and local stakeholders, where she advocates for proactive, trauma-informed approaches and stronger preventive frameworks. She holds a Master of Arts in Ministry, Leadership, and Culture from Fresno Pacific Biblical Seminary.

Chapters

Key Points

• Traffickers have adopted the exact same cross-platform influencer model that legitimate brands use — and parents who don't recognize it are missing how exploitation actually operates online.

• Looking for the "right app" or "right setting" to protect kids is chasing the wind; what's actually needed are better relational tools for conversation, not better technical controls.

• Social media platforms are engineered to maximize engagement, which makes our kids the product — and platforms like TikTok deliberately change what they show users the moment they turn 18.

• The most effective protective posture isn't imposing rules but asking open-ended hypothetical questions ("What would you do if...?") so kids see parents as safe, curious allies rather than authorities who will punish them.

• Building agency means using the language of "when you make a mistake" rather than "if" — signaling that mistakes are expected, that kids won't be abandoned when they happen, and that they can always come back to a trusted adult.

• The driver's permit is a powerful analogy for devices: we don't hand teenagers keys and say "best of luck" — we graduate access gradually, narrate the dangers, and teach them to recognize the red flags, like content that makes them feel big, urgent emotions.

• Youth in foster care and system involvement are especially vulnerable online because they often lack a trusted adult — equipping care providers with conversation tools and connecting youth to resources like NCMEC's Take It Down are critical protective steps.

• Young people who receive trafficking prevention education report a profound sense of relief — they knew something was off but had no language for it — and once equipped, they become peer educators and advocates in their own communities.

Resources

• Central Valley Justice Coalition

• NCMEC Take It Down

• National Center for Missing & Exploited Children

• PACT 2025 Reignite Convening