Why Kids in Foster Care or Anywhere in America are Vulnerable to Human Trafficking
Show Guest: Dr. John DeGarmo
As anyone who has worked with foster children will tell you, most foster children face an enormous amount of emotional issues, many times stemming from the lack of healthy love. And for those who may have been abused, beaten, or neglected, they typically suffer great difficulty connecting with others, as well as managing their own emotions. According to Dr. DeGarmo, director of The Foster Care Institute, human traffickers target vulnerable children, including those in large facilities, such as large foster care group homes, where they are able to locate a greater number of children who are defenseless, naïve, and hurting, thus easier targets to victimize, lure, and exploit.
He sheds light on the dark little secret many in our society either are not aware of it, or refuse to acknowledge, which is: the highest rate of child sex trafficking occurs right here in the United States. Shockingly, between 300,000-400,000 children are exploited commercially in our nation for purposes of sex each year. In addition, roughly 2 million children are exploited in this manner across the globe, and it is estimated that human trafficking generates more than 32 billion a year, which is second only to drug trafficking. While it may be almost impossible to fully protect children from the dangers online, in this eye-opening interview Dr. DeGarmo shares the most important strategies that all parents, and anyone caring for children, can implement to better protect them from these threats.