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GAO-24-106038 1 (2023-12-11)

handle is hein.gao/gaopse0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Why This Matters Key Takeaways Human traffickers can target children in the U.S. to exploit them sexually, force them into labor, or both. Children can be targeted due to their age and other factors that make them vulnerable. Children experiencing poverty, homelessness, and juvenile justice or child welfare involvement, as well as foreign national children who arrive unaccompanied to the U.S., may be at greater risk of victimization. Survivors of child trafficking may suffer harmful, long- lasting effects, such as depression, suicidal thoughts, and substance use disorders.1 There is limited data on the extent to which children are trafficked in the U.S. For instance, in 2021, the National Human Trafficking Hotline received reports of potential human trafficking involving over 3,000 potential victims who were children.2 However, many incidents may not be uncovered or reported. We were asked to review federal efforts to address child trafficking. This report examines challenges related to raising public awareness of child trafficking and supporting survivors. It also examines relevant federal programs managed by the Department of Justice's (DOJ) Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) and the Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Office on Trafficking in Persons (OTIP). . Stakeholders reported that public misperceptions of child trafficking hinder efforts to raise public awareness and support survivors. For example, misperceptions exist about which children are trafficked, how children are trafficked, and what support children need. Other reported challenges included providing services to children who are detained by law enforcement, a lack of services for certain populations (e.g., boys, survivors of labor trafficking, and foreign national children), and limited data and research on child trafficking and programs to combat it. OVC and OTIP's collaboration mechanisms focus broadly on individuals of all ages who have experienced trafficking, but the offices do not have a collaboration mechanism dedicated to child trafficking. We recommend that the offices establish a collaboration mechanism focused solely on child trafficking. Doing so could better enable the offices to overcome challenges specific to children and meet the distinct needs of child trafficking survivors. OVC and OTIP have set strategic goals for their anti-trafficking programs for children. OTIP is also developing performance goals, but OVC has no plans to do so. We recommend that OVC establish performance goals to better measure the progress of its programs. Page 1 GAO-24- 106038 Child Trafficking Page 1 GAO-24-106038 Child Trafficking

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