Los Angeles is rated among the 13 “high intensity” areas for child commercial sex trafficking in the nation, according to the FBI. Kids as young as 10 years old (but usually between the ages of 12-18) are victimized throughout LA County.
Over the last few years, the state of California has emerged as a leader in reforming its response to exploited children. Still, there have been growing pains, as the state works to decriminalize trafficked kids, and instead, treat them as the victims they are.
When social workers remove children from their homes, it is the job of the county’s dependency court system to try to safely reunite kids with their families. The court works toward this goal with a case plan, which includes services for the parents that specifically relate to the reason their children were removed in the first place.
For example, the county’s parenting classes don’t address commercial sexual exploitation and the resulting trauma for parents and children.
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