Child trafficking is a nationwide issue in the United States, with cases reported in all 50 states, Washington D.C., and U.S. territories, according to the U.S. Department of Education. In 2023, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children estimated that 1 in 6 of the more than 28,800 children reported missing were likely victims of child sex trafficking. The majority of these victims are between the ages of 14 and 17, and are often advertised and presented as adults, making identification and intervention even more challenging.

Children from abusive or unstable backgrounds, including those in foster care, are at significantly higher risk of becoming victims of trafficking. Traffickers often exploit this vulnerability by using popular social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok to recruit and groom victims. In many cases, children are trained or coerced to lie about their age, which leads to frequent misidentification and makes it more difficult for authorities and advocates to recognize and rescue them.

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