Child trafficking in Colorado

Child trafficking is child abuse. The two forms of child trafficking are sex trafficking and labor trafficking. Even if you’re unsure, never hesitate to report suspicious situations by calling 844-CO-4-KIDS. If a child is in immediate danger, dial 911. Learn more about recognizing the signs and reporting concerns of adult trafficking.

What is child trafficking?

Reporting signs is an important role we can all play in stopping child trafficking in Colorado.

With help from county human services departments, survivors of sex and labor trafficking will have better access to treatment and recovery services specifically geared toward the trauma that they may have experienced.

Child sex trafficking

Child sex trafficking has been reported in all 50 states, including in Colorado.

Child sex trafficking is child abuse and can happen in any community. It can affect children of every age, gender, race and socioeconomic background. Child sex trafficking is often a hidden crime and oftentimes young people may not even view themselves as victims.

Child Sex trafficking occurs when an individual younger than 18 engages in sex trading or commercial sex. A child may be forced, threatened or recruited into the sex trade or may be engaging in survival sex. All children, regardless of their nationality or place of birth, can be vulnerable to sex trafficking. 

Movies and media often portray young people as being kidnapped into child sex trafficking. More commonly, vulnerable young people are identified, groomed and recruited by traffickers over time. Child sex traffickers can be any gender, race and or age. The majority of traffickers are known to the victim (parents, relatives, friends, boyfriends/girlfriends). Traffickers frequently use social media to identify, groom and recruit victims.

Learn more about signs of child sex trafficking.

Child labor trafficking

Child labor trafficking is child abuse. Labor trafficking can be hidden- and occurs in diverse labor settings, both formal (large and small businesses, farms and factories) and informal (domestic labor, forced drug sales, door-to-door sales, panhandling), and can involve children of any age, race, gender or nationality.

Child labor trafficking can take many forms, the most common being debt bondage and forced labor.  Debt bondage or bonded labor happens when a child incurs a debt - real or fabricated - that he or she is never able to pay off. Forced labor/ involuntary servitude occurs when an employer or individual obtains labor or services through force, threats of force, abuse of the legal process, fraud and/or blackmail.

Traffickers can be a parent, guardian, sibling or other non-related caregiver. They can also be a peer, acquaintance or employer.

Learn more about signs of child labor trafficking.

Reporting child trafficking

Even if you’re unsure, never hesitate to call the Colorado Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline at 844-CO-4-Kids if you’re concerned about child trafficking. If a child or youth is in immediate danger, dial 911. This is an important role we can all play in stopping child trafficking in Colorado.

With help from county human services departments, survivors of child trafficking will have better access to treatment and recovery services specifically geared toward the trauma that they may have experienced.

Learn more about recognizing the signs and reporting concerns of adult trafficking.