Module 4: Victim Identification and Engagement For Community Training Facilitators I needed someone to talk to me, like, everyone makes mistakes; to tell me, you know, it s going to be ok and I m better than that. - CSEC Survivor
Objectives Catalog the many needs of CSEC victims and recognize group s ability to meet many of these needs in a professional capacity Learn potential warning signs of CSEC and strategies for victim identification Brainstorm opportunities for intervention with CSEC victims and review guidelines for appropriate and effective engagement Time 90 minutes Hardware LCD projector and laptop (for presentation) Materials Chart paper Markers Adhesive tape Handout and Examples Handout 4.1 Needs of CSEC Victims Handout 4.2 CSEC Victim Identification Handout 4.3 Do s and Don ts of Appropriate Engagement with CSEC Victims Handout 4.4 What Youth Say Works 1
Agenda 1. Meeting Needs of CSEC Victims (25 minutes) Materials: Chart paper, markers Handout 4.1 Needs of CSEC Victims 2. Victim Identification (15 minutes) Handout 4.2 CSEC Victim Identification 3. First Contact and First Impressions (10 minutes) 4. Intervention and Engagement with CSEC Victims (15 minutes) Handout 4.3 Do s and Don ts of Appropriate Engagement with CSEC Victims 5. What Youth Say Works (10 minutes) Handout 4.4 What Youth Say Works 6. Myths and Stereotypes Revisited (15 minutes) Facilitator Prep: For this activity you will need to return to the list of myths and stereotypes about CSEC and sexually exploited youth that participants created during Module 1. 2
MODULE 4: INTRODUCTION Slides 1-2 Module 4: Victim Identification and Engagement Victim Identification and Engagement Objectives Catalog the many needs of CSEC victims, and recognize group s ability to meet many of these needs in a professional capacity. I needed someone to talk to me, like, everyone makes mistakes; to tell me, you know, it s going to be ok and I m better than that. - CSEC Survivor Learn potential warning signs of CSEC and strategies for victim identification. Brainstorm opportunities for intervention with CSEC victims, and review guidelines for appropriate and effective engagement. Facilitator s Speaking Points Present overview of Module 4 Review objectives 3
NEEDS OF CSEC VICTIMS Time: 25 minutes Materials: Handout 4.1 Needs of CSEC Victims; slides 3-8 Facilitator s Speaking Points As an introduction to Module 4, remind participants that CSEC victims often believe their needs are being met by the life. For this reason, children can be scared or reluctant to leave: The question that frustrates so many people is, Why don t kids just leave? But after learning about victim vulnerability and recruitment, and the dynamics of CSEC, we can see that there is no easy answer to that question. This may be hard to grasp, especially given the manipulative and brutal reality of what it is like to be a child in the commercial sex industry. But what do you think being in the life offers? Exploiters know very well how to key in on a child s needs and vulnerabilities. What needs do abusers meet? How do they maintain the illusion of meeting those needs? Activity: Meeting the Needs of CSEC Victims Slide 3 Meeting the Needs of CSEC Victims 4
Instructions: 1. Ask participants the question on slide 4 and give the group time to brainstorm answers aloud. Write the answers as a list on a piece of chart paper. Note to Facilitator: Feel free to write ideas in quotation marks explaining that while these needs are not being met in healthy ways, the vulnerable child believes that s/he is getting everything s/he needs. The illusion is indeed very real. 2. Next, ask participants the question on slide 5 and give the group time to brainstorm answers aloud. Write the answers on a second list on a piece of chart paper. This list should be MUCH longer and should repeat examples from the previous list, as needs like love and independence cannot truly be achieved in the context of exploitation. Encourage participants to create an exhaustive list, and challenged them to think of at least 20-25 examples. 3. Review slides 6-7 and point out any tangible or intangible needs that were not already discussed. Question: Slide 4 For adolescents, what needs are being met by being in the life? Sample answers: love attention a place to stay income excitement feeling desired independence Summarize the list of needs that are being met by being in the life : This list is not long, but it is very powerful. These things are enough to keep children in dangerous situations, and enough to make them return to these situations (even after they have successfully escaped). Clearly, CSEC victims present an overwhelming number of needs, which is why working with CSEC 5
victims is often so challenging. What needs are not met by abusers or the life? What needs do CSEC victims have as a result of being in the life? Question: Slide 5 For adolescents, what needs are not being met by being in the life? Sample answers: Medical attention Mental health care Emotional support Protection Self-esteem A way out Housing Awareness of, or access to, resources and services for sexually exploited youth Review any tangible or intangible needs that were not already discussed. Slides 6-7 Tangible Needs Crisis housing Longterm housing Food Clothing Education Job or income Viable alternatives for employment Transportation Legal representation and/or advocacy Opportunities to develop new skills and strengths Medical and/or dental care Health education Mental healthcare Counseling and/or case management Safety plan Childcare and/or parenting skills Intangible Needs Safety Protection Nonjudgmental environment Respect Acceptance Engagement in positive community Healthy adult relationships Mentors and/or positive role models Supportive peers Understanding of the recovery process Affirmation of skills and strengths Recognition of abuse and trauma An opportunity to not be defined solely by abuse and trauma Options A sense of empowerment in one's own healing and restoration process Political education to understand the issue of CSEC Youth leadership opportunities Love & Holistic care Facilitator s Speaking Points Segue to a discussion about the participants capacity to meet victims needs: Working in the CSEC arena can be intense, and working directly with CSEC victims can be even more complicated. When we get beyond the myths, and 6
learn about the reality of CSEC either by hearing a child s story or looking at a list like this it is easy to feel overwhelmed. Add to this the reality of a lack of community resources or policies to combat CSEC, and it is easy to forget that we, as individuals, can make an impact. As a cop, a social worker, or a district attorney (NOTE: name any or all professions represented in the room), we bring very specific skills, experiences, and resources to the table. It is true that in these roles we must be creative to reach CSEC victims, often going above and beyond our job description. But, isn t this exactly what pimps and exploiters do? What can you offer to compete with the life? Group Discussion Questions Use the questions on slide 8 to facilitate a group discussion. Slide 8 Discussion Questions: Needs of CSEC Victims What personal and professional skills do you bring to the table that CSEC victims need? How do you (or would you) offer these skills in a way that specifically serves CSEC victims? How can you collaborate with another professional field to better meet children s needs? In other words: What skills do you bring to the table, personally and professionally, that CSEC victims need? What skills to you bring as a department, agency, or organization? 7
Ask participants to identify the needs they are capable of meeting using the lists generated above, as well as Handout 4.1 Needs of CSEC Victims. Handout 4.1 Needs of CSEC Victims Consider the lists we ve generated, as well as the needs on Handout 4.1 which of these needs are you capable of meeting? What are some of the most effective or creative ways to meet those needs? Encourage participants abilities to met victims needs and make an impact. Think of ways to meet additional needs by collaborating with other professional fields. 8
CSEC VICTIM IDENTIFICATION Time: 15 minutes Materials: Handout 4.2 CSEC Victim Identification; slides 9-18 Facilitator s Speaking Points Note: Modify this introduction to address the roles of your participants. Segue from the last activity. We must recognize our capacity as individuals and as a group to meet CSEC victims needs. Now, how do we identify CSEC victims? Prosecutors working on a trafficking case, or social workers called in by the police to interview a child arrested on the track, may be faced with the challenge of victim identification. But in order to adequately serve CSEC victims, social workers at homeless youth shelters and emergency room physicians also need to be familiar with CSEC warning signs. Many communities report a lack of victim-identification training as a major obstacle in addressing CSEC. Refer participants to Handout 4.2 CSEC Victim Identification. Clarify how to use and understand the warning signs: We have covered a variety of risk factors that make children vulnerable to CSEC recruitment efforts. Though not every at-risk child will become a victim of CSEC, apparent risk factors can indicate a need for prevention or intervention. Likewise, not every child who exhibits one of these warning signs (except for the first bullet point, which is more of a definition than a warning sign) is definitively a CSEC victim. Though the warning signs may warrant concern, none of these indicators stand alone or exist without context. 9
Slide 9 CSEC Victim Identification Discuss each indicator on Handout 4.2 CSEC Victim Identification (slides 10-17). Allow time for participants to comment and ask questions about these identifiers. Slide 10 Slide 17 Identifying CSEC Victims If the age of an individual has been verified to be under 18, and the individual is in any way involved in the commercial sex industry, or has a record of prior arrest for prostitution (or related charges), then he or she is a CSEC victim. Identifying CSEC Victims Wearing sexually provocative clothing can be an indicator of sexual exploitation. But it should be noted, so as not to rely on stereotypes, that not all children in the commercial sex industry wear such clothing. Sexually provocative clothing is not a warning sign in and of itself. Wearing new clothes of any style, or getting hair or nails done with no financial means to this independently, is a more general indicator of potential sexual exploitation. Read aloud the debriefing questions on slide 18. Identifying CSEC Victims Slide 18 Debriefing Questions: Have you seen these warning signs (or a combination of them) displayed by children you have worked with? What did you do? 10
FIRST CONTACT AND FIRST IMPRESSIONS Time: 10 minutes Materials: chart paper; markers; slides 19-20 Facilitator s Speaking Points Segue from talking about victim identification to victim engagement. Being able to identify victims does not solve the problem of how to engage with victims. Next, we will learn some tips for how to engage with CSEC victims or children whom you believe are being sexually exploited. But before we review these tactics, it might be helpful to identify where and when people in this room first engage with CSEC victims. Use slide 20 to ask participants, by a show of hands, which of the categories (A, B, or C) best describes them. (Note: More than one category may apply.) Slide 19 Slide 20 How do you identify? First Contact and First Impressions A. I work specifically with identified CSEC victims. B. I work with at-risk youth. C. I currently conduct or want to develop outreach to CSEC victims. When, where, or under what circumstances, do you (or would you) first engage with CSEC victims? 11
Ask a few volunteers from each category to share where and under what circumstances they usually first engage with CSEC victims. (bottom of slide 20) Using chart paper, create a list of participants responses that reflect diverse opportunities for engagement and relationship building. Highlight the importance of first contact and first impressions. When thinking about engagement with CSEC victims, it is important to recognize that many CSEC victims report feeling re-traumatized or even abused after engaging with people in our fields. Your first contact with a child can have a huge impact, and can set the stage for a relationship of trust or mistrust. 12
INTERVENTION AND ENGAGEMENT WITH CSEC VICTIMS Time: Materials: 15 minutes Handout 4.3 Do s & Don ts of Appropriate Engagement with CSEC Victims; slides 21-33 Slide 21 Intervention and Engagement with CSEC Victims Activity: Do s and Don ts Instructions: Use PowerPoint slides 23-33 to play the Do s and Don ts game. Display a Don t on the screen and ask one to three participants to suggest an appropriate Do. After participants have responded, display the corresponding Do slide. Once the game is finished, refer participants to Handout 4.3 Do s and Don ts of Appropriate Engagement with CSEC Victims, and give them a minute to review any points that were not discussed during the game. Slide 22 Activity: Do s and Don ts 13
Slide 23 Slide 24 Activity: Do s and Don ts Activity: Do s and Don ts For Every Don t, name at least two Do s DON T react verbally or physically in a way that communicates disgust or disdain. Refrain from diplaying a shocked face or talking about how awful the child s experience was. This may shut the child down. DO be nonjudgmental when listening to a sexually exploited child. How do you do this? Continue showing slides 25-32. Read aloud the important tips on slide 33. Slide 33 Appropriate Engagement with CSEC Victims Use these Do s and Don ts to Be aware of your actions when working with children Set a nonjudgmental and empathetic tone Treat the child as a victim of trauma and abuse Direct participants to Handout 4.3 Do s and Don ts of Appropriate Engagement with CSEC Victims and give them a minute to review it. 14
Time: 10 minutes Materials: Handout 4.4 What Youth Say Works; slides 34-35 Facilitator s Speaking Points Introduce Handout 4.4 What Youth Say Works: WHAT YOUTH SAY WORKS As a trainer, I can give you sound professional guidance on working with sexually exploited children. But it is the youth themselves who we must listen to and learn from. They can tell us what has and has not worked in their lives. The following handout is a list of youth responses to what made intervention meaningful and effective for them. Ask participants to read Handout 4.4 What Youth Say Works silently. Then use the questions on slide 35 to facilitate a group discussion. Slide 34 Slide 35 What Youth Say Works Discussion Questions: What do these comments tell you about how to engage with and support CSEC victims? How do these comments speak to your capability to meet the needs of CSEC victims? 15
MYTHS AND STEREOTYPES REVISITED Time: Materials: 15 minutes List of myths and stereotypes about CSEC created during Module; slides 36-37 Facilitator s Speaking Points Remind participants about the list of myths and stereotypes about CSEC they created during Module 1: This is the last training module before we break into stakeholder groups. Do you remember the activity, which we completed at the very beginning of the training, where we listed myths and stereotypes about CSEC? It is now time to test these myths against all the information you just learned about CSEC. Activity: Myths & Stereotypes Revisited Instructions: Display the list of myths and stereotypes. Address each item on the list and ask participants to speak about its validity. Use the discussion questions on slide 37 to facilitate a short group discussion. Slide 36 Slide 37 Activity: Myths & Stereotypes Revisited Activity: Myths & Stereotypes Revisited Discussion Questions: How does each commonly held belief measure up to what we just learned about CSEC? How would you engage with someone who relies on these myths and stereotypes about CSEC? Do you feel like the training you received so far has given you any tools to educate or inform others about the realities of CSEC? This is the end of Module 4. Review objectives and highlight relevant content. Direct participants to complete the evaluation for this module. 16