This Resource Guide for Ohio’s public children services agencies first defines “human trafficking,” followed by a review of federal and Ohio laws that address human trafficking, Ohio’s response to human trafficking, and guidance for Ohio’s children services agencies (CSAs) in identifying and responding to child victims of human trafficking.
“Human trafficking” is defined as “the control and exploitation of a person for profit.” Traffickers use force, fraud, or coercion to compel a person to engage in commercial sex acts or labor; however, if a victim induced to engage in commercial sex acts is a minor, law enforcement officials are not required to demonstrate that the minor was compelled (forced or coerced) to perform the acts. Under federal and Ohio law, minors induced to perform commercial sex are victims of human trafficking, regardless of whether force, fraud, or coercion are used to influence a minor’s participation in a sex act. This guide also advises that minors involved in any commercial sexual activity, with or without an explicit trafficker, should be considered victims of human trafficking. A trafficker may be a victim’s romantic partner, employer, friend, or family member. “Labor trafficking” occurs when a person is compelled to perform any type of work or services for another person. This guide reports that there were 1,032 known victims of human trafficking in Ohio between 2014 and 2016. Most victims were minors and victims of sex trafficking. Guidance for Ohio’s children services agencies pertains to the identification of human trafficking victims, the role of a Children’s Advocacy Center, interviewing victims, case planning, responses to child runaways, educating children services professionals about human trafficking, and responding to foreign national juvenile victims of human trafficking. Case studies and references