There are a variety of warning signs to watch for that can indicate whether a youth is being groomed or is already participating in the sex trade. Early identification and intervention are key. It is easier to get youth out before they become entrenched!

As a safe and trusted adult in a youth’s life, all of these signs, including how you might interpret them, depend on the context of your relationship with the youth and what you know about them. If you notice several warning signs, and they are new, out of character, or have developed quickly, this could signal that commercial sexual exploitation is happening. Be careful though! Some of these signs are part of normal youth behaviour, or they might indicate something else is going on, such as struggles with mental health, and may not be an immediate cause for alarm. Think of the warning signs as a place to start the conversation.

Grooming Red Flags

These are red flags to watch for that may indicate someone is grooming a youth into a relationship of control for the purposes of trafficking or sexual exploitation.

 

  • A new adult in a youth’s life that shows excessive interest in the details of the youth’s life, family, friends, and struggles

  • Met someone significantly older online and is forming a relationship before meeting in-person

  • Met someone new who is “Love Bombing” them (i.e. telling them they love them within a short period of time) to form an intense and fast emotional bond

  • Isolating them from and anyone they are close to and the things they love

  • Asking them to keep the relationship a secret

  • Hyper-focusing on their body and appearance and boosting their sexual confidence

  • Filling all of their needs, with a dependency forming

Attitudes and Behaviours

These are some of the attitudes and behaviours youth may exhibit that indicates they are being groomed, recruited or are engaged in the sex trade.

 

  • Disappears or goes missing for a period of time, with little or no explanation

  • Takes lots of trips out of town/out of province with friends or romantic partners that are all expenses paid

  • New or excessive secrecy about activities, friends, and online presence

  • Having multiple and sexually explicit social media profiles or an OnlyFans account

  • Evidence of a controlling ‘friend’ or ‘romantic partner’ coupled with fear of the consequences of displeasing that person

  • Withdraws from family, friends, loved activities

  • Evidence of trauma response behaviours, including fear, mood swings, emotional outbursts, anxiety, tension, submission, nervousness, depression, hyper-vigilance, PTSD

Appearance & Possessions

These are some things that you may notice about a youth’s appearance or material things that they may have in their possession.

 

  • Receives unexplained gifts, money, trips, hotel stays, luxury items, and has a brand new second cell phone

  • New clothes and access to personal grooming (hair, nails) without the means to pay for it themselves

  • Dramatic and new sexy “look” and is hyper focused on appearance and body image

  • Has a new tattoo or brand that they are reluctant to explain (i.e. someone’s name, or a gang symbol)

  • Has two bags or purses, one with supplies such as condoms, baby wipes, lingerie, and sex toys

  • Always has access to transportation and/or is always picked up by the same taxi or person

  • Regular access to weed, alcohol and other substances without the means to pay for it themselves

  • Evidence of physical violence or abuse, including cuts, scrapes, bruises, broken bones, cigarette burns

Other Red Flags

These are some other things to watch out for!

 

  • Multiple abortions

  • Has been offered a job that offers high cash payments, doesn’t require a high school diploma or education credentials and generally seems “to good to be true”