What are the Signs of Sexual Exploitation
Parents should be alerted to the noted indicators of sexual exploitation listed below.
Attitude
The young person:
- withdraws physically and emotionally from home and family, is cold and unconnected
- has extreme mood swings
- is secretive and reserved
- lies about where he or she was or is going
- is confrontational, aggressive
- engages in abusive behaviour or language
Routine
The young person:
- drops usual friends for a new group that includes youth from other schools or communities; they may be older
- skips school
- has a significant drop in grades
- opts out of traditional family events
- becomes a night person, staying out late, unable to sleep at night or sleeps excessively during the day
Language
The young person:
- adopts slang mechanisms never used before (i.e. Street talk)
- uses disconnected speech (one or two-word codes)
- uses labels when referring to friends or self (i.e. adopting street name)
Physical Appearance and/or Hygiene
The young person:
- dresses more provocatively
- uses excessive makeup and time getting ready to go out
- has sexualized behaviour (i.e. inappropriate sexual acting out or displaying of body parts)
- has bruises or other signs of abuse on body
- changes physical appearance (i.e. hair color, piercing, tattoos)
Clues around the house
The young person:
- has unexplained money
- has new and expensive clothing or trinkets with explanations that don’t add up
- packs a change of clothes when going out
- has drug paraphernalia (i.e. cans with holes, burnt knives, twisted spoons, rolling papers)
- acquires a cell phone
- has long distance phone bills for cell numbers or numbers that don’t show up on call display
- has matchbook covers with hidden cellular numbers inside
- has business cards and receipts from places that are unusual for young teens to visit
- receives phone calls from strangers at odd hours of the night, receives hang up phone calls
- has many condom packages
- has weapons
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