COMMERCIALLY SEXUALLY EXPLOITED CHILDREN (CSEC)
“Wherever drugs are being sold, children are being sold.” - FBI
Every day some of the Bay Area’s most vulnerable youth are sexually exploited for other people's profit. They are bought and sold, beaten, drugged, hustled, molested, and raped. Ultimately, they are discarded when they no longer fetch a price. The number of Commercially Sexually Exploited Children (CSEC) is increasing, while the average age is decreasing. Further, these youth are often considered criminals, as if they're seeking to be abused, rather than victims of domestic human trafficking.
DreamCatcher's mission is to provide commercially sexually exploited children with a place to heal and assist them in making successful transitions to healthier circumstances. We have provided emergency shelter to commercially sexually exploited children since opening our doors in 1998.
Housing is a vital part of recovery and empowerment. Control over their life, self confidence and true purpose are what these children seek. Pimps and traffickers have stripped this away from them to keep the girls in fear, loyal, and compliant.
Our expansion will allow us to provide a specialized, supportive living environment, apart from the co-ed facility and males, where CSEC can build self sufficiency, gain independent living skills, build confidence and self-esteem; which can be a long process for traumatized children; yet, very important for these children to develop a strong sense of their own strength and self-worth not be victimized again.
We believe that CSEC are child abuse victims and sexual violence survivors, and aim to empower them to reach their full potential! We believe that CSEC need specialized services so that CSEC can gain skills and competencies, achieve goals and attain independence from a life of child sexual trauma. Housing is an essential piece of the stability needed for the healing process to begin.
With self-love and survivor leadership support services, these youth will gain strength to overcome what they have lost, so they may live healthier and more productive lives.
That is why we need your help in renovating and programming our new Dream SPA Shelter here in Alameda County.
Did you know an estimated 1.6 million children run away from home each year in the US? The average time it takes before a runaway is approached by a trafficker or solicitor is 48 hours.
Did you know that 95% of commercially sexually exploited children have a history of child sexual abuse? (Murphy, 1990)
Children that run away from home due to abuse with no positive help are at elevated risk for pregnancy, suicide attempts, substance dependency, and commercial sexual exploitation (child/teen prostitution).
CSEC risk factors
• Earlier childhood sexual abuse
• Homelessness
• Running away
• Inadequate supervision or care
• Inadequate food, clothing and shelter
• Family and/or community history of exploitation
• Exposure to domestic violence in the home
For more information
www.ojp.usdoj.gov
www.gems-girls.org
www.misssey.org/csec.html
www.1800runaway.org
www.missingkids.com
Website design: designwestgraphics.com
“Wherever drugs are being sold, children are being sold.” - FBI
Every day some of the Bay Area’s most vulnerable youth are sexually exploited for other people's profit. They are bought and sold, beaten, drugged, hustled, molested, and raped. Ultimately, they are discarded when they no longer fetch a price. The number of Commercially Sexually Exploited Children (CSEC) is increasing, while the average age is decreasing. Further, these youth are often considered criminals, as if they're seeking to be abused, rather than victims of domestic human trafficking.
DreamCatcher's mission is to provide commercially sexually exploited children with a place to heal and assist them in making successful transitions to healthier circumstances. We have provided emergency shelter to commercially sexually exploited children since opening our doors in 1998.
Housing is a vital part of recovery and empowerment. Control over their life, self confidence and true purpose are what these children seek. Pimps and traffickers have stripped this away from them to keep the girls in fear, loyal, and compliant.
Our expansion will allow us to provide a specialized, supportive living environment, apart from the co-ed facility and males, where CSEC can build self sufficiency, gain independent living skills, build confidence and self-esteem; which can be a long process for traumatized children; yet, very important for these children to develop a strong sense of their own strength and self-worth not be victimized again.
We believe that CSEC are child abuse victims and sexual violence survivors, and aim to empower them to reach their full potential! We believe that CSEC need specialized services so that CSEC can gain skills and competencies, achieve goals and attain independence from a life of child sexual trauma. Housing is an essential piece of the stability needed for the healing process to begin.
With self-love and survivor leadership support services, these youth will gain strength to overcome what they have lost, so they may live healthier and more productive lives.
That is why we need your help in renovating and programming our new Dream SPA Shelter here in Alameda County.
Did you know an estimated 1.6 million children run away from home each year in the US? The average time it takes before a runaway is approached by a trafficker or solicitor is 48 hours.
Did you know that 95% of commercially sexually exploited children have a history of child sexual abuse? (Murphy, 1990)
Children that run away from home due to abuse with no positive help are at elevated risk for pregnancy, suicide attempts, substance dependency, and commercial sexual exploitation (child/teen prostitution).
CSEC risk factors
• Earlier childhood sexual abuse
• Homelessness
• Running away
• Inadequate supervision or care
• Inadequate food, clothing and shelter
• Family and/or community history of exploitation
• Exposure to domestic violence in the home
For more information
www.ojp.usdoj.gov
www.gems-girls.org
www.misssey.org/csec.html
www.1800runaway.org
www.missingkids.com
Website design: designwestgraphics.com
