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JEFFERSON COUNTY, Ala (WBMA) —
Thousands of children become victims of human sex trafficking each year.
A recent case in Homewood highlighted that fact which involved a 14-year old girl from Wisconsin.
The girl is now safe after being rescued last week and one man was arrested in the case.
Advocates explain what to look for when spotting child sex trafficking victim (abc3340.com)
Carrie Hill with Child Trafficking Solutions Project said children not attending school, hanging around older adults too often, and being seen with items they normally couldn't afford, are red flags for child sex trafficking.
“Are they bringing home things we know they don’t have the money for whether that's clothes or shoes or tablets,” said Hill.
SEE ALSO: 14-year-old Wisconsin girl rescued from human trafficking operation in Homewood
Hill said traffickers use different tactics to lure children.
She said a “Romeo pimp” is something they often see.
“Which is someone who is going to build a relationship, boost their self-esteem, buy them things, tell them how much they love them. Then they eventually flip the script on them and say, 'well that stuff wasn’t free, you have to pay me back and this is how we’re going to do it,'" said Hill.
Many hotels and motels train their staff members on what to look for and report.
“You have a young girl that is checked into a hotel and suddenly you don’t see her, but maybe you see him coming and going, or maybe other people coming and going, in and out of that room, that’s a giveaway right there,” said CEO of WellHouse Carolyn Potter.
Hill said if you see something in your neighborhood that’s not right concerning a child, be careful approaching parents.
She said they see parents becoming traffickers of their own children and it's something easy to miss.
SEE ALSO: 11-month-old killed in Birmingham shooting identified
“Some parents will sell their children for drugs or rent and it’s a really sad thing to see and it's missed a lot. So, when we train our schools we tell our teachers that you are the consistent person in these kids' lives and you may be the one they disclose to or you may be the one that they trust," said Hill.
The WellHouse will soon have a place specifically for children to go for help.
Last year, the non-profit announced they are building a home to give children like the 14-year old a safe place to stay.
If you don’t feel comfortable calling your local law enforcement, you can file an anonymous child abuse and neglect report with DHR.
