Among the diverse populations affected by human trafficking, indigenous peoples worldwide are at particular risk for both sex trafficking and labor trafficking. The HHS Administration for Native Americans (ANA) notes that American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander women and girls are at higher risk for experiencing sex trafficking.
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Access the one-pager (PDF) to learn more about OTIP's efforts to combat human trafficking in Native communities.
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The Native Youth Toolkit (PDF) aims to raise awareness and prevent trafficking of Native youth by educating them on what human trafficking is, available resources, safety tips, and ways to get involved in their communities.
This resource considers the unique cultural aspects of this issue for Native youth, tying in the fact that trafficking is outside of Native traditions, and encourages youth to speak with Tribal Elders in their community. Native resources, such as the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center and Strong Hearts Native Helpline , are also listed as resources for youth to learn more.
Before embarking on this project, ACF assessed available outreach and awareness resources for Native youth on human trafficking and spoke with American Indian and Alaska Native organizations and Tribes to complement existing efforts and determine which information would be helpful to include. The toolkit was informed by focus groups of Tribal youth during FY 2015—2016. ACF staff from the Administration for Native Americans and the Office on Trafficking in Persons are committed to revising this resource with input from federal grantees working with Native communities, those who have experienced sex and labor trafficking, and federal agency partners through the Senior Policy Operating Group (SPOG) Public Outreach and Awareness Committee. Email EndTrafficking@acf.hhs.gov with feedback, comments, or questions.
Additional Resources
- SOAR for Native Communities: Trainings for health and human service providers working in Native communities
- Human Trafficking Leadership Academy: Class 5 fellows will use trauma-informed principles, survivor-informed practices, knowledge and understanding of culture and tradition in Native communities, and knowledge of health and wellness in Native communities to answer the project question: “How can culture be a protective factor in preventing trafficking among Native youth?”
- Funding Forecast : Demonstration Grants to Strengthen the Response to Victims of Human Trafficking in Native Communities Program
- U.S. Government Entities Combating Human Trafficking in American Indian & Alaska Native (AI/AN) Communities (PDF)
- State Department Fact Sheet (PDF): Vulnerability of Indigenous Persons to Human Trafficking
- State Department Fact Sheet (PDF): The Link Between Extractive Industries and Sex Trafficking
- GAO-17-325 (April 6, 2017) — Human Trafficking: Action Needed to Identify the Number of Native American Victims Receiving Federally-funded Services
- GAO-17-624 (July 24, 2017) — Human Trafficking: Information on Cases in Indian Country or that Involved Native Americans
Files
- PDF Native Youth Toolkit on Human Trafficking 2017 (3,292.75 KB)
- PDF Fact Sheet: Combating Human Trafficking in Native Communities 2018 (675.22 KB)
- PDF One-pager: Combating Human Trafficking in Native Communities – FY 2019 (651.42 KB)