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Give your children your time and pay close attention to them. Paying attention means more than being physically present. It means learning how to listen to your kids, how to talk with them, and how to respond to their actions. If you don’t really know your child, how will you understand what’s wrong when things go wrong? How will you pick up the clues when your kid is flirting with trouble? So put your phone away (and confiscate theirs).

6. Know the warning signs of trafficking.

According to national statistics, most children who are trafficked have a history of sexual abuse from earlier in their childhood. Noticing the warning signs of abuse can help these children receive the services they need so they are not further victimized. The most vulnerable population are homeless, runaway, and foster children. However, victims have diverse racial, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds.

The United States Department of Justice, National Sex Offender Public Website is a great source of information for parents about this topic and offers a searchable database: http://www.nsopw.gov