As we mentioned in a post a couple months ago, having a discussion with your child about the hazards of trafficking could be a difficult thing. Some children can be psychologically ready for that discussion at an early age, while others might need to be much older. But, the important thing to remember is that children aged 12-14 are primary targets, and ready or not, they might need to have that warning discussion by that age.
In order to reach those pre and early teens, cartoonist Dan Goldman has created two cartoon “stories” where children love to spend their time – on Snapchat and Instagram. In the first version (A1), the girl is tricked into going with a trafficker and becomes a victim. In story (B1), she first asks advice from her aunt and the ending is much more delightful.
Each is a quick read – only 10 panels each. It’ll only take a minute or two.
Check them out by searching for hashtag #wolvesinthestreet on Instagram or Snapchat. Read each first to see if it’s appropriate for your child.
If you think it’s not appropriate, by all means, have a different discussion – but DON’T JUST POSTPONE THE DISCUSSION INDEFINITELY. Children need to be aware, because this happens in even the best neighborhoods to the best families.
Traffickers are pros and they are smarter than you from everything I’ve discovered.
For even more concrete examples of discussion starters, check the resources in our next article.
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