Today, WestCoast Children’s Clinic is releasing a brief describing the prevalence of child sex trafficking in Alameda County using data from the Commercial Sexual Exploitation Identification Tool (CSE-IT) collected between 2016 and 2021. In order to effectively serve victims of trafficking, we need to understand the scope of the problem. Here’s what we found: 

1 in 7 system-involved youth had clear signs of trafficking     

Of 2,204 children under the age of 18 who were screened, 348 youth (15.8%) had clear signs of trafficking and an additional 565 children (25.6%) had possible signs of being exploited. 

Gaps in screening result in ongoing exploitation

Universal screening using a validated tool like the CSE-IT is the most accurate way to understand how many youth have signs of sex trafficking. However, only four agencies in Alameda County conduct universal screening, resulting in an undercount of youth experiencing exploitation. 

Screening is only the first step 

Screening for signs of trafficking should be part of a Universal Screening and Response Protocol that guides next steps, such as getting youth the help they need, safety planning, and mandated reporting. 

If you are interested in learning more about the CSE-IT, WestCoast’s research, or implementing screening in your agency, please contact us at screening@westcoastcc.org.