Education as a Tool to Combat Human Trafficking

Recognizing January as National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, this blog is the second in a series about the intersectionality of human trafficking with education, health, and financial stability. To read the first blog in the series, click here. 

Human trafficking – the act of compelling someone to work, for little or no pay, through force, fraud, or coercion – is an incredibly complex issue that connects with many others. Systemic injustices like racism, homophobia, sexism, economic inequality, and more lead some people to face more risk of human trafficking than others. It is a multi-dimensional problem that disproportionately impacts marginalized communities around the world.

United Way envisions a world where communities ​deliver equitable solutions to achieve lasting change, giving everyone the chance to thrive — especially in education, economic mobility, and health. Each of these issues is affected by and affects human trafficking. They are prevention points *and* intervention tools in the fight against human trafficking.

Human trafficking can’t be prevented unless everyone is getting adequate access to education, healthcare, and a decent job that supports a family. And survivors of human trafficking frequently need support to access healthcare, gain a proper education, and build financially stability. Recognizing and addressing these intersection points can help strengthen community resilience to human trafficking, we’re seeing in on-the-ground work across the world.Human Trafficking Prevention and

Intervention through Education
At United Way, we believe success in life begins with a quality education. And yet, millions of children and youth lack the support they need to strengthen their literacy, stay on track in school, graduate high school and find a career. Lack of access to quality education exacerbates vulnerabilities and puts children and adults alike at risk of human trafficking.

Schools are one of the places where children spend the most time other than their homes. Schools equip students for their futures and provide gateways to opportunities in adulthood. They are also often key sources of safety and stability for children, particularly those who live in unsafe neighborhoods or home environments. While learning to read and write, children also learn social skills and life skills at school, which can increase feelings of confidence and self-efficacy.

Unfortunately, lack of funding for schools and educational programs frequently leads to decreased student engagement. Without funding, schools cannot hire adequate teachers and counselors, provide extracurricular opportunities, or meet the cultural and language needs of their students. All of these issues make it hard for students to truly engage with their coursework and school community and often lead to issues such as chronic absenteeism are known to arise, making youth vulnerable to exploitation such as human trafficking. Similarly, the financial situation of a student’s home life can also present a barrier to education access. If a student’s family cannot financially sustain their livelihood, the student may choose or be forced to leave school in order to work. Such financial instability creates vulnerabilities that traffickers frequently exploit.

Removing these barriers and promoting access to quality education can help reduce vulnerability to issues such as human trafficking. For instance, an education can equip students for stable employment as adults, and access to a living