YOUTH RESOURCES
This page is intended for youth ages 12 and up. For younger children, please see our main resources page here.
Thank you for being here. You can be a part of the fight to change our culture. Inform yourself, share your knowledge and make an impact on those around you. If you have any questions, please reach out.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Vulnerabilities
A vulnerability is something about you that makes you unique. Whether it’s lived experience, where you’re from or how you interact with the world, vulnerabilities make us who we are. They can be a powerful strength when you understand them but exploiters often pick on vulnerabilities to trick you into trusting them or doing something. Take your power back by identifying yours and owning them. There is no reason to feel shame or to hide parts of yourself. So if anyone ever tries to make you feel bad about whatever it is you think isn’t “normal,” take a step back.

Grooming
Identifying
Exploiters are experts at identifying vulnerabilities. Easy targets are those with low confidence, lack of parental supervision, isolation, or previous trauma.
Building Trust
The exploiter will start a relationship to learn more about their target and uncover additional vulnerabilities. This phase frequently looks like “love-bombing” (excessive praise, gifts, attention) and is like the “get to know you” part of a relationship. This part of grooming feels great to the victim, and often deep bonds are formed here.
Filling Needs
Once the exploiter has identified what their victim needs (stable housing, money, a friend, a significant other, a parental figure, etc.) they will begin to fulfill that need. A big reason they will do this is so that the victim becomes dependent on them.
Isolation
Eventually, the exploiter will try to isolate their victim from any support systems they may have, such as parents or friends. Sometimes they will take small situations, like a fight with a friend, and blow it up into a big deal to turn their victim against that person.
Exploitation
Finally, the exploiter will eventually cross healthy boundaries and begin to exploit their victim. By the time this happens, there are often intense trauma bonds developed. Sometimes they also have information, photos, or other things to hold against their victim to force them to comply.
Consent
Understanding consent is vital in reducing the risk of exploitation or trafficking. Consent is a freely given, enthusiastic YES. An absence of saying yes is NOT consent. Talking someone into saying yes is NOT consent. Consent is also something that can be given and then taken away, you are allowed to change your mind about giving consent. Consent should be given in every situation involving your body. Whether it’s a simple hug or kiss, or if it’s something more serious like sex. Consent is everything.
Sextortion
Sextortion is the legal term for blackmail involving sexual content. The perpetrator demands sexual favors, money, or other benefits under the threat of sharing intimate or sexually explicit material or information.
Reach out if this is happening to you or someone you know. There’s no judgment, no shame, only help.
Healthy Relationships
Relationships are complex, do you know what makes them healthy or unhealthy?
Healthy Relationships
Un-Healthy Relationships
Read more from One Love about Healthy and Unhealthy Relationships
Red flags are small signs that something may be wrong in a relationship.
When you see multiple warning signs, stop or slow down. Ask someone you trust for an outside opinion, do some research, try having an honest conversation with your partner and see if they’re willing to talk about it.
Whatever you do, value yourself and trust your gut. A feeling doesn’t need an explanation.
Can you spot the red flags in these video?
Boundaries
Personal boundaries are simply the lines we draw for ourselves in terms of our level of comfort around others
These boundaries may have to do with:
These boundaries typically fall into a few specific categories:
Click here for more information and tips for how to set your own boundaries
Safety Planning
Safety planning is about brainstorming ways to stay safe that may also help reduce the risk of future harm. It can include planning for a future crisis, considering your options, and making decisions about your next steps. Practice solving problems and making choices now for when you need them later.
Examples
- What would you do if a stranger compliments you online?
- What would you do if someone shares a nude picture of you without your permission?
- What would you do if someone threatened you?
- What would you do if you found yourself stuck somewhere you didn’t want to be?
- What would you do if someone you trust makes you feel uncomfortable?
- What would YOU do?
Online safety
Definitions
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Don’t Contribute to the Problem
Share good info
More Ways to Help…
Educate yourself
Find out how...#Not a Number – Email, call or text Uprising to go through a 5 session prevention training. It’s better with friends!
Join the Youth Committee
Home/School/Clubs or Groups
Start a conversation...Start a conversation with those around you. Yeah, trafficking and all this stuff can be hard to bring up to anyone but if more people are aware and informed, the harder it will be to get away with. It can be as easy as “Hey, I learned something today.”
Fundraise
Help us raise money...Non-profit organizations don’t always have consistent income. It’s incredibly helpful to help raise donations for an organization with a history of good money management and survivor based programming.
WHERE TO LEARN MORE
Whatever you’re experiencing, YOU ARE NOT ALONE! There are so many wonderful people and organizations in the world who only want to help. Double check your sources or talk to someone who’s a trained professional to figure out what’s best for you.
National hotlines for youth with trained professionals to help you with whatever you’re experiencing.
- One Love
- Empowering young people with the tools and resources they need to see the signs of healthy and unhealthy relationships.
- NetSmartz
- NetSmartz provides age-appropriate videos and activities to help teach children to be safer online with the goal of helping children to become more aware of potential online risks and empowering them to help prevent victimization by making safer choices on- and offline.
- For teens
- For younger kids
- Into The Cloud series
- Fight the New Drug
- Fight the New Drug is a non-religious and non-legislative organization that exists to provide individuals the opportunity to make an informed decision regarding pornography by raising awareness on its harmful effects using only science, facts, and personal accounts.
- Survivors of Sexual Abuse Material
- Recovering from child sexual exploitation can be a challenging road, and it can often feel like you are navigating it alone. NCMEC (National Center for Missing and Exploited Children) knows that feelings of isolation, fear, and worry can make seeking resources a difficult process. There is an army of professionals at NCMEC and other organizations who may be able to help you. We want you to know that your needs matter and this page was created so you can take action.
- Love is Respect.org
- For exploring healthy relationships, consent, setting boundaries, and healthy LGBTQ questions.
- The Trevor Project
- The Trevor Project is the world’s largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) young people.
- Dating Matters
- Dating Maters focuses on teaching 11-14 year olds healthy relationship skills before they start dating and reducing behaviors that increase the risk for dating violence, like substance abuse and sexual risk-taking.
- Teen Talk
- Teen Talk believes it’s important to give information on sex, love, and relationships so that you can make informed decisions and live your best life.
“Sometimes when you’re in a dark place you think you’ve been buried, but actually you’ve been planted”