Moorehead is warning that human traffickers continue using social media to find new victims to exploit.
In many cases, these traffickers lie about their ages and intentions. Oftentimes, traffickers even try to get their hooks in children by pretending to be romantically interested in them before pushing for meet-ups.
Additional information from the South Carolina Human Trafficking Task Force reveals the majority of minors targeted by human traffickers online are between 14-years-old to 18-years-old.
However, there are also cases of middle school students in South Carolina being targeted by traffickers via social media platforms, video games, and other apps.
Human traffickers and grooming
Before going in for the proverbial “kill,” many human traffickers work to groom their targets so they’re easier to victimize later.
Common grooming tactics from these predators are as follows:
- Pretending to share similar interests
- Providing gifts/money
- Posing as a support system for children who need one
- Providing food, clothes, or other necessities that needy children may be lacking
Moorehead warns that any child who feels pressured by anyone to do something they are not comfortable with should know they owe this person nothing. She also encouraged children in this position to reach out for help.
