The problem of child trafficking is bigger and closer to home than most people realize.

Child trafficking is often thought of as a distant or rare issue — and one that mainly involves kidnapping across state or international borders. Recent student surveys tell a different story, showing that exploitation often occurs locally, without abduction, and more frequently than many people realize. Under the U.S. Trafficking Victims Protection Act, anyone under 18 who receives something of value in exchange for sex is a victim of sex trafficking. This definition is consistent with international law under the UN Palermo Protocol. In order to get a better estimate of the prevalence of child sex trafficking, some states have begun incorporating specific questions on trafficking into their state’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) – a national tool used by the CDC and administered by states and cities across the country.

1 in 71

Minnesota 9th and 11th graders reported experiencing commercial sexual exploitation.

In Minnesota, a youth survey asked: “Have you ever traded sex or sexual activity to receive money, food, drugs, alcohol, a place to stay, or anything else?” 71,007 students across Minnesota were surveyed and 1.4% had traded sex for something of value.

This survey didn’t include chronically absent students, and is thus seen as an underestimate.¹

1 in 14

D.C. high school students reported experiencing commercial sexual exploitation.

In D.C., a youth survey asked: “Have you ever been given money, a place to stay, food, or something else of value in exchange for sex?” 8,578 students across the District of Columbia were surveyed and 7.2% had traded sex for something of value. This survey didn’t include chronically absent students, and is thus seen as an underestimate.²

Clearer definitions and responsible research don’t create exploitation — they help us see what was already there. It’s then up to us to respond.

Estimating the prevalence of child sex trafficking is complex. Many widely cited figures are outdated, drawn from small or non-representative samples, or based on methods that have not been vetted by Institutional Review Boards, which ensure ethical standards for human subject research.

No data source is perfect. The findings shared here come from large, responsibly conducted research. While these studies are specific to certain regions and do not represent a national count, we believe they offer some of the most credible snapshots currently available of the scope of trafficking exploitation in the U.S. today.

To measure something, we must also be clear about what it is we’re measuring. These surveys asked young people whether they had ever been given money, housing, food, or something else of value in exchange for sex — a formulation that aligns with the federal definition of child sex trafficking. This lens moves beyond common stereotypes, recognizes forms of exploitation that often remain hidden, and provides us with meaningful data upon which we can build solutions. These numbers are not the whole story, but they are one window into it.

Although these forms of exploitation have long existed, widely adopted legal definitions and measurement tools are relatively recent—the U.S. Trafficking Victims Protection Act was enacted in 2000. Compared with fields that have decades of standardized data, anti-trafficking work is still building the evidence needed to guide effective solutions. That is why continued investment in strong data systems, research, and evaluation matters.