When people hear the words human trafficking, many picture girls being targeted and exploited. But boys are victims too, and far too often, their experiences go unseen and unheard. Traffickers don’t care about gender; they care about vulnerability. As parents, caregivers, and educators, it’s critical to help all children recognize online risks, set boundaries, and feel safe speaking up when something doesn’t feel right.
Online grooming can happen to anyone. Research highlighted in The Guardian found that while most perpetrators are men, victims include both boys and girls in similar numbers. That’s significant because many boys feel pressure not to show fear or weakness, making them less likely to recognize or report grooming behavior.
A recent study by Childlight estimates that about 830,000 young people across the globe face daily risks of exploitation through social media, messaging apps, and online gaming platforms. These digital spaces are part of their everyday lives, which makes the harm harder to recognize and even harder to escape. Offenders often use anonymity, pressure, or manipulation to isolate their victims, blurring the line between what feels normal and what is actually dangerous.
What makes the situation even more alarming is how many young people keep these experiences to themselves. They often stay silent because they feel afraid, ashamed, or confused about what’s happening. Some worry they’ll get in trouble. Others fear they won’t be believed or don’t know where to turn for help. This silence leaves them more vulnerable and gives offenders more room to operate.

The Digital Playground Isn’t Always Safe

Platforms like Roblox, TikTok, Snapchat, and even games marketed as “kid-friendly” can expose children to predators posing as peers. In some cases, researchers found strangers could contact avatars designed to look like five-year-olds and ask for personal information such as usernames or social media handles.
During the pandemic, online recruitment by traffickers increased sharply, by as much as 22%. Traffickers exploit loneliness, curiosity, and the desire for friendship or validation. The goal is always the same: gain trust, then control.

What Parents and Guardians Can Do

1. Talk Early and Keep Talking
Start young, using simple terms. Instead of “strangers,” introduce the idea of “tricky people”—those who may seem friendly but make children feel uncomfortable or ask for secrets. As kids get older, discuss manipulation, online relationships, and how predators use flattery or gifts to gain trust. The FBI stresses that these talks should be ongoing and include learning about the apps your kids use.

2. Teach Red Flags
Help your child recognize warning signs, such as someone asking too many personal questions, offering gifts, or trying to move chats to private messages. Explain that secrecy is a major red flag—anyone who says “don’t tell your parents” is someone to avoid.

3. Set Boundaries Together
Create a simple tech agreement outlining rules for apps, chats, and online privacy. Let your child help make the rules, it builds ownership and understanding. Encourage them to block or ignore unknown contacts and check with you before sharing information.

4. Develop Openness
Make it clear that they can come to you with anything, no blame, no shame. Reinforce that speaking up is the rule, not the exception. The Department of Justice advises parents to remind children to only communicate online with people they actually know and to block anyone who makes them uncomfortable.

5. Build a Trusted Circle
Encourage your child to identify more than one safe adult they can go to if something feels off. As one survivor shared through the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, “Having just one person to call could have saved my life.”

6. Use Education Programs
Education programs give kids practical tools to stay safe online. Resources like NetSmartz, 3Strands Global Foundation, and Love146 offer age-appropriate lessons on boundaries, manipulation, and recognizing unsafe situations. When these programs are used regularly, kids are more confident speaking up and protecting themselves.

7. Learn About Sextortion

This growing form of exploitation often targets boys. Offenders pressure or trick victims into sharing images, then threaten to expose them unless they comply with more demands. This growing form of exploitation disproportionately targets boys in the U.S., criminals pressure or trick them into sharing intimate images, then threaten to expose those images unless they submit to more demands. According to a Thorn/NCMEC report, around 90 percent of financial sextortion victims between 14 and 17 are male.

Tools Help, but Trust Protects

Parental controls, monitoring apps, and strong privacy settings can add helpful layers of protection. Tools like Bark let parents watch for harmful messages and block unknown contacts. Even so, the most effective safeguard is a trusting relationship, because technology can support safety, but honest conversations and steady awareness are what truly make the difference.

In Summary

Boys face trafficking and grooming risks just like girls.
The digital world evolves faster than most parents can keep up, but open dialogue bridges the gap.
Encourage kids to speak up, even if they feel embarrassed or unsure.
Equip them with knowledge about boundaries, privacy, and online behavior.
Stay involved—not just digitally, but emotionally and socially.

Children don’t need perfect technology. They need consistent trust. And that starts with parents who listen, believe, and stay connected. ❦

About the Author

Joe Ramos is a cross-sector executive whose work spans child protection, public safety, financial crime prevention, and nonprofit leadership. A graduate of Saint Mary’s University, he previously served as a Bank Secrecy Act Officer, advising executive teams and Boards on anti–money laundering strategy, fraud prevention, and financial crime investigations. His time in the financial sector strengthened collaborations with federal and local law enforcement working to combat human trafficking, elder exploitation, and organized crime.
Joe began his career in child welfare, where he led the Sexual Abuse Unit at Child Protective Services and served as the Military Liaison for the San Antonio region. He later founded Aspire Case Management, a state-endorsed program that supports homeless pregnant women facing substance use disorders. He has since become a recognized speaker on human trafficking, elder financial exploitation, and child safety.
Joe is a former member of the Board of Directors for Child Advocates San Antonio and continues to support the organization through its Advisory Board. He now serves as the Chief Strategic Officer at Guided Reach Solutions, overseeing the Guided Safety Division. Guided Safety is a trauma-informed platform that provides secure and discreet communication for survivors of human trafficking and domestic violence, connecting them with advocates and law enforcement during critical moments. Joe’s purpose is to stand with those who cannot speak for themselves and ensure their voices are heard.

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