Recommendations for Social Service Agencies’ Response to Peer Recruitment Amongst Commercially Sexually Exploited Youth

Peer recruitment is a common way that youth enter into the commercial sex industry. Exploiters intentionally use commercially sexually exploited children (CSEC) to recruit their peers as CSEC identified youth have easy access to their peers and can gain their peers’ trust easily. Peer recruitment is rampant anywhere large numbers of youth congregate such as assessment centers, group homes, schools, etc. 
Although the focus for the past several years has been on female involved in CSEC, it is important to note that peer recruitment can occur with girls, boys, and transgender youth.  

CSEC identified youth recruit youth for a variety of reasons and it is essential that providers DO NOT assume they know why youth are recruiting other youth. When we assume we know the reason a CSEC identified youth is recruiting another youth it limits our ability to understand the situation from a trauma-informed perspective.

Reasons CSEC victims recruit youth can include but are not limited to:

• Under threat by the exploiter
• Genuinely thinks that involvement is CSEC is a better option for the youth
• To gain status such as becoming the “bottom”
• To lower their quota 

​Too often providers assume that CSEC victims are maliciously recruiting their peers. Rather than assuming you know why a youth is recruiting another youth, it is better to approach the youth suspected of peer recruitment with a sense of curiosity to better understand the larger context to the situation. The better understanding you have, the better you will be able to develop a plan of action.

What are signs that a CSEC identified youth is recruiting his/her peers?

Signs of CSEC recruitment can include but are not limited to:

• A youth quickly befriending another youth
• A youth forcing another youth to talk on the phone to her “boyfriend”
• A youth who glamorizes the commercial sex industry to another youth
• A youth who appears domineering in the relationship with another youth
• A youth who talks to another youth about ways to make “fast money” or knowing a way they could have more freedom
• A youth is befriending another youth who is significantly younger/older than he/she is

What can you do when there is a suspicion of CSEC recruitment?

When there is suspicion of peer recruitment occurring, it is essential to take a team approach and interact with the youth from a trauma-informed and attachment centered approach. Providers can do the following:

• Separate the youth who is suspected of recruiting from other youth to ensure the safety of all youth while the treatment team develops a plan of action
• Talk with the youth who is suspected of recruiting to gain a better understanding of the situation 
• Assess the risk the suspected recruiter has on the safety of all youth at the agency, which can be done by interviewing all youth involved and staff who were present
• Determine whether or not it is safe for the suspected recruiter to remain at the agency, and if so, what type of individualized programming will be needed to ensure all of the youths’ safety
• Provide CSEC prevention education to all youth

How can you prevent CSEC recruitment?

Agencies can prevent CSEC recruitment by:

• Train all staff on an overview of CSEC, warning signs of involvement in CSEC, warning signs of CSEC recruitment, agency policy on peer recruitment
• Provide trauma-informed trainings to staff so they understand that a CSEC recruiter is also a victim
• Talk with staff about peer recruitment and how they have managed recruitment with other behaviors 
• Update policies and procedures to address CSEC recruitment so that everyone is on the same page of how to handle peer recruitment when it happens
• Provide CSEC prevention education to all youth 
• Provide large group discussions with youth about peer pressure, bullying, and related topics
• Increase engagement with all youth, particularly focusing on initial engagement within the first 72 hours
• Intentionally interact with CSEC victims and talk with them about things other than CSEC
• Provide trauma-informed and youth-driven programming