What’s the Value of a Black Girl? – How Racism and Systemic Oppression Increase Black Girls Vulnerability to Sexual Exploitation & Sex Trafficking

What’s the Value of a Black Girl? – How Racism and Systemic Oppression Increase Black Girls Vulnerability to Sexual Exploitation & Sex Trafficking is organized by CE You! Plus! and will be held on Jan 26, 2027.

Description:
Human trafficking is a crime that preys on vulnerabilities and although it cuts across age, ethnicity, race and socioeconomic status, Black girls have an increased vulnerability to sexual exploitation as a result of racism and systematic oppression. Although Black women and girls make up 13% of the US population, they represent 40% of sex trafficking victims and account for 51% of prostitution arrests. Black girls are oversexualized, dehumanized and often treated as criminals rather than being allowed to exist in environments which provide hope and healing.

We each have a shared responsibility to combat human trafficking. In order to prevent trafficking and work to create environments for survivors to thrive, we must address the root causes of trafficking.

Through the use of personal testimony, video clips, and group dialogue, the presenter will lead the audience in exploring the experiences of trafficking and sexual exploitation for Black girls and explore the racial roots that contribute to the dehumanization and sexualization of Black girls. Participants will recognize how systematic oppression increases vulnerability to the push/pull factors of human trafficking and evaluate the use of trauma and survivor informed approaches in order to avoid re-traumatization and build resilience.

Learning Objectives:

• Analyze the intersectionality of human trafficking, racism, and sexism, and how these factors collectively impact Black girls in the U.S.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of current anti-trafficking efforts and identify biases within these systems that may hinder support for Black girls.
• Critique the role of power, privilege, and positionality in perpetuating human trafficking.
• Propose actionable steps to shift power dynamics and support survivors.