C. Risk Factors and Indicators
Children and youth who run away or experience foster care are at a higher risk of commercial sexual exploitation.[276] According to the Office of the Texas Attorney General, potential indicators (or “red flags”) that a child may be a trafficking victim include:
• Changes in school attendance, habits, friend groups, vocabulary, demeanor, and attitude;
• Sudden appearance of luxury items — e.g., manicures, designer clothes, purses;
• Truancy (absence) from school;
• Sexually provocative clothing;
• Tattoos or branding;
• Refillable gift cards;
• Multiple phones or social media accounts;
• Lying about the existence of social media accounts;
• Provocative pictures posted online or stored on the phone;
• Unexplained injuries;
• Social interaction and schedule being strictly controlled by someone else; and/or
• Isolation from family, friends, and community.[277]
Special Issue: The availability of the internet means trafficking can happen anywhere. Traffickers often use the web to recruit and exploit child victims. Teaching youth in foster care about internet safety is a critical part of any effort to prevent and address human trafficking.