San Diego supervisor proposes to expand anti-trafficking education in county schools

Standing in front of the San Diego County Administration Building on Friday, San Diego native Kileen Washington detailed her ordeal with human trafficking starting when she was 14 years old.

“I was stripped from my family. Sold across the country — over a dozen states in total — for over three and a half years,” she said

Washington said part of what led to her being exploited were misconceptions about human trafficking — that it happens in developing countries and that it doesn't happen here in the United States.

Washington said she's proof that it happens right here in our backyards. San Diego is among the 13 worst spots for human trafficking, according to the FBI.

A joint 2016 study by the University of San Diego and Point Loma Nazarene University shows that an estimated 8,000 people are victims of human trafficking each year, with the average of victims being 16 years old.

That's why on Tuesday, Supervisor Jim Desmond plans to introduce a proposal that would increase and enhance human trafficking awareness education in county schools.

Currently, the County Office of Education only provides anti-trafficking training to 7th and 8th grade students.

“We want to expand that. Out of 500,000 students — a half a million students — only a fraction are getting that education,” Desmond said. “Too few teachers and parents are aware of trafficking and child exploitation.”

The proposal would provide evidence-based training and educational materials across the county to parents, students, school staff and teachers. It would also look for opportunities for additional funding to support on campus human trafficking prevention programs.

Washington said there was a lack of education on how to identify and stand up to perpetrators who prey on young students like her.

“As we're talking, we have children who are constantly being trafficked,” she said. “We are faced with a decision when we start to understand what trafficking is and the impact that it has on our communities and our families and our children. And it's our job to protect them.”

Desmond said human trafficking isn't confined to one gender. About 50% of human trafficking victims are boys he said.

“The age of entry into sex trafficking for these young boys and girls is harrowing,” Desmond said. “It's between 11 and 13 years old.”

The county Board of Supervisors will take up the proposal at its 9 a.m. meeting Tuesday.