By SDCN Staff
San Diego, CA–San Diego Unified School District has updated reporting protocols and entered a new partnership with San Diego Youth Services that will expand support resources, enhance training and better protect students from falling victim to the dangers of human trafficking.
The district’s new coordinated and collaborative response model works with students who are vulnerable to being exploited. Students will have the ability to seek help and receive wrap-around support services from the school district and a multidisciplinary team of internal and external partners.
“Protecting students requires clear systems, consistent follow-through, and trust,” said Carlos Rodriguez, internal investigator for Investigations, Compliance and Accountability, San Diego Unified School District. “Our goal is to build a multidisciplinary anti-trafficking program of prevention, protection, and partnerships that will serve as a model for public school districts nationwide.”
Utilizing expertise and a trauma-informed approach, the human trafficking program aligns with the district’s student achievement goal to improve student wellness and are part of a broader effort to prevent harm, increase awareness, and ensure students and families know how to seek help and report concerns safely.
In 2021, California had 1,334 cases of human trafficking, of which 1,108 were female, and 1,023 were sex related, and 246 were minors according to the National Human Trafficking Hotline.
San Diego Unified’s Investigations, Compliance and Accountability aimed for these enhancements to be completed in January during National Human Trafficking Prevention Month. The enhancements that have been made are:
Updated Reporting Protocols: Make reporting clearer, more accessible, and more consistent across school sites with a form that can be easily accessed on the website. The information received will be assessed by an ICA expert in human trafficking that has the capacity to respond with empathy and resources. They are also collaborating and coordinating responses to reports with the San Diego Human Trafficking Taskforce to ensure that safety concerns are handled.
Staff Training Districtwide: Train staff starting in February to support consistent understanding and implementation of the updated protocols and information about the new Human Trafficking Prevention Program and website.
Community Town Halls: San Diego Unified and its partners will also host community town halls for students and families to share information, answer questions, and promote awareness of reporting options and available resources.
Refreshed Focus by San Diego Unified Police Department: Implemented a formalized written protocol, establishing clear and consistent procedures. Additionally, they have assigned a liaison officer with the San Diego County Human Trafficking Task Force.
New Partnership with San Diego Youth Services: To ensure students, families, and employees have immediate access to services and resources.
“When students know where to go and what will happen next, they are more likely to speak up,” said Alina Nguyen, Student Trustee on the San Diego Unified Board of Education. “Clear reporting options help students feel safer and remind us that our voices matter.”
“Prevention starts with awareness and trust,” said Ashley Ordaz, Student Trustee on the San Diego Unified Board of Education. “These updates make it easier for students to ask for help, for themselves or for a friend, without fear or confusion.”
Human Trafficking involves the recruitment, transportation or exploitation of a person for forced labor or commercial sex through force, fraud or coercion, or when a minor is involved. Local research underscores the scope of the issue: a 2023 study by the San Diego County Office of Education found the average age of entry into San Diego’s underground commercial sex economy is 16.
On January 13, San Diego Unified Board of Education formalized a partnership with San Diego Youth Services to provide students, families, and employees with immediate access to support services, advocacy, resources, and training. While San Diego Unified continues to collaborate with multiple community-based organizations, the memorandum of understanding with SDYS ensures a broad range of services are readily available and coordinated with district policies and protocols.
“Our staff members are ready to work side by side with San Diego Unified School District’s human trafficking prevention program to meet students where they are at,” said San Diego Youth Services CEO Jonathan Castillo. “Through our long-standing human trafficking awareness and recovery support services, our dedicated team brings decades of experience working with young people and families
The district encourages students and families to learn more about reporting options and available resources by visiting the new Human Trafficking Prevention Program website.
