Young men, women, and children are bought and sold in the dark corners of the internet. There is a new push to educate people about the warning signs and to stop human trafficking.
As a teen, Tina Frundt was the victim of sex trafficking and now fights to help victims in the District through her nonprofit, Courtney's House.
“My situation happens,” Frundt said. “Kids, they're running to someone. We don't know.”
Frundt was on a panel of experts and advocates at the Kennedy Recreation Center in northwest D.C, talking about the growing problem of child sex trafficking. D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine said every three minutes, a child is sex trafficked, and more and more boys are becoming victims
The issue took center stage in D.C. when police began posting every missing child case on social media. According to police, 818 juveniles have been reported missing in the District so far this year .
Fifteen of those cases are still open. Police said there's no evidence that a large number were trafficked but the longer they stay missing, the more vulnerable they are to human trafficking.
Experts said running away, skipping school and possessing cellphones they didn't buy are some signs for parents.
