A supportive adult may be the difference in homeless youth not being trafficked

To explore the factors that differentiate trafficked homeless youth from not-trafficked homeless youth. From November 2015–February 2017, homeless youth served by Covenant House New Jersey, aged 18–22, received a trafficking assessment. Youth were stratified based upon trafficking experience, and their responses to demographic and social history questions were examined for association with trafficking occurrence. Of 344 participants, 9.6% had a trafficking experience. Having an Individualized Education Program/504 plan was, for the first time in anti-trafficking literature, associated with a trafficking experience in bivariable analysis. IEP/504 plans are developed for school-aged children whose ability to succeed in traditional educational formats is challenged by learning, social, or functional problems. In the multivariable analysis, a history of arrest was associated with being trafficked while the presence of a supportive adult was associated with not being trafficked. Gender was not associated with a trafficking experience. This study is the largest to specifically assess homeless youth's demographic and social variables for association with trafficking experience. Homeless youth who are and are not trafficked share similar life experiences, but those with a supportive adult in their life had lower odds of being trafficked. Building upon our research, future investigations exploring order of occurrence will elucidate the risk factors for and protective factors against trafficking among homeless youth, contributing to evidence-based prevention efforts. •A history of having an IEP/504 plan as a new factor that may be related to homeless youth experiencing trafficking.•The presence of a supportive adult in the life of homeless youth appears protective against a trafficking experience.•Gender was not associated with a trafficking experience among homeless youth interviewed.