Understand the Issues
13,300
unaccompanied youth experience homelessness each year in Minnesota
Causes of youth homelessness
Many youth are experiencing homelessness due to physical and/or sexual abuse; neglect, severe conflict or instability in their families due to mental health and/or substance abuse issues or a family not being accepting of a young person’s sexual orientation or gender identify.
For other youth, homelessness may be caused by poverty, their family being evicted from housing, or aging out of a child welfare placement such as foster care.
What it is like for youth on the streets
1 in 5
youth experiencing homelessness also become victims of sexual exploitation
24%
of youth report having been attacked or beaten while experiencing homelessness
Disparities Among Youth Experiencing Homelessness
1 in 4
youth experiencing homelessness identify as LGBTQIA+
Many LGBTQIA+ youth experiencing homelessness report being kicked out or disowned due to their sexual orientation or gender identity.
35%
of youth experiencing homelessness identify as Black compared to 9% of the state population
Historic and current systems of oppression like redlining and discriminatory lending practices have limited upward mobility in BIPOC communities. BIPOC youth are also more likely to be criminalized and experience mental and chemical health barriers that make it difficult to access and maintain employment and housing.
1 in 5
youth in the foster care system become homeless when they turn 18
Most youth in the foster care system have experienced significant trauma from abuse, neglect, or losing parents. The long-term impacts of this trauma include mental health issues and justice system entanglement – both of which make it hard to access and maintain employment and housing.
“There were so many times I thought I couldn’t take it another day – I was so tired and had no hope in finding a place to stay, let alone my own apartment.”
5,000
high school students in Minnesota report having exchanged sex for something of value – and this is considered a significant undercount
What is sexual exploitation?
Sexual exploitation is when a youth exchanges sex or a sexual act for money, drugs, a place to sleep, food or anything else of value.
Sex trafficking is any sexual exploitation that involves a third party.
While it is important to understand these definitions, most youth don’t use this language to describe their experiences. Youth are more likely to describe their situation as being in the “life” or “the game”.
Who are victims of sexual exploitation?
13 years old
is the average age of becoming a victim of sex trafficking
85%
of youth sex trafficking victims in the Minneapolis area identify as BIPOC
Myth:
Sex traffickers kidnap their victims or take them by force. Click here to see the Reality.
Reality:
Most sex traffickers engage in “grooming” or work to build trust with vulnerable youth to manipulate them into sexual exploitation. Click here to see the Myth.
Myth:
Most youth are trafficked by strangers. Click here to see the Reality.
Reality:
Youth are more likely to be trafficked by people they know – including romantic partners and family members. Click here to see the Myth.
Myth:
Most victims of sex trafficking are girls. Click here to see the Reality.
Reality:
Boys and girls experience sexual exploitation and trafficking at similar rates in Minnesota. Click here to see the Myth.
Myth:
Sex trafficking only happens in big cities. Click here to see the Reality.
Reality:
Youth sex trafficking happens in the inner city, suburbs, and rural areas. Click here to see the Myth.
Youth Most Vulnerable to Sexual Exploitation
1 in 5
youth experiencing homelessness will also experience sexual exploitation
Often youth experiencing homelessness are forced to exchange sex for a place to sleep or to get their basic needs met. The Link works to prevent sexual exploitation and support victims through a continuum of services, support, emergency shelter and housing programs that are specifically designed by and for youth who have been sex trafficked.
60%
of youth sex trafficking victims are or have been in the foster care system
Youth with experience in the foster care system often lack familial support and protection. Traffickers prey on this vulnerability by offering youth a sense of security and belonging.
1 in 10
of all youth who reported experiencing sexual exploitation also reported spending time in a juvenile correctional facility
Too often, youth are criminalized for behaviors rooted in trauma – like selling or using drugs – instead of being identified as victims and offered services. At the same time, youth with criminal records face higher barriers to housing and stability, making them more vulnerable to exploitation to get their basic needs met.
“I started at age 14 because I was kicked out of the house and homeless and was friends with a female pimp who said she could show me an easy way to make money.”
10,000
minor youth are arrested in Minnesota each year – with Black youth 7.4x more likely to be sent to detention than their white peers
Causes of juvenile justice system involvement
Youth engaging in criminal activity are usually doing so in response to underlying issues like:
- Family poverty. Young people may be forced to engage in criminal activity in order to meet their family’s basic needs for food and shelter.
- Abuse. Youth who are experiencing abuse at home are more likely to experience mental health and substance abuse disorders, engage in risky behaviors rooted in trauma, or seek a sense of belonging through gang involvement.
- School to Prison Pipeline. Youth who are suspended or expelled from school are less likely to graduate and more likely to become involved in the juvenile justice system because they lack the education, career development opportunities and support to pursue healthier choices.
- Mental Health. Mental and chemical health challenges can manifest as delinquent or anti-social behaviors. Histories of trauma also contribute to increased mental and chemical health diagnoses among youth.
The Link knows young people involved in the juvenile justice system are not “bad kids”. Instead, these are youth who lack the resources and opportunities that every young person needs to be safe and healthy in adolescence.
History of trauma increases risk of involvement in juvenile justice system
84%
of incarcerated girls report experiencing family violence
1 in 2
justice system involved youth have witnessed someone being shot
62%
of homeless youth report being arrested at some point in their lives
Disparities Among Systems Involved Youth
41%
of youth expelled from school in Minnesota identify as Black (v. 11% of the student population)
When youth are expelled from school, they are taken out of safe environments where they have access to food, safety, and trusted adult relationships. Without these protective factors, youth are more likely to engage in criminal activity.
1 in 18
Black women will be incarcerated in their lifetime (compared to 1 in 56 white women)
Data shows that due to racism and oppression, adults perceive Black girls as more “adult-like” and “less innocent” than their white peers, especially between the ages of 5-14 years old. This adultification results in Black girls and young women experiencing more punitive discipline in schools, harsher treatment by law enforcement, and fewer opportunities for leadership and mentorship.
Black youth are 9x
more likely than white youth to receive an adult prison sentence for the same crime
Latino youth are also 4x more likely than their white peers to be sentenced as adults. This inequity translates into longer sentences, increased exposure to trauma, and criminal records that make it difficult to access employment and housing.
“It’s great that [The Link] works with you if you mess up, if you need another chance. Before I wanted to just get it over with and be done with probation, but now I want to do it for me.”