FBI Report: San Francisco Bay Area # 1 in Nation for Sexually Exploited Youth

According to the FBI, 98% of the sexually exploited youth in the Bay Area were involved with the child welfare system. Unfortunately, as Robert and Kathleen Raskin will show you, stories like these may make the front page of a local newspaper but are often not even on the ticker tape of national news. We’re here to keep everyone informed of this national crisis.

A 2017 report from 22 agencies in charge of helping the survivors of sex trafficking states that housing and shelter are among the top service gaps for kids between 10 and 17. The current problem includes a shortage of beds in existing facilities, a shortage of support services and residential care at shelters, and restrictive policies that prevent youth from returning to shelters once they’ve left.

The problem is further exacerbated by a lack of adults willing and able to care for these kids, either cause they don’t want to, or they lack the credentials, including knowledge, training, and skills, to help children who’ve experienced complex trauma.

For years, this has been a steadily growing problem, but COVID has created an enormous setback. This is an uphill battle with the highest rents in the country, a high cost of living, and many people unable to live with a job, work with a home, or afford their homes without roommates.

Meanwhile, in SF, a family-based program seeking out foster parents called Family and Me has been created to address the problem. If you or someone you know is interested in becoming a caregiver, please visit https://joinfam.org/

Click here to see the original news article: https://www.ktvu.com/news/san-francisco-groups-seek-foster-care-parents-for-exploited-youth