Funded by the NYS Office of Children and Family Services, the Genesee County Safe Harbour Program seeks to raise public awareness and educate human services and law enforcement professionals about the commercial sexual exploitation of children and child trafficking with the ultimate goal of identifying, responding to, and empowering youth with appropriate services and prevention education.
The commercial sexual exploitation of children is a global problem. Genesee County’s Safe Harbour Program works with partners across the County and surrounding areas to promote awareness of youth trafficking and identify and provide comprehensive services to potential victims of commercial sexual exploitation.
Genesee County Safe Harbour critical team provides case coordination and advocacy for commercially sexually exploited (CSE) youth. We can help youth access medical care, mental health counseling, financial assistance, emergency shelter and other basic living and safety needs.
Internet safety education is also available for youth and/or parents in need of education around social media, apps, grooming, and other tactics traffickers may use to target youth online.
Safe Harbour For Exploited Children Act (2008)
Defines a sexually exploited child as any person under 18 years of age who has been subject to sexual exploitation as a result of their loitering for the purposes of prostitution or their engagement in an offer to exchange sexual conduct in return for food, clothing, a place to stay, drugs, or a fee. Forms of commercial sexual exploitation of children can include images of sexual abuse (pornography), exotic dance or performance, cyber-enticement, sex tourism, and domestic minor sex trafficking. Safe Harbour law defines children who are involved in these crimes as victims, not perpetrators.
NYS Definition For Labor Trafficking
Compelling or inducing another to engage in labor, or recruiting, enticing, harboring or transporting another by providing drugs, with-holding or destroying government documents, debt servicing, force, or a plan or pattern of coercive conduct.
Safe Harbour Brochure
Safe Harbour Brochure