News

Published on the SAFE Center website | November 10, 2025

Human trafficking prevention starts with youth empowerment. The SAFE Center’s youth engagement initiatives bring together social, legal, and mental health professionals to equip youth and their families with tools to recognize risk factors, strengthen healthy relationships, and prevent human trafficking and dating violence.

Since our founding nearly 10 years ago, more than 40% of the SAFE Center’s clients have been under age 25. Many have experienced instability and have been involved with the juvenile justice systems. Our human trafficking prevention work helps youth develop resilience, build healthy coping skills, and reconnect with supportive networks—all essential components of long-term safety.

Strengthening Families

This summer, the SAFE Center incorporated into our programming the Strengthening Families training program, an evidence-based families skills training geared towards parents, caregivers, and youth ages 10 to 14. Our staff was trained and certified by the Prince George’s County Health Department to facilitate the program.

Over the span of seven weeks families gathered to explore topics like stress management, resisting peer pressure, and goal setting for youth, as well as tools for effective communication, especially in difficult conversations, for caregivers.

Partnering with Schools to Prevent Exploitation

In partnership with a Montgomery County high school, we piloted the My Life My Choice curriculum, a nationally recognized evidence-based prevention program that helps increase youth awareness of exploitation risks. Specifically geared for girls, the curriculum helps them to strengthen self-esteem, decision making skills, abilities to recognize manipulation tactics, and understandings of healthy relationships. By embedding these initiatives into schools, we are creating lasting systems of awareness and prevention that extend beyond the classroom.

This work supplements our human trafficking prevention programming in 15 schools across Prince George’s and Montgomery Counties. Our workshops reach students, parents, and educators with education on identifying trafficking indicators and dating violence and supporting youth mental health.

Leadership and Confidence at the Girls’ Leadership Retreat

In August, more than 60 middle and high school students joined our second annual Girls Leadership Retreat at the University of Maryland, College Park. Through interactive sessions on career development, online safety, and boundary setting, participants gained practical tools to strengthen their wellbeing and reduce vulnerability to trafficking and violence.

A survivor leader delivered the keynote address, encouraging attendees to pursue their goals, both personally and professionally. She helped the girls learn what human trafficking can look like based on her own experience and her experience working with other survivors. This retreat is part of our broader effort to reduce vulnerability by helping youth see their own potential and agency.