Report sheds light on gap in care for sexually exploited boys / Public News Service

Experts in the fight against child sexual exploitation say there is not enough awareness of young men being victims of sexual exploitation, and new research shows that many survivors in Minnesota are not getting the help they need to process their trauma.

A report by Protect All Children from Trafficking found that only 15 percent of sexually exploited boys sought specialized help, compared to 65 percent of girls.

Lori Cohen, CEO of the group, said the number of trafficking cases among girls is higher, but added that boys still need an appropriate level of aftercare. She explained that this starts with how key figures in the community are trained to recognize these cases.

“The tendency is still to look for and identify this in girls, but not in boys,” Cohen stressed.

The report found that in addition to systemic barriers, there are male stereotypes that make men feel ashamed when they disclose that they have been sexually exploited. Cohen acknowledged that Minnesota is a leader in child protection, but the authors said the uneven implementation of the state’s Safe Harbor law criminalizes boys who are victims of sexual exploitation rather than supporting them.

Cohen stressed that classroom disruption can be a warning sign in a school environment, but he believes boys are often treated differently when they have behavioral problems.

“A boy might be seen as having behavioral problems in school,” Cohen noted. “Instead of having access to the services that a girl who has behavioral problems in school might get – a social worker, a guidance counselor – boys are more likely to be punished.”

She added that if expulsion occurred, the boys could face housing difficulties and be at greater risk of exploitation.

Researchers said safe, stable housing is an essential prevention tool but must include comprehensive services such as mental health care and job training. Although the report examined data from Minnesota, Cohen believes the findings resonate globally.

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The motorsports season is in full swing and in 1991 two racing fans from Indianapolis founded an organization to teach kids more than just speed.

The nonprofit organization NXG Youth Motorsports was founded by racing enthusiasts Rodney Reid and Charles Wilson. The pair purchased go-karts for children to race in order to introduce them to the popular sport.

Reid said it is behind the wheel and under the hood that young people learn their decision-making skills, conscientious driving habits and knowledge of race cars.

“It wasn’t just about letting the kids drive go-karts,” Reid explained. “The go-kart was used as a vehicle to teach three things. First, life skills; second, the application of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, applied arts and mathematics) and STEM; and third, insights into careers in motorsports.”

Sixty percent of NXG program graduates pursue post-secondary education. Reid emphasized that there are plans for a multimillion-dollar science, applied arts and technical education center on Indianapolis’ west side. According to the website Businesequityindy.com, only 12% of all black college graduates earned STEM degrees in 2019-2020.

Some strides have been made to increase diversity on and off the track, but progress has been slow. No black driver has qualified for the Indy 500 since 2002. The website Zippia.com showed that only 9% of race car mechanics are black, nearly 18% are Hispanic and 5% are female.

Reid recounted experiences he and Wilson had when registering cars for competitions at various race tracks.

“We faced racism at every turn,” Reid recalls. “When we would come to a racetrack and try to sign up, people would say, ‘You can’t sign up here,’ because all the janitors and maintenance people are in another building. They thought we were trying to sign up for a job.”

As president of the Force Indy racing team, Reid has seen some improvements in the industry’s acceptance of people of color and women. There are currently four black men filling seats in the NASCAR series, although diversity in the industry’s fan base remains low. According to Racer.com, 86% of spectators at racing competitions are white and 7% are black.

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This weekend, representatives from the construction and design industries will gather to introduce their professions to the youth of Minnesota.

Organizers hope to build a pool of future industry leaders, including those from underserved communities.

In Minnesota, the vacancy rate in the construction industry is almost 4%.

While this figure is not as high as in other sectors, officials say they are still trying to overcome long-standing challenges to attract more young people to the field.

Brian Kelley, founder and director of the Young Builders and Designers Program, believes that as teens think about their future, it’s worth educating them about in-demand, steady-income careers like plumbing and electrician.

“These are jobs that will always be needed,” Kelley said. “There is work there, there is work in these environments.”

Kelley said that while these jobs may not seem glamorous, by making these connections, young people are discovering skills they may not have known they had.

His program is hosting a convention this Saturday afternoon at Kenny Elementary School in South Minneapolis.

Partner organizations will enable up to 100 youth from low-income families to participate so they can learn about opportunities that can help them overcome economic inequalities.

For disadvantaged youth who may not have the opportunity to go to college, a career in the skilled trades can make a huge difference when entering the workforce, Kelley said.

“If a young person is 18 or 19 years old and is looking for a job that pays $25 or $30 an hour,” Kelley says, “that’s the difference between renting an apartment and owning a home.”

The Young Builders and Designers Program focuses on career orientation and entrepreneurship through its outreach efforts.

Kelley said the workshops will not only teach children about construction tools, but will also introduce them to design, architecture and engineering.

He added that they incorporate cultural and historical information to shape the mindsets of children considering these careers.

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A girl born in Hungary who grew up in Terre Haute is reminding Indiana residents that they are the only ones who control their destiny – by sharing her inspiring story on International Women’s Day.

Long before Cheyenne Stewart really hit her stride at school, she felt alone, bullied and shy.

She wasn’t alone. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from 2021 showed that 57% of teenage girls in the U.S. reported feeling sad or hopeless all the time.

However, Stewart found her place in life – and, more importantly, she found her voice – when she joined her high school’s Key Club.

“I started to get used to feeling like a lone wolf, doing everything on my own,” Stewart said. “Key Club was really the first safe haven I experienced that took me beyond the school day to something much bigger.”

Stewart found refuge at the Key Club, a student-run nonprofit organization.

Her rise from new member to director of operations at over 100 Key Clubs in Indiana and embodying the spirit of International Women’s Day had quickly become a success.

Stewart experienced firsthand the transformative power of community and resilience when she was one of 13 students elected to the Key Club’s international board of trustees.

“Twelve of us were women, selected from about 2,000 people at the international meeting,” Stewart said. “It’s a testament to how influential women can be from an international perspective.”

Stewart’s impact extends far beyond her leadership roles. She helped launch a program to emphasize the importance of intergenerational connections by pairing Key Club students with older adults in Terre Haute.

A program that continues to this day.

Stewart is currently a sophomore at the University of Notre Dame, where she continues to emphasize the importance of finding like-minded people and recognizing leadership potential.

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