Every parent wants to believe that their child is safe. But the hard truth is that sex trafficking of minors doesn't just happen in faraway cities or hidden corners of the internet—it happens right here in the suburbs and all five boroughs. In our neighborhoods, our schools, our shopping centers and on our main streets. This is not alarmism; this is reality. And this requires our collective action.
We have seen this crisis from both sides – law enforcement and direct services. Law enforcement has investigated and disrupted human trafficking operations on Long Island. Our experience with FBI, Suffolk County Police Departmentand inside EAC Network revealed a chilling truth: while drugs and guns can only be sold once, people can be sold over and over again.
The creation of Suffolk County's first dedicated human trafficking unit marked a turning point—a shift toward treating survivors not as criminals, but as victims in need of safety, support, and compassion. Together, the EAC network and law enforcement created a model program that connects survivors with trusted social workers and critical services, helping victims heal and holding traffickers accountable.
It's time for all of us to join the fight and understand what human trafficking is and how to stay safe. Human trafficking thrives in silence; awareness is our first line of defense.
At every training we hold on Long Island, participants are amazed to learn how prevalent human trafficking is right here in our communities. But here it is. And education—of our children, neighbors, students, patients, teachers, coaches, and colleagues—is how we build a powerful defense against the traffickers who prey on vulnerable people.
Last year, the EAC network reached nearly 5,000 local students through workshops on human trafficking, online safety and healthy relationships, and trained hundreds of parents, teachers and faith leaders to recognize warning signs.
Vulnerability can take many forms. From college students out of home for the first time or under financial pressure, to young people in unstable homes or online without guidance, traffickers know how to exploit vulnerabilities in our systems. This isn't about strangers kidnapping children from dark alleys.
Most sex trafficking in the United States does not involve stranger kidnapping. Most often, children are lured and groomed by someone they know—often through social media or gaming platforms, where traffickers can build trust over time and precisely manipulate emotions.
Some still believe that human trafficking is a “big city problem.” In fact, everything is completely different – and much more dangerous. Everywhere, the same tactics are used as in urban centers: grooming on the Internet, talking to children in shopping centers or at bus stops, and exploiting self-doubt. Just as the opioid crisis has proven that addiction doesn't stop at city limits, neither do human trafficking networks.
At the EAC Network, we provide trauma-informed care, mentoring, safety planning, bilingual support, transportation, and most importantly, trusted adult relationships that help youth regain confidence and learn what healthy relationships look like.
In 2024 we received 118 referrals and served 191 local young people. Since 2014, our Safe Harbor program has supported over 840 young people across Suffolk – children who might otherwise be left behind. However, even these numbers tell only part of the story: human trafficking is chronically underreported. Victims are often afraid to come forward or remain undetected by adults who miss warning signs.
We are also seeing worrying trends: more cases, more warning signs and more children at risk. Traffickers are increasingly using social media, gaming platforms, encrypted messages, artificial intelligence and cryptocurrencies to recruit victims and evade detection. Combating these evolving tactics requires greater awareness, deeper collaboration, and greater investment in prevention and education.
Protecting children from exploitation is a shared responsibility. Every parent, teacher, coach, elected official, and caring adult has a role to play—by learning the signs, having difficult conversations, and supporting the organizations doing this work on the ground.
Sex trafficking of minors is one of the darkest problems we face. But with open eyes, strong partnerships and shared resolve, we can—and must—face this together.
These are our children. And it is our responsibility to protect them.
Mukherjee Lokel is the President and CEO of the EAC Network. Hart is associate vice president for public safety and community engagement at Hofstra University and former Suffolk County Police Commissioner and former Senior Supervising Resident Agent for the FBI's Long Island Field Office.
