StolenYouth raises funds and builds awareness to prevent child sex trafficking, to connect victims with resources, and to empower survivors. Background and History Child trafficking is the human rights issue of our time. This problem occurs not only internationally, but also in our own backyard. To address the needs of our community’s commercially sexually exploited youth a group of Seattle women set out to understand the nature and full extent of this exploitation. We learned three critical facts: • At least 500 children, at a median age of 13, are sexually exploited in King County every year and this number is likely severely under reported. • There is a critical lack of awareness and understanding of domestic child trafficking in our community. • The Internet has made it easier for the criminals to traffic children and harder to detect and prosecute the perpetrators. Coalition Fighting Youth Trafficking StolenYouth is not a direct service provider, but a granting organization. Knowing that sex trafficking of youth is a deeply complex problem, our response must be just as multifaceted; addressing the issue from the inside out, as well as the outside in. The core of this new approach is an innovative collaboration that brings together the strengths of direct service, policy development, and the public sector. Our coalition is comprised of the following highlight effective local organizations: - YouthCare - The Center for Children & Youth Justice - Organization for Prostitution Survivors - Businesses Ending Slavery & Trafficking - Seattle Against Slavery With our funding and support, these organizations formed a collaborative coalition to support commercially sexually exploited youth by working together for sustainable and system-wide change in our community.