It’s Not the White Van: Debunking Child-Trafficking Myths with Erin Williamson

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In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Erin Williamson, a national expert on child trafficking and a leader at Love146, an organization dedicated to ending child trafficking and caring for its survivors.

We dive deep into what child trafficking really is—both labor and sex trafficking—and explore its prevalence, evolving risk factors, and the role social media plays in recruitment. Erin breaks down how traffickers often target children, sometimes people they know, and how some do it through the internet. She shares eye-opening examples and challenges some of the most persistent myths we’ve seen in media, pop culture, and even online activism.

We also explore:

• What makes a child more vulnerable to trafficking?
• Is child trafficking really increasing?
• Are "rescue missions" always the best path to freedom, or can they sometimes do harm?
• Why the idea that traffickers lurk in white vans is outdated and unhelpful.
• And why it’s not just girls who are trafficked for sex.

Erin also explains what Love146 actually does—why the name “Love146” matters—and offers practical, evidence-based tips for parents who want to protect their kids in a digital world. Finally, we talk public health and policy: What needs to change at the systems level to better prevent trafficking in the first place?

Erin is the Chief Programs & Strategy Officer at Love146, where she leads efforts to prevent child trafficking and exploitation. With over 20 years of experience in social services and child protection, Erin has developed trauma-informed programs that have reached thousands of vulnerable youth across the U.S. She is also a parent, advocate, and expert in human trafficking prevention and survivor care.

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