What is social safety without food sustainability? Hunger makes children vulnerable to traffickers

“Has your child eaten today?” It’s a simple question with grave implications. When a grown man shows up at your door asking to see your teenage girl, your response would be like that of other parents. Have you realized that the same person is engaging with your child online? Research shows that 40% of kids online have been approached by strangers to “befriend and manipulate.” It is called social media grooming, which often leads to an in-person meeting and a risky offer. A child who skips meals is likely more vulnerable to responding to a predator offering "food and protection." In 2023, about 14 million children are food-insecure, while about 13.5% of U.S households with children are still struggling with food security. Children in this category are subject to the risk of falling into the hands of predators, online grooming and cyberbullying, and child trafficking. To answer the above question, policymakers should consider food sustainability in the communities before hunger becomes a daily gateway to child abuse.

Hunger can do more damage to your child

There has been a consistent connection between food insecurity and vulnerability to trafficking and sex exploitation.  When food support is provided to the communities, it often helps reduce child trafficking and sex for food. A hungry child at home can be at risk on social media. The U.S Department of Health and Human Services, Child Maltreatment Report 2023, shows food insecurity is a major, preventable component of poverty, caregiver disease, and other socioeconomic pressures that overlap with cases of abuse.

Food sustainability as a safety strategy

To protect children from easy prey, food sustainability should be considered not only an environmental measure but also a social technique to keep young lads away from human “hunters.” Every child deserves protection both physically and socially. Families should learn to plan their shopping, use a solar dehydrator to dry food, and freeze food for future use, thereby designing a system that ensures a sustainable food supply. Keeping the children away from predators would require an innovative and technology-driven approach from policymakers, parents, agencies, and NGOs. 

Doing the following can provide more food and social safety:

1. Boosting school feeding to reduce financial burden on the family: The government should provide student meals at every level of education, both during and after school.  Hunger can lead to rudeness, anger, and even sexual abuse among college students.

2. Education and advocacy: Teaching young adults about online grooming techniques, social media advocacy, cyberbullying, and how to report suspicious activities. 

3. Trust family and community: Teenagers must trust the system to support their basic needs, such as food and shelter 

4. Comprehensive child-assessment report: CPS and caseworker reports should incorporate food security into the child safety report, which will include access to nutritional food as part of standard practice in local food programs.

5. Creation of community storage hubs: Community food storage hubs can help preserve potential waste/loss. The storage would support cold storage and dehydrators that may be powered by solar energy in various communities. The system will ensure the extension of food lifespan and the preservation of nutritious food for insecure households.

In conclusion

The question, "Has your child eaten today?" serves as a call to action rather than a judgment, and it should be a concern for both parents and the government. It is all about how food insecurity would affect child welfare and community safety at large. Hunger often fuels desperation, which may attract traffickers and online child predators. To ensure that children in our communities are protected from abuse and public safety, there should be a plan for food sustainability for every community child. If the family system fails to secure nourished food, among other responsibilities, our children's safety may be traded for a bowl of meals.

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