In addition to screenings completed in Lighthouse, we aggregate data from WestCoast Children's Clinic, Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD), and Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS).
Texas Juvenile Justice Department screenings are widespread, as juvenile justice agencies are often the only screening organization in less populated communities.
Screenings from Child Advocacy Centers (CACs) and Commercially Sexually Exploited Youth (CSEY) Advocates have also increased significantly with the adoption of Lighthouse.
The majority of screenings are of youth ages 12-17 (118,662; 87.7%).
For clear concern screenings, the most prevalent indicators include involvement in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems, unstable housing and caregiving (running away, homeless, missing school, etc.), history of abuse, self-destructive behaviors, and unhealthy relationships.
For all screenings, the most prevalent indicators include involvement in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems, sexual abuse, school attendance, and self-destructive behaviors.
Data on IMBs, obtained from The Network for 2016-2023, reflects where trafficking may be more likely to occur in a community. These are businesses listed as open and erotic on the Rubmaps website, and includes a preliminary analysis of the IMBs based upon sex buyer reviews.
Major urban areas have the largest volume of Illicit Massage Businesses led by Houston, San Antonio, and Austin.
Major urban areas have the most volume, but some smaller cities and counties have more businesses per capita. Midland and Odessa, which don’t appear in the top five locations overall, have more illicit businesses per capita than larger cities. Combined with a high population of male workers, and fewer resources and screenings, this suggests a higher risk for trafficking.
Situation data from the National Human Trafficking Hotline (NHTH), obtained from Polaris, demonstrates where individuals are reaching out with tips or requesting support.
A 'situation of trafficking' is defined as a unique situation, report, or request for resources that originated as an incoming activity (call, email, text, webchat, or online report) to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, and may include multiple activities.
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There were 127 federal human trafficking cases with Texas locations from 2001-2020, including offenses related to minor sex trafficking, adult sex trafficking, and labor trafficking.
Lighthouse is a powerful, secure, cloud-based technology platform. Organizations working with vulnerable populations use Lighthouse to screen for sex trafficking and improve client care. Statewide agencies, like Governors and Attorney Generals Offices, use Lighthouse to see aggregated statewide data in one dashboard to see hotspots, evaluate strategies, and make informed investments. Lighthouse uses all of that data to predict and prevent exploitation before it starts.
Lighthouse aggregates and visualizes data from multiple sources. CSE-IT screenings are collected from WestCoast Children’s Clinic, Texas Juvenile Justice Department, Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, and Lighthouse partners. Hotline data is provided by Polaris, illicit massage business data is provided by The Network, and federal case data is from Dr. Vanessa Bouché. Additional data in Lighthouse has been obtained from service providers, care coordinators, law enforcement, and other sources.
Individuals may be screened more than once within an organization, or by multiple organizations. The CSE-IT is designed for recurrent screenings, resulting in a larger number of screenings than individuals screened. Data in Lighthouse shows an average of 1.10 screenings per person within an organization. Screening data is not a representation of trafficking incidents, prevalence, or the number of trafficking victims.
All data as of October 2023
Individuals may be screened more than once within an organization, or by multiple organizations. The CSE-IT is designed for recurrent screenings, resulting in a larger number of screenings than individuals screened. Data in Lighthouse shows an average of 1.10 screenings per person within an organization. Screening data is not a representation of trafficking incidents, prevalence, or the number of trafficking victims.
Lighthouse is funded in part through a grant from the Public Safety Office of the Texas Office of the Governor. This webpage was not funded by the Office of the Governor. Neither the Office of the Governor nor any of its components operate, control, are responsible for, or necessarily endorse, this website (including, without limitation, its content, technical infrastructure, and policies, and any services or tools provided).
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The majority of individuals served in 2022 were African American (53%) and White (39%). This is a significant change from 2021, when the results were 41% African American and 47% White. The results for race in 2022 were consistent for ages 17 and under and ages 18 and over, compared with all ages.
