A project of the National Resour ce Center on Domestic Violence RUNAWAY & HOMELESS YOUTH AND RELATIONSHIP VIOLENCE TOOLKIT GUIDANCE AND MATERIALS FOR PRACTITIONERS rhytoolkit.org Contents RHY & Relationship Violence Building Services Intersecting Issues: Digital abuse & Minor Sex Trafficking Measuring Success A Look at Each Field Sustaining Collaborations Finding Common Ground Additional Resources Building Partnerships References Acknowledgements Special thanks are due to the RHY/DV Steering Committee for their assistance in conceptualizing the Toolkit, and especially to Megan Blondin and Susan Spagnuolo of the Youth Collaboratory and Barbara Nissley, Jo Sterner and Jan Davis of the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence (PCADV). Thanks also to the FYSB RHY/DV/SA collaborative project grantees who shared their lessons learned, tools and information with us. Kenya Fairley, Casey Keene, Ivonne Ortiz, who made important contributions to the design and development of the Toolkit, as did project consultant Kim Pentico and Monika Johnson- Hostler of the North Carolina Coalition Against Sexual Assault. The Toolkit was updated in January 2020. We would like to acknowledge the following individuals who contributed to the development, review, and support of this publication, Patty Branco, Christie Bevis, Breckan Erdman Winters and Justine Robillard of NRCDV. Introduction In 2018 over 23,500 runaways were reported to National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Adolescents who have run away from home, are homeless, or are unstably housed experience substantially higher rates of dating violence and victimization than their stably housed peers (Lee & Schreck, 2005). Recognizing and understanding the intersection of runaway and homeless youth and intimate partner violence (including dating, domestic and sexual violence) is critical to creating meaningful services and effective intervention and prevention strategies for both homelessness and relationship abuse, and in creating partnerships between the programs working with youth at risk. Runaway and homeless youth often have little or no support systems and those being abused in a relationship may find it more difficult to leave their abusive partner if they have no one to help them access the options available to them. Why is it important for service providers from each field to understand the intersection of runaway and homeless youth and relationship violence? • Abuse and neglect at home is often the reason that youth end up on the streets. • Relationship violence is perpetrated and experienced by youth both on the street and in stable housing. • Together a we can create a broader set of resources to help all youth develop the skills to form and sustain healthy and safe relationships and a stronger safety net for youth at risk. WHO IS THIS TOOLKIT FOR? This Toolkit was developed by and for advocates in the runaway and homeless youth (RHY) and domestic violence and sexual assault (DV/SA) fields to help programs better address relationship violence with runaway and homeless youth. 1 RHY & Relationship Violence Current statistics show an average of twenty to thirty-five percent of youth involved in dating relationships report experiencing current or past incidences of dating violence (Bossarte, Simon, & Swahn, 2008; Wolf & Foshee, 2003). Adolescents who have run away from home, are homeless, or are unstably housed experience substantially higher rates of dating violence and victimization than their stably housed peers (Lee & Schreck, 2005; Whitbeck & Hoyt, 1999; Chen, Thrane, Whitbeck, Johnson, & Hoyt, 2007). Several factors contribute to the high rates of relationship abuse and victimization within the runaway and homeless youth population, including limited access to resources and increased exposure to street culture (Tyler, Hoyt, Whitbeck, & Cauce, 2001; Whitbeck & Hoyt, 1999). In addition, homeless youth may engage in subsistence strategies that place them at greater risk for relationship violence, such as survival sex, that increase their visibility and proximity to potential perpetrators. Many runaway and homeless youth have “multiple histories of trauma” • These histories include: family violence; parental neglect; parental mental illness; childhood sexual and physical abuse; sexual exploitation, rape, sexual assault; survival sex; gang violence; intimate partner violence. Studies also document resiliencies and strengths among RHY that serve as important protective factors in light of high levels of violence exposure. • In one study 70% had experienced some form of violence (32% had been sexually assaulted, 15% after being on the streets) (Miller, 2009). • Another study found that 60% of homeless female youth and 25% of males had reported being sexually assaulted prior to leaving home (Miller, 2009). 2 Intersection of RHY and Relationship Violence Sexual orientation and gender identity/expression and the risk of victimization • LGBTQ youth are more likely to leave home as a result of physical abuse and conflict with family. • Substance abuse, depressive symptoms, suicidality are more frequent among gay and lesbian-identified youth than non-LGBTQ youth. How youth define “intimate partners” and “dating relationships” varies significantly • RHY who are more often on the street (in comparison to youth using shelter services) are at greater risk of exploitive relationships, including a 3x greater chance of engaging in survival sex (Miller, 2009). • Studies show high levels of physical violence in their relationship (in one study 70% of both male and female shelter-based youth), with youth reporting both victimization and perpetration and violence in more than one relationship (Miller, 2009). 3 Intersecting Issues Young people, especially those surrounded by high risk factors, are vulnerable to additional types of victimizations. This section explores the scope of the problem and dynamics of digital abuse and human trafficking. Digital Abuse Digital abuse is the use of technology, such as a cell phone or social media, to threaten, intimidate, or harass a current or ex-dating partner. A victim of digital abuse may receive excessive texts or messages from their dating partner, be pressured to share account passwords, experience stalking via social media, or be told who they can or can’t communicate with on social media. In some cases, victims are pressured to engage in sexting activity, and abusers often use these sexually explicit pictures to blackmail their victims. Scope of the Issue A study released in 2017 by Data & Society and the Center for Innovative Public Health Research (CiPHR) reported that: • 12% of internet users who have harassed by a current or former been in a romantic relationship romantic partner. reported that they have been digitally harassed or abused by a • 38% of individuals who identified current or former romantic partner. as LGBTQ have experienced intimate partner digital abuse, • Younger people were 3x more likely compared with 10% of heterosexual (22%) than those who were 30 years individuals. or older (8%) of being digitally 4 Intersecting Issues: Digital Abuse There are many signs that can help you identify if someone is a victim of digital abuse. A young person might be a victim of digital abuse if their partner: • checks their cell phone, email or social networks without permission, • controls who they can be friends with on social media, • sends negative, insulting or even threatening emails, DMs or other messages online, • uses sites like Facebook, Twitter, foursquare and others to monitor the victim’s whereabouts, • sends unwanted, explicit pictures and demands some in return, • pressures them to send explicit videos or pictures, • steals or insists to be given all passwords, • constantly texts and makes the victim feel like they can’t be separated from their phone for fear that they will be punished, and • looks through a partner’s phone frequently, checking up on pictures, texts and outgoing calls. 5 Intersecting Issues: Minor Sex Trafficking Minor Sex Trafficking Long before the passage of any anti-trafficking legislation, runaway and homeless youth providers have been working with young people engaged in and impacted by the sex trade. They have a wealth of knowledge and experience that the anti-violence movement can benefit from. In January 2013, the Office for Victims of Crime hosted a webinar entitled, “Providing services to runaway youth and victims of human trafficking.” Danny Stewart (Director of Operations for Safe Horizon’s Streetwork Project) and Fiona Mason (Supervising Social Worker for Safe Horizon’s Anti-Trafficking Program) offered key advice for working with young people who are homeless and involved in the sex trade. Mason asserted: “[…] there are no magical solutions to these problems. Creating a functioning social safety net and working to end all homelessness (urban and rural) should be a goal.” (Mason & Stewart, 2013) This section of the Toolkit will begin an exploration of this issue, including a brief overview of the legal definitions, the scope and population, dynamics of minor sex trafficking and challenges to service delivery. Need Help or Want to Report a Tip? The National Human Trafficking Hotline is a national, toll-free hotline, available to answer calls and texts from anywhere in the country, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year. Call 1-888-373-7888 or text BeFree (233733) 6 Intersecting Issues: Minor Sex Trafficking Overview of Legal Definitions As defined by the Trafficking Victims