In the sprawling metropolis of New York City, homeless and unstably housed youth often navigate their lives as unseen shadows. A recent study titled "Understanding the Needs of Unstably Housed Youth In New York City" sheds light on the precarious existence these young individuals face. Conducted by the Marron Institute of Urban Management in collaboration with social scientists from various universities, the study surveyed nearly 400 adolescents between December 2021 and July 2023. Their resulting report exposed a staggering connection between the lack of stable housing and a heightened risk of exploitation and trafficking.
Meredith Dank, a clinical associate professor at New York University’s Marron Institute of Urban Management, led the study. She held focus-group interviews with a subset of participants to draw out valuable insights. Shockingly, almost half of the young people surveyed admitted that they have been a victim of at least one form of human trafficking. Of them, 32% indicated that they experienced different types of exploitation concurrently. This shocking discovery highlights the need for widespread screening and preventative initiatives to safeguard these susceptible people.
Unseen and Unprotected
Most interviewees and survey respondents were 18 to 21 years of age and born and raised in New York City. They endure insurmountable odds in a city that is the poster child for the increasing unaffordability of housing. These youth are often constantly fighting just to find food or shelter. Clean clothing, food, a daily shower and access to a warm bed are luxuries that become unimaginable. A snapshot of homeless and unstably housed youth in the city revealed a total of 5,734 individuals aged 14 to 24.
Robert Polner from New York University eloquently described their plight:
"They move through New York and other big cities like shadows. Often at loose ends, they blend in on crowded city sidewalks and perhaps catch a few winks on a friend's sofa or a park bench. They take risks for food and money, incurring violence, fraud, and deception."
This ultimately forces these young people to engage in life-threatening and sometimes harmful behaviors as they seek to survive. Eighteen percent of the youth surveyed indicated that they had traded sex acts for basic needs prior to age 18. Unaccompanied homeless youth in New York City live an entirely different nightmarish reality. They are particularly at risk due to lack of stable housing and access to resources.
Alarming Exploitation Rates
Further, the study’s findings present a stark picture of trafficking’s prevalence in the lives of unstably housed youth. Meredith Dank, leading the research effort, expressed her surprise at the extent of exploitation disclosed by participants:
"The biggest surprise to me was that almost half the youth—46%—disclosed that they had experienced at least one form of human trafficking, and of those who experienced trafficking, 32% had experienced three or more forms of it."
These extreme forms of exploitation require urgent response including law enforcement and social services. Dank stressed the importance of screening at-risk youths for trafficking experiences. He further underscored the need to prevent their vulnerability beginning at birth.
"Youth rarely disclose trafficking experiences, so to have such a high percentage of young people indicate on the survey that they've encountered a range of exploitation demonstrates something important: not only should we be doing a better job of screening troubled young people for trafficking experiences, but our real focus should be on preventing them from being vulnerable to its various forms in the first place."
The Struggle for Basic Necessities
In a context where every day life and death may depend on the boldest gamble, these young people are put in extremely vulnerable positions. Meredith Dank highlighted this troubling aspect:
"Youth may engage in unsafe behaviors to have their needs met, such as having sex in exchange for food and a place to stay or running drugs to earn money, making them vulnerable to further exploitation."
New York City’s skyrocketing cost of living makes these challenges even greater, pushing many of these young people to the brink of survival. A 2021 city-administered point-in-time count of sheltered and unsheltered homeless adults, families, and youth shows just how bad the crisis has become. Though these are positive contributions to the fight against homelessness, unaccompanied youth experience unique challenges that necessitate thoughtful interventions.
