Traveling abroad invites us to experience different cultures, communities, and ways of life that may be unfamiliar to us. That unfamiliarity can sometimes make customary behaviors in other cultures look out of the ordinary or lead us to interpret experiences through the lens of our own cultural expectations.
When it comes to recognizing the potential signs of child exploitation and trafficking, context matters.
An informed and responsible traveler learns to distinguish between cultural differences and true patterns of control, fear, or restricted freedom.
As a global community built around the transformative power of travel, SITE believes that responsible travel means being informed, aware and respectful of the communities and cultures we encounter.
SITE is a proud supporter of Protect All Children from Trafficking (PACT) and has supported its work through ongoing donations and awareness-building efforts. PACT works to prevent child sexual exploitation and trafficking through education, legislative advocacy and partnerships, including helping travelers and the wider travel industry understand the role they can play.
As part of that ongoing support, we’re pleased to share the following guidance from PACT on an important aspect of responsible travel: recognizing that cultural awareness and context matter when identifying potential signs of exploitation.
Below, PACT shares practical guidance on how travelers can remain vigilant without viewing unfamiliar cultural practices through the lens of their own experiences.
The Global Safety Guide Initiative is proudly led and funded by the SITE Foundation.
Not everything unfamiliar is a warning sign:
- Children in other cultures may be taught to not talk to strangers: A child who avoids conversation with a visitor isn’t necessarily being controlled. They may have been instructed by their parents or guardians to not talk to strangers and have adopted the “stranger danger” mentality.
- Language barriers can affect communication: A child may appear withdrawn, unable to answer, or have someone else communicating on their behalf because they don’t speak the visitor’s language, not necessarily because someone is preventing them from speaking.
- Clothing and appearance can have several explanations: The way one dresses, grooming, footwear (or a lack thereof), or personal belongings can be shaped by cultural norms, religion, or economic conditions. Physical appearance, alone, is not an indicator of child sexual exploitation or trafficking.
Consider: is there a broader pattern suggesting that someone is being controlled, threatened, or prevented from making choices over their own life? Do they appear to have personal agency?
The same concept applies to rethinking voluntourism – combining international travel with short-term volunteer work. Many travelers genuinely want to support local communities while traveling, but just as we should be careful not to impose our cultural expectations or norms onto individuals from different cultures, we shouldn’t assume we know what’s best for a local community.
Responsible voluntourism begins by asking – who designed this project? Did the local community have a say in that decision? Is the experience benefitting the local community or the traveler? Is there a rigorous interview and background check process to help protect children?
Safe and responsible travelers can engage thoughtfully with local communities by researching the destination beforehand, supporting locally-led organizations, and respecting cultural differences while still remaining attentive to broader patterns that may indicate child exploitation and trafficking.
For more information and resources, visit the Global Safety Guide Initiative.
