368: What If the Trafficker Lives Inside the Home?

Zoe Bellatorre joins Dr. Sandie Morgan as they reveal why the most common form of child trafficking never makes the missing persons list — and why the quiet, compliant child sitting in the back of the classroom may be the one hiding the most.

Chapters

(00:00) - Introduction: Why Familial Trafficking Gets Missed

(01:07) - Zoe Bellatorre: From Survivor to National Advocate

(04:52) - Defining Familial Trafficking and Its Unique Challenges

(09:41) - What Teachers and Communities Should Look For

(13:12) - Why Children Don't Disclose — and Aren't Believed

(15:09) - The Data: Statistics That Reframe the Problem

(19:03) - Moving Beyond Stranger Danger: Training Systems to See More

(29:23) - Hope for Change: What Every Person Can Do

Zoe Bellatorre

Zoe Bellatorre is a survivor advocate, trainer, and speaker with over a decade of experience in the anti-trafficking field, specializing in familial trafficking. She holds a Master's in Intercultural Studies with Children at Risk from Fuller Theological Seminary and a Bachelor of Science in Education from Ashland University. Zoe has served as Coordinator of Outreach with The Avery Center and as a Survivor Advocate with CAST LA and Dignity Health, providing crisis intervention within healthcare systems. A recognized subject matter expert, she has consulted with the Office for Victims of Crime Human Trafficking Collective, the National Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance Center (NHTTAC), and the U.S. State Department. Her published contributions include essays in the 2021 and 2023 Trafficking in Persons Reports, the 2024 co-authored work on child trafficking misconceptions, and the anthology Medical Perspectives on Human Trafficking in Adolescents. She serves on the advisory council for the Polaris Project's Resilience Fund and on the board of Ride My Road.