(ABC 6 News) — Since 2011, Minnesota’s Safe Harbor law has helped protect victims of sexual exploitation and trafficking from criminal prosecution while providing victims with access to services such as housing assistance.

Despite the success, group leaders say there is a lot more that needs to be done.

Anyone can be impacted by sexual exploitation, and few know that better than the staff at Safe Harbor. The University of Minnesota reports that almost 4800 high school aged Minnesotans have traded sex for things such as money, food, drugs, alcohol, or even a place to stay.

While most of the victims were female, 11% were male, and 12% were transgender or gender nonconforming.

It isn’t a problem found exclusively in big cities, either. 63% of victims lived outside of the Twin Cities metro area.

“We can do better in terms of meeting the needs of youth who are everywhere in the state, and we would love to see more programs in greater Minnesota and support more programs in different communities,” said Caroline Palmer, the interim Violence Prevention Programs Units Supervisor.

Since the inception of Safe Harbor programs, they have helped thousands of children and young adults, but as success stories continue to grow, so does the number of those needing help.

Here is a look at the number of Safe Harbor Clients over the past few years:

• 2017-2019: 1279 assisted
• 2019-2021: 1200 assisted
• 2021-2023: 1494 assisted

The increase from 2019-2021 to 2021-2023 is 294, up nearly 25% percent.

Signs to look for in potential victims include a child or teen who seems guarded, accompanied, or have their movements restricted.

They can also show signs of abuse, including a cigarette burn, bruises, or even simply looking unhealthy.

For older teens, they may not be allowed to keep or have access to the money they make. They also may show psychological signs such as fear, anxiety, isolation, confusion, and a lack of self esteem.

Spotting one of these signs doesn’t necessarily mean somebody is being exploited, but it should give reason to be suspicious.

If you suspect someone is being exploited, you can reach out to Safe Harbor Minnesota here.