An awareness and prevention campaign of the Institute for Shelter Care
Dads make the Difference
Be bold and take the Dads Make the Difference Pledge
70%
of sex trafficking survivors are from fatherless homes
50%
Children with a father in the home are 50% less likely to suffer from abuse and neglect
6x
Girls with a father in the home are 6 times less likely to get pregnant as a teen
40%
Children with a father in the home are 40% less likely for a child to smoke, drink, or use drugs
Make a donation to the Institute for Shelter Care to equip agencies serving the exploited — 70% of whom did not have a dad in their lives.
Fathers protect.
Dads play a significant role in anti-trafficking. A dad’s active presence in a child’s life is proven to significantly reduce that child’s vulnerability to crime, ill health, poverty, and mental illness. When dads are absent or uninvolved in the lives of their children, those children are significantly more likely to face challenges.
At the Institute for Shelter Care we believe that Dads Make the Difference and their involvement in the lives of their daughters can stem the epidemic of sexual exploitation. Statistics show that 70% of exploited women grew up without a father in the home. So, we challenge all dads to make a difference and be present in your child’s life.
“The greatest insulation a girl has against being exploited is a healthy relationship with her father.”
– Jeanne Allert, Ph.D.,
Executive Director, Institute for Shelter Care

Children with the father in the home are:
- ½ as likely to suffer from abuse and neglect
- 40% less likely to smoke, drink, or use drugs
- ½ as likely to drop out of school
- 3x less likely to have early intercourse
- 6x less likely to get pregnant as a teen
Children who feel a closeness to their father are:
- 75% less likely to have a teen birth
- 80% less likely to spend time in jail
- ½ as likely to experience multiple depression symptoms.
- Daughters are less likely to engage in risky sexual behavior
Sources: Fatherhood.org; Green, B., Davis, C., Clark, T., Quinn, C., & Cryer-Coupet, Q. (2014), Father Involvement, dating violence, and sexual risk behaviors among a national sample of adolescent females. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, http://jlv.sagepub.com/.
Take the Dads Make the Difference Pledge and Share on Social Media! (Right-click over images and save to download) or share on Facebook:
Dads Make the Difference Pledge

I understand that men are a necessary part of fixing the problems of Sexual Exploitation and trafficking. With this pledge, I resolve to be part of the solution in the following way.
As their father, I pledge to protect my child(ren) from becoming victims of sexual abuse and/or exploitation, by committing to the following:
- I will be an example of a man who models loves and respect through my actions. I will not contribute to sex trafficking by consuming pornography, patronizing strip clubs, or purchasing commercial sex
- I will seek feedback on how I can grow as a father
- I will regularly communicate my love and commitment to my child(ren)
- I will commit to regularly praying for each of my children
- I will be present when with my children, giving them my undivided attention and actively engaging them in conversation.
- I will foster a trust with my children so they feel safe confiding in me without fear of judgment
- I will take notice of my child(ren)’s dreams, goals, and fears
- I will be vigilant about my child(ren)’s online activity, peers, dating life, and insecurities
- I commit to having a conversation with each of my children about sex and drugs
- I will ask each of my children about the people they have “friended” on social media
- I will reduce with my child(ren)’s vulnerability by having discussions about protecting themselves in private and public situations