HUMAN TRAFFICKING: WHAT IS IT? WHO IS AT RISK? HOW IS IT IDENTIFIED?
What is Human Trafficking?
Human trafficking is modern-day slavery and involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act. Millions of men, women, and children are trafficked into forced labor situations and into the sex trade worldwide. Many of these victims are lured from their homes with false promises of well-paying jobs; instead, they are forced or coerced into prostitution, domestic servitude, or other types of forced labor. Victims are found in legitimate and illegitimate labor industries including sweatshops, massage parlors, agricultural fields, restaurants, hotels, and domestic service.
It is estimated that human trafficking generates many billions of dollars of profit each year, second only to drug trafficking as the most profitable form of transnational crime.
Human trafficking is different from human smuggling. Trafficking is exploitation-based and does not require movement across borders or any type of transportation.
Who are the Victims? Who is at Risk?
Trafficking victims can be any age, race, gender, or nationality. Trafficking victims can be men or women, young or old, American or from abroad, with or without legal status.
Traffickers prey on victims with little or no social safety net. They look for victims who are susceptible for a variety of reasons, including psychological or emotional vulnerability, economic hardship, lack of a social safety net, natural disasters, foster care, or political instability. The trauma caused by the traffickers can be so great that many may not identify themselves as victims or ask for help, even in highly public settings.
What are the different types of human trafficking?
The three most common types of human trafficking are sex trafficking, forced labor, and domestic servitude.
Sex Trafficking
- Sex trafficking victims are manipulated or forced against their will to engage in sex acts for money including; pornography, stripping, live sex shows, mail order brides, and prostitution.
- Sex traffickers might use violence, threats, manipulation, or the promise of love and affection to lure victims.
- Truck stops, hotel rooms, rest areas, street corners, clubs, and private residences are just some of the places where victims are forced to sell sex.
Forced Labor (Involuntary Servitude)
- Victims of forced labor could be found in factories, on farms, doing construction work, and more.
- Very often victims are forced to manufacture or grow products that we use and consume every day.
- Through force, fraud, or coercion, victims are made to work for little or no pay.
Domestic Servitude (Debt Bondage)
- Traffickers sometimes take a victim's identification papers and travel documents in order to limit their freedom.
- Victims of domestic servitude are hidden in plain sight, forced to work in homes across the United States.
- They are prisoners working as nannies, maids or domestic help.
How do I Identify Human Trafficking?
Human trafficking is often "hidden in plain sight." There are a number of red flags, or indicators, which can help alert you to human trafficking. Recognizing the signs is the first step in identifying victims. Some indicators concerning a potential victim include:
Behavior or Physical State:
- Does the victim act fearful, anxious, depressed, submissive, tense, or nervous/paranoid?
- Does the victim defer to another person to speak for him or her?
- Does the victim show signs of physical and/or sexual abuse, physical restraint, confinement, or torture?
- Has the victim been harmed or deprived of food, water, sleep, medical care, or other life necessities?
- Does the victim have few or no personal possessions?
Social Behavior:
- Can the victim freely contact friends or family?
- Is the victim allowed to socialize or attend religious services?
- Does the victim have freedom of movement?
- Has the victim or family been threatened with harm if the victim attempts to escape?
Work Conditions and Immigration Status:
- Does the victim work excessively long and/or unusual hours?
- Is the victim a juvenile engaged in commercial sex?
- Was the victim recruited for one purpose and forced to engage in some other job?
- Is the victim's salary being garnished to pay off a smuggling fee?
- Has the victim been forced to perform sexual acts?
- Has the victim been threatened with deportation or law enforcement action?
- Is the victim in possession of identification and travel documents; if not, who has control of the documents?
The indicators listed are just a few that may alert you to a potential human trafficking situation. No single indicator is necessarily proof of human trafficking. If you suspect that a person may be a victim of human trafficking, please do not attempt to confront the suspected trafficker directly or alert the victim to any suspensions. Instead, call the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Tip-line at 1-866-347-2423. You can also report online at Homeland Investigations website.
The Needs of Survivors in Human Trafficking
Survivors of human trafficking are forced, tricked or misled into modern-day slavery. If they are able to escape a shrouded abduction and hidden enslavement, they have specific needs that are unique to their situation. Survivors may have experienced profound trauma, lack linguistic skills in the country of their escape, and struggle with basic functioning after trafficking. It is important to provide survivors with appropriate treatment to aid in their recovery after escape.
Some common myths or misconceptions about Human Trafficking:
Myth: Human trafficking does not occur in the United States. It only happens in other countries.
Fact: Human trafficking exists in every country, including the United States. It exists nationwide - in cities, suburbs, and rural towns - and possibly in your own community.
Myth: Human trafficking victims are only foreign-born individuals and those who are poor.
Fact: Human trafficking victims can be any age, race, gender, or nationality. They may come from any socioeconomic group.
Myth: Human trafficking is only sex trafficking.
Fact: Sex trafficking exists, but it is not the only type of human trafficking. Forced labor is another type of human trafficking; both involve the exploitation of people. Victims are found in legitimate and illegitimate labor industries, including sweatshops, massage parlors, agriculture, restaurants, hotels, and domestic service.
Myth: Individuals must be forced or coerced into commercial sex acts to be victims of human trafficking.
Fact: Under U.S. federal law, any minor under the age of 18 who is induced to perform commercial sex acts is a victim of human trafficking, regardless of whether or not he or she is coerced.
Myth: Human trafficking and human smuggling are the same.
Fact: Human trafficking is not the same as smuggling. "Trafficking" is based on exploitation and does not require movement across borders. “Smuggling” is based on movement and involves moving a person across a country’s border with that person’s consent in violation of immigration laws. Although human smuggling is very different from human trafficking, human smuggling can turn into trafficking if the smuggler uses force, fraud, or coercion to hold people against their will for the purposes of labor or sexual exploitation.
Myth: Human trafficking victims will attempt to seek help when in public.
Fact: Human trafficking is often a hidden crime. Victims may be afraid to come forward and get help; they may be forced or coerced through threats or violence; they may fear retribution from traffickers, including danger to their families; and they may not be in possession of or have control of their identification documents.
To reach a non-governmental organization for confidential help and information, 24 hours a day, please call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at 1-888-373-7888.
Resources:
Blue Campaign
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