HUMAN TRAFFICKING
DEFINITION Human trafficking is a form of modern slavery where people profit from the control and exploitation of others. recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring, or receipt of persons by means of coercion, abduction, fraud, deception, or abuse of power of a position of vulnerability for the purpose of exploitation. Human trafficking is not synonymous with forced migration or smuggling.
LABOR TRAFFICKING Labor Trafficking is the exploitation of a person for labor or services through force, fraud, or coercion. domestic servitude such as nannies or maid, agricultural work restaurant work sweatshop factory work panhandling, construction janitorial.
SEX TRAFFICKING Sex trafficking is the exploitation of a person for commercial sexual activity through force fraud or coercion prostitution exotic dancing pornography It is important to note any sexually exploited child is a trafficking victim regardless of lack of force, fraud or coercion.
HUMAN TRAFFICKING INDICATORS “While not an exhaustive list, these are some key red flags that could alert you to a potential trafficking situation that should be reported: Inability to speak to individual alone Answers appear to be scripted and rehearsed Is not in control of his/her own identification documents (ID or passport) Signs of physical abuse Submissive or fearful
Seems anxious, fearful or paranoid. Avoids eye contact. Appears to be in a relationship with someone who is dominating. Is not in control of his/her own money, no financial records, or bank account Lack of knowledge of whereabouts and/or do not know what city he/she is in Loss of sense of time Has numerous inconsistencies in his/her story”
Human Trafficking Video/statistics
COMMON MYTHS Myth 1: Trafficked persons can only be foreign nationals or are only immigrants from other countries. Reality: The federal definition of human trafficking includes both U.S. citizens and foreign nationals. Human trafficking does happen here in the United States
Myth 2: Human trafficking is another term for human smuggling Reality: Smuggling is a crime against a country’s borders: Human trafficking is a crime against a person. Myth 3: There must be elements of physical restraint, physical force or physical bondage when identifying a human trafficking situation Reality: Psychological means of control such as threats, fraud or abuse are sufficient elements of the crime.
Myth 4: Human trafficking victims will immediately ask for help or assistance and will self-identify as a victim of a crime Reality: Victims of human trafficking often do not immediately seek help or self-identify as a victim of a crime due to a variety of factors, including lack of trust, self-blame or specific instructions by the traffickers
Myth 5: If the trafficked person consented to be in their initial situation or was informed about what type of labor they would be doing or that commercial sex would be involved, it cannot be human trafficking or against their will because the “knew better” Reality: Initial consent to commercial sex or a labor setting prior to acts of force, fraud or coercion (or if the victim is a minor of sex trafficking situation) is not relevant to the crime, nor is payment
Myth 6: Foreign national trafficking victims are always undocumented immigrants or her in the country illegally Reality: Although some foreign national victims are undocumented, a significant percentage may have legitimate visas for various purposes.
WAYS TO BE INVOLVED Education (of self and others) Join a local Human Trafficking Coalition Volunteer to do Victim Outreach at a local anti-trafficking organization Donate funds or items to a Human Trafficking Organizations Sign a Human Trafficking Petition Encourage your local schools to partner with students and include the issue of modern day slavery in their curriculum. As a parent, grandparent, aunt or uncle be aware of how traffickers target school-aged children. Contact the Human Trafficking Resource Center, if you suspect someone is a victim of Human Trafficking