Human Trafficking: What, Where, & Who
Gary Haugen, founder of global anti-trafficking organization International Justice Mission, said, “Nothing happens just because we are aware of modern-day slavery, but nothing will ever happen until we are.” So let’s start there.
What is human trafficking?
The United Nations defines trafficking as the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act from another person. This can take many forms, such as labor trafficking, domestic servitude, forced marriage, or organ trafficking. Predominately, it looks like sex trafficking. Global human trafficking generates $150 billion per year, $99 billion of which is generated by trafficking within the sex industry. [1]
Where does trafficking occur?
Everywhere. Many Americans maintain the misconception that trafficking only happens overseas. But let’s look at California. In 2018, the National Human Trafficking Hotline identified 3272 survivors, 1019 traffickers, and 550 trafficking businesses in 1656 different cases. Seventy-four percent of those cases involved sexual exploitation. That’s a lot, but it’s likely a small fraction of what’s really going on. Those are cases reported only to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, not other organizations providing relief. And those are only the reported cases. Trafficking is a highly-organized crime that thrives off secrecy, so it is notoriously underreported. [2]
Large-scale public events, such as the Superbowl this upcoming weekend, create a hotspot for trafficking because of the sheer number of people traveling to and from the event—many in rideshares. That’s why Dressember, BEST (Businesses Ending Slavery), and Lyft are partnering to educate Lyft drivers on signs of trafficking so they can be part of the solution. Traffickers will often transport their victims via rideshares to meet sex buyers. If a driver can alert authorities about suspicious passenger interactions, instances of trafficking can be nipped in the bud. Authorities may even be able to track a trafficker’s phone.
Who is affected by trafficking?
Trafficking may occur all over the world, but there are certain people groups who are more vulnerable to exploitation. Traffickers identify and leverage those vulnerabilities to create codependency. For example, if someone has recently relocated and hasn’t yet established a solid social circle, they may feel isolated, and their disappearance may go unnoticed. The same is true for a youth experiencing estrangement from their family or homelessness. People experiencing mental illness or low self-esteem are also uniquely vulnerable to exploitation because traffickers will offer compliments, encouragement , and support to those they seek to traffic. Many feign romantic interest, creating a sense of security that the victim may have never had before. We also hear many stories of traffickers hanging out nearby clinics for those experiencing eating disorders, or group homes for children in the foster care system. [3] Half of all trafficked persons are children, and four out of five are female. [4]
The issue of trafficking is complex, and each case is unique. So, as someone who wants to combat trafficking, it’s not as important to know a checklist of signs as it is to know the common story. That’s the first step. What’s the second? Or the third? Check out this blog to learn more!