not in control of their money or bank account. Some myths about human trafficking victims and their truths: MYTH: Human trafficking applies mostly to prostitution or sexual exploitation. “The traffickers look for those who are most vulnerable, including the homeless and runaways,” she said. Here in Barbados, our Embassy actively engages with the government to combat human trafficking. Technically, they are true: Anyone can be trafficked, in any community, just as anyone can be the victim of any kind of crime. Some survivors of human trafficking in the U.S. may be eligible for a type of humanitarian relief called a “T visa” if they meet certain requirements. No community, whether affluent or impoverished, isn’t immune to the crime of human trafficking (as discussed more thoroughly in our previous post: It Happens Everywhere). While not inclusive of all vulnerabilities, the following highlights a few risk factors for victims of human trafficking. TRUTH: Human trafficking victims are found across all age, gender, and racial demographics. Vulnerability. Truth: Human trafficking knows no geographical bounds. Recognizing the warning signs a patient is a victim of trafficking is crucial in the ED and other healthcare settings. Activism. In some cultures, disabilities are seen as shameful and burdensome to families. Human trafficking has become sensationalized in many films and TV shows, and can show American anxieties that are based in historical narratives. not in control of their personal identification (passport, driver’s license, ID). TRUTH: Human trafficking victims in the U.S. are foreign as well as domestic. People, especially children, and youth are less resilient after experiencing trauma and more likely to be persuaded or tricked by others who would take advantage of emotional instability, low self-esteem, physical injury, a missing support system, and an intensified need to be accepted by peers or stand-ins for family members. When victims’ bodies are regularly used as objects, their self-worth is shattered. MYTH: Human trafficking frequently happens in broad daylight in places like a park or the grocery store. Human trafficking occurs all around the world, and in each and every one of the 50 United States. Additionally, individuals who are hard of hearing or sight are often targeted by traffickers because of their diminished ability to report their situation to police or someone who may be able to help them. Traffickers target the most vulnerable because traffickers use their insecurities to control them. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window), Domestic Violence, COVID-19 & Human Trafficking, 5 Ways Guidance Counselors Are Uniquely Positioned, Why You Are Uniquely Positioned To Help End Human Trafficking, Your Response This World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, In 2013, 60 percent of children rescued in a nationwide raid led by the FBI in more than 70 cities were from foster care or group homes (, At least one in three homeless youth engage in “, Fifty-six percent of women in prostitution were once runaway youth. While there isn’t one face of a human trafficking victim, certain populations are more vulnerable, including runaway and homeless youth, children and youth in foster care, individuals fleeing violence or natural disasters, individuals with a disability, and those who have suffered other types of abuse or exploitation in their lifetimes. While unpacking these myths completely is difficult to do concisely, we’ll walk through them to help you gain an understanding of the truth sometimes captured within these myths. “These victims often face threats workers with arrest and deportation, even workers who have the legal right to work in the United States. Prior misunderstandings of the situations human trafficking victims experience has necessitated a movement to create a more victim-centered approach. But these images don’t provide a clear understanding of who is actually falling prey to human traffickers. Human Trafficking, also known as Modern Day Slavery, is quite simply the exploitation of vulnerability. Victims of labor trafficking have been found among U.S. migrant and seasonal farmworkers, restaurant workers, and as domestic servants. WHO and PAHO have developed a series of information sheets on violence against women that summarizes what is known about the prevalence, patterns, consequences, risk factors and strategies to address the different forms of VAW. This is why training for these individuals is so important. It doesn’t begin the moment the victim was first exploited. Vulnerable to Human Trafficking. Most victims of human trafficking will not self-identify as such because they’re unaware of what it means. Human trafficking, also known as trafficking in persons or modern-day slavery, is a crime that involves compelling or coercing a person to provide labor or services, or to engage in commercial sex acts. Child sex trafficking is a cycle of abuse. There are several reasons why people are targeted for human trafficking. Foreign nationals may also be victims of sex trafficking. We are working through our Human Trafficking 101 blog series, and this is part three. Human trafficking isn’t limited … Sexploitation: Human Trafficking. Foreign Nationals are at an increased risk because of the legal and travel restrictions they face. For a deep dive on this topic, take a look at Uncovering Myths & Intricacies. “It can happen to anyone,” and “it’s happening in your backyard,” are common in the anti-human trafficking field. O rgan trafficking, a lucrative global illicit trade, is often a lesser discussed form of human trafficking among anti-human trafficking stakeholders due to its intricate and often stealth nature. Individuals with a history of trauma or abuse are less resilient and more susceptible to human trafficking. Other times, family members may not have the financial resources to provide ongoing care to their loved ones with disabilities. Human trafficking Human trafficking has received increasing global attention over the past decade. Always report it, when you see something suspicious to the local authorities in addition to calling the National Human Trafficking Hotline – 1.888.373.7888. This image is usually one of several varieties: a poor, shoeless person sitting in the dirt in a rural village; a teenage girl with chains around her hands and feet; or maybe even images we’ve seen in history books about the Transatlantic slave trade. “Although human trafficking affects every demographic, a common factor across all forms of modern slavery is the victims’ vulnerability to exploitation. David Brown, a TIP Hero from 2008, talks about the refugee highway. Additionally, their trafficker likely has justified their actions in a number of ways to convince a victim that their experience is normal and not a crime. While these claims may appear to be legitimate at first, unfortunately for many men, women, and children, they’re targeted as easy prey for exploitation. The Human Trafficking Prevention Project (HTPP) was launched at the University of Baltimore School of Law in August 2015. (, under 18 years old and performing commercial sex acts, unpaid or paid very little for employment, in large debt to employer and is unable to pay it off. MYTH: Recruiting human trafficking victims happens quickly – like strangers trying to lure children away. This includes immigrants smuggled into the U.S., or currently residing in the U.S., who are vulnerable to exploitation due to their undocumented status. The urgency of their situation might lead them to make dangerous migration decisions. Outside of the actual act of forcing someone to stay in such situations, these factors greatly affect a person’s propensity to report a crime or try to leave.”  TIP Report, 2016. MYTH: There must be evidence of physical restraint in all human trafficking situations. The Polaris Project has a detailed list with further explanations. Generally, when inequality exists and where certain people lack access to social protection and justice, human traffickers are able to thrive. What we know about trafficking survivors is that, in most cases, they have struggled with issues such as poverty, low self-esteem, and homelessness at some point in their life. Traffickers exploit vulnerabilities that many people already face by using stories of a better life – whether that means a feeling of belonging, a better income, or a chance for new opportunities. To fight against the insidious scourge of human trafficking takes compassion for the most vulnerable in our community. Billings notes that less than one percent of human trafficking cases are abductions. If you suspect a trafficking situation call the National Human Trafficking Hotline now: 1-888-373-7888, Faces of Human Trafficking Discussion Guide. Though cultural norms and values differ worldwide, the need to be loved and the desire to provide for one’s family are common to us all. Who is Most Vulnerable? Seasonal work in the hospitality industry may also be at risk for exploitation. Human trafficking is the end result of years – sometimes generations – of vulnerabilities that have been unaddressed, under-resourced, or unnoticed. It often includes subtle brainwashing and grooming tactics. A form of modern-day slavery, human trafficking is defined by the U.S. Department of State as "the act of recruiting, harboring, transporting, providing, or obtaining a person for compelled labor or commercial sex acts through the use of force, fraud, or coercion." Red flags to look for when trying to determine if the suspicious activity you have noticed is a case of human trafficking, specifically regarding an individual include someone who is: Other indicators include appearing fearful, anxious, submissive, tense, paranoid, etc. There are many more reasons why someone might not be able to break the invisible chains holding them in their current state. Undocumented workers are especially vulnerable because they are less likely to report being the victim of a crime. For more detailed descriptions of these warning signs and more take a look at the full list from the National Human Trafficking Hotline, as well as these other resources: US Department of Health and Human Services Fact Sheet, US Department of Homeland Security Blue Campaign. People you know might be vulnerable to trafficking if they: Has an unstable living situation Has a history of domestic violence Has a caregiver or family member who has a substance abuse issue Often, we have a very specific image of a person who’s been trafficked in our minds because of a documentary, film, or news story we’ve seen. Massage parlors, strip clubs, nail salons, and other businesses may pose as legitimate businesses, but actually, be run by human traffickers. Runaway youth are often approached by traffickers at transportation hubs, shelters or other public spaces. The United Nations Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking (UN.GIFT) was born out of a renewed commitment by world leaders in the battle against human trafficking to end this crime, one of the most egregious violations of human rights in the world today. Foreign nationals are at an increased risk for human trafficking for many reasons. “Victims in these establishments are primarily controlled through debt, blackmail, and intense psychological manipulation. “In all forms of human trafficking, there are likely elements of grooming a victim prior to the individual becoming a victim and brainwashing and coercion to keep them from leaving. It’s important that you’re educated on what to look for so that you can speak up and be a voice for victims of this crime who often can’t speak up for themselves. Las Vegas: Homeless youth most vulnerable to sex trafficking. They begin to believe that their bodies are all their worth. Runaway and homeless youth are vulnerable to trafficking. Combatting human trafficking requires a sustained commitment to investigating and prosecuting these crimes and to protecting the most vulnerable citizens and residents from human traffickers. MYTH: Most human trafficking involves females under the age of 18. TRUTH: Human trafficking victims are found in affluent cities as well as small towns. There are many examples in articles and books that you will find as you continue researching and learning about this topic. In almost every case, there’s far more to the story than meets the eye. A study in Chicago found that 56 percent of prostituted women were initially runaway youth and similar numbers have been identified for male populations. “It also brings the underside of the criminal world, and that is those that are using a game, an entertaining event, to increase their sales of our most vulnerable," Moody said of human trafficking. How to fight human trafficking. The most vulnerable children The commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) is another term for what we often call child sex trafficking. TRUTH: Human trafficking appears in many forms. Almost every aspect of their life is controlled — where they live, what they eat, where they go, what they look like, and who they are allowed to talk to.”. How do traffickers lure their victims? Additionally, victims often have psychological trauma from their abuse, which can often cause them to bond to their abuser in irrational ways. These populations include men, women, families, or children as young as five years old who harvest crops and raise animals in fields or work in packing plants, nurseries, orchards, and kitchens. They are also more likely to have a language barrier, and they’re more likely to be unfamiliar with the area where they live including the geographic layout, resources available, and legal protections regarding labor. The journey a victim takes after the point of rescue is incredibly important to their future health and well-being. These families fall target to traffickers who promise families that they will provide work or education to their loved ones with a disability. While anyone can be a victim, we know that kids who are homeless or … The most targeted populations for trafficking are homeless and runaway youths. Poverty. They are not for sale. Victims are very rarely left alone and are threatened with violence. Often, individuals are not able or not yet willing to seek treatment for their previous abuse. People escaping from war and persecution are particularly vulnerable to becoming victims of trafficking. Poverty is one of the largest contributors to human trafficking. Predators are insidiously capable of identifying the most vulnerable youth, those who lack self-esteem, self-confidence or are marginalized in some way. 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