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Human Trafficking - What you need to know

Posted on Wednesday, December 13, 2017
Human Trafficking - also known as Involuntary Servitude is the third largest criminal activity in the world. Human trafficking includes forced labor, domestic servitude and sex trafficking. In the US, people of all ages are being bought, sold and smuggled like modern day slaves - many times they are beaten, starved, drugged or forced to work as prostitutes. They are also sometimes forced to take jobs with little to no pay - such as a farm worker, restaurant crew or home cleaning. The FBI tries to keep track of who is doing what, but with such an ever-growing "industry" it's nearly impossible.

In this blog, we are going to talk about SEX TRAFFICKING. According to The Polaris Project last year alone the National Center for Missing and Exploited children estimated that 1 in 6 endangered runaways reported to them were likely sex trafficking victims. And globally, the International Labor Organization estimates that there are 4.5 MILLION people trapped in forced sexual exploitation globally.

SOME FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How does a person fall victim to sex trafficking?
The situations that sex trafficking victims face vary dramatically. Many victims become romantically involved with someone who then forces or manipulates them into prostitution. Others are lured in with false promises of a job, such as modeling or dancing. Some are forced to sell sex by their parents or other family members. They may be involved in a trafficking situation for a few days or weeks, or may remain in the same trafficking situation for years.*

Who can fall victim to sex trafficking?
Victims of sex trafficking can be U.S. citizens, foreign nationals, women, men, children, and LGBTQ individuals. Vulnerable populations are frequently targeted by traffickers, including runaway and homeless youth, as well as victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, war, or social discrimination.*

Where does sex trafficking take place?
Sex trafficking occurs in a range of venues including fake massage businesses, via online ads or escort services, in residential brothels, on the street or at truck stops, or at hotels and motels.*

Who is doing the trafficking?
The people that are involved are not what you would think. They look just like you and me. Traffickers do not discriminate - they can be men, women, black, white, gay, poor, rich, old, young, or ...anybody. They do not always run around in flashy clothing with gold chains hanging from their neck. They look like they could be your next door neighbor!

How does one recognize the signs of sex trafficking?
-Common Work and Living Condition Issues
-Poor Mental Health or Abnormal Behavior
-Poor Physical Health
-Lack of Control*


*Some of these facts and statistics are from The Polaris Project

Recognize more signs here: The Polaris Project and for an in-depth detailed list of signs, please visit Human Trafficking Hotline

It's time to FIGHT BACK! Please take the time and research about HUMAN TRAFFICKING with the links we provided as well as doing some research yourself. I can promise you, it's in all of our backyards whether we want to admit it or not. Children are some of the easiest targets because of the way their hormone-filled minds work sometimes. You need to talk to your children after educating yourself about this ever-growing crime that is taking over our nation.

If you believe you are the victim of a trafficking situation or may have information about a potential trafficking situation, call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) at 1-888-373-7888. NHTRC is a national, toll-free hotline, with specialists available to answer calls from anywhere in the country, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, every day of the year related to potential trafficking victims, suspicious behaviors, and/or locations where trafficking is suspected to occur. You can also submit a tip on the NHTRC website. Human Trafficking Hotline REPORT IT

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