The world today is not what it used to be where parents could send their children out to play unsupervised. Today, parents must constantly be on the lookout for danger as predators are always searching for prey.

Human Trafficking has become the third-largest crime around the globe, with sex and manual labor being the motives. It is also one of the hardest crimes to stop, as no two cases are alike.

Kinship United, a charity that helps orphans around the world, says one issue with trafficking, is that it’s a border issue. Law enforcement has to handle sex cases differently from labor cases. 

Difference between Labor and Sex Trafficking. 

On ECPAT USA’s web page, they say Labor trafficking is transporting victims by coercion, threat, or fraud to perform labor. The situation is often abusive, and the victim cannot leave.

In most cases, the victim is forced to work as either a domestic servant in a private home, a farmworker that’s threatened while plowing crops, or a factory worker working in inhumane conditions with little to no pay. 

The National Human Trafficking hotline says that both foreign nationals and citizens of the United States have fallen victim. Also, a high rate of consumer goods on the market are products of slave labor.

Also, anyone can be a victim, but children are especially at risk of becoming victims.

Out of all the forms of Human Trafficking, sex trafficking is the most common.

The National Human Trafficking Hotline estimates that there are 40.3 million victims of trafficking globally. Out of that, 200,000 are at risk of being part of the sex industry.

How Traffickers Lure Victims:

Most Traffickers are charming and good at lying to their victims. A lot of victims are not even aware that they are falling into a trap. 

Traffickers prey on vulnerable people who are in a desperate situation to lure them unknowingly into the sex trade. An example is women or children living in poverty, traffickers promise a better job opportunity either in Europe or the United States. 

Other examples include luring victims by preying on their vulnerabilities. Teenagers are especially at risk of falling into this trap. Teens with low self-esteem or a less than happy home life are double at risk of being trapped in trafficking. 

The invention of social media has made it even easier for traffickers to find potential victims. Chat rooms are also a playground for traffickers because they can easily pick out who to target by chatting with the victim. 

Of course, none of this happens overnight. Many perps groom their victims for weeks or even months, slowly gaining their trust until the time is right. 

What are the Warning Signs to Lookout for?

Here are some signs to watch out for.

1. If a person looks malnourished,
2. If a person has physical injuries or shows signs of being abused.
3. Avoids eye contact, social interaction, or authority figures.
4. responses seem scripted 
5. Lacks documentation of identity.
6. lack of personal possessions or seems to be destitute. 
7. Works ridiculously long hours.
8. lives at a place of employment.
9. checking into Hotels/ Motels with an older male referring to them as their boyfriend or Daddy.
10. Poor health
11. Tattoos on the back of the neck or back. Called branding 
12. Untreated sexual diseases
13. small kids working at a family restaurant.
14. Not allowed to go into the public alone.
15. Security measures to keep people from leaving. 

Please be aware of the people around you and if you see something, say something!