What is Human Trafficking?
Human Trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery and a federal crime. It is defined as the trade in humans, most commonly for the purpose of sexual slavery, forced labor or commercial sexual exploitation induced by force, fraud, or coercion.
The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 and its subsequent reauthorizations define human trafficking as:
a) Sex trafficking in which a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such act has not attained 18 years of age; or
b) The recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery. (22 U.S.C. § 7102(9)).
The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 and its subsequent reauthorizations define human trafficking as:
a) Sex trafficking in which a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such act has not attained 18 years of age; or
b) The recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery. (22 U.S.C. § 7102(9)).
Warning Signs of Human Trafficking:
These warning signs are adapted from information provided by the Polaris Project and its National Human Trafficking Resource Center and Innocents at Risk.
- Appearing malnourished
- Showing signs of physical injuries and abuse
- Avoiding eye contact, social interaction, and authority figures/law enforcement
- Seeming to adhere to scripted or rehearsed responses in social interaction
- Lacking official identification documents
- Appearing destitute/lacking personal possessions
- Working excessively long hours
- Living at place of employment
- Checking into hotels/motels with older males, and referring to those males as boyfriend or “daddy,” which is often street slang for pimp
- Poor physical or dental health
- Tattoos/ branding on the neck and/or lower back
- Untreated sexually transmitted diseases
- Small children serving in a family restaurant
- Security measures that appear to keep people inside an establishment - barbed wire inside of a fence, bars covering the insides of windows
- Not allowing people to go into public alone, or speak for themselves
These warning signs are adapted from information provided by the Polaris Project and its National Human Trafficking Resource Center and Innocents at Risk.
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Impact of Human Trafficking and Sex Abuse on Children’s Health
When you're ready to talk, we're ready to listen. Your call to us is important, that's why all calls are strictly confidential and you may call anonymously if you'd like.
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Normal conflicting emotions victims may be dealing with:
- Fear: The fear of what might happen if they were to leave.
- Belief: Believing abuse is normal due to being exposed to unhealthy relationships; possibly by parents, certain religious misconceptions, former relationships, witnessing other family members being in an unhealthy relationship when you were growing up, violence in the media, certain cultures, and so on.
- Embarrassment: They have a hard time admitting to others that they have been abused due to the fear of being judged or letting others down.
- Low self-esteem: feeling like you cannot do better than the situation you are in now, feeling that you can't make it on your own. Low self-esteem and domestic violence go hand in hand in many cases.
RESOURCE GUIDE FOR VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING
REACH would like to thank Nantahala Health Foundation for their generous grant to support our Human Trafficking Program. Their continued support ensures that trafficking victims and survivors receive the vital services that they need. Click below to learn more about the amazing programs they support!
