Understanding Human Trafficking

Author: Kaneesha Anderson

Human trafficking is a commonly misunderstood crime. The media (news, cinema, and social media) often exaggerates or misrepresents the trafficking of persons. Human trafficking not only happens through kidnapping or internationally, but it also more commonly occurs in our communities. Trafficking typically occurs quietly and subtly, and people of all races/ethnicities, socioeconomic statuses, genders, sexual orientations, and religious backgrounds can be trafficked. At New Directions Center, we value education because it is essential for prevention efforts when community members understand the what, how, and why of human trafficking. Education enables better prevention methods, saving lives. This article highlights what human trafficking is, the forms it takes, and how to see red flags within your own communities.

What is Human Trafficking?

Human trafficking is a form of exploitation in which a person is recruited, transported, transferred, and/or harbored through force, fraud, and/or coercion. Human trafficking occurs when someone controls another person for personal gain or profit by taking advantage of vulnerability, power imbalance, fear, or dependence. Trafficking of persons does not require physical force such as chains or locked doors; on the contrary, human trafficking often does not include movement, travel, or crossing borders. Trafficking can happen anywhere, in homes, workplaces, communities, and even online. There are two main types of human trafficking: labor trafficking and sex trafficking. 

Labor Trafficking

Labor Trafficking is the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services with the intention to subject the person to abusive or exploitative conditions, often with little or no pay. Examples of this include “when a person uses force or physical threats, psychological coercion, abuse of the legal process, a scheme or plan intended to hold a person in fear or serious harm, or other coercive means to compel someone to work.” 

What does force, fraud, or coercion mean? Force is the physical violence performed, such as kidnapping, sexual assault, and restraint. Fraud includes the false promises of a better life, employment, and/or marriage. Coercion consists of threatening the victim and/or the victim's family, and/or the use of alcohol/drug, and/or psychological abuse. Labor trafficking is a modern-day form of slavery and a fundamental violation of human rights. Victims may be threatened with violence, deportation, job loss, or financial harm if they attempt to leave.

Labor trafficking can occur in some of the following industries:

● Agriculture and Farming

● Construction 

● Healthcare 

● Hospitality 

● Factories/Warehouses 

● Food Service 

● Landscaping and Cleaning Services

Victims of labor trafficking are not a homogeneous group of people. Victims can be young children, teenagers, men, women, and people of color. It is important to acknowledge that women, children, and people of color are overwhelmingly trafficked in labor arenas because of their vulnerability, social marginalization, and overall status compared to men. Typically, victims may work long hours, live where they work, have their identification withheld, or be isolated from the outside world.

Sex Trafficking

Sex trafficking is the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, obtaining, patronizing, and/or soliciting of a person for a commercial sex act, in which the commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, and/or coercion, or when the individual is induced to perform sex acts and is under the age of 18. Commercial sex includes prostitution, pornography, escorting, or other forms of sexual exploitation. In cases where a child (under the age of 18) and an individual (over the age of 18) engage in any of the specified acts listed above is considered a trafficking victim. Victims of sex trafficking can be children/teens, homeless youth, individuals experiencing poverty or housing instability, survivors of abuse, people who use substances, people who experience mental health challenges, and people of color. Traffickers often recognize victims' vulnerability and use it to assert control over the victim.

Common Sex Trafficking Avenues:

● Personal Sexual Servitude 

● Residential Brothels 

● Remote Interactive Sexual Acts 

● Escort Services 

● Bars/ Strip Club

Common Trafficking Tactics

• Targeting Defenseless

  Traffickers often look for someone who is experiencing unmet needs, such as housing instability, isolation, financial strain, immigration concerns, and or a desire to belong.

• Building Trust

  Traffickers appear to offer affection, help, gifts, protection,employment

opportunities, or general promises of a better life. Over time, this builds emotional dependence between the trafficker and the individual.

• Creating Dependence

  Once trust is established, the individual begins relying on the trafficker for basic needs, decision-making, or emotional support, all while outside support begins to fade away. Typically, at this stage, traffickers will introduce rules, debt, or expectations. Control gradually increases, making it difficult for victims to recognize what is happening.

• Isolation & Control

  The traffickers begin to assert control over the victims' contact with friends, family, or services. Contact with these outside relationships is limited, monitored, or discouraged through manipulation, jealousy, guilt, or threats. Additionally, transportation and identification of individuals may be restricted.

• Normalizing Exploitation

  Harmful or exploitative behavior is minimized, justified, or presented as necessary, expected, or “not that bad.” Threats may be physical, emotional, financial, or legal; many victims fear punishment, shame, or consequences if they seek help.

Warning Signs to Watch for

• Appearing fearful, anxious, submissive, or unable to speak freely 

• Someone else speaking for them or controlling their movement 

• Signs of physical abuse or untreated injuries 

• Lack of personal identification or access to money 

• Inconsistent stories about work, living situation, or relationships 

• Sudden changes in behavior, clothing, or lifestyle

  • Displays fearful, anxious, or submissive behavior 

• Poor hygiene, malnutrition, or fatigue 

• Working excessively long hours with little rest 

• Living at their workplace 

• Being transported by someone else daily 

• Dressed inappropriately for the climate or his/her age 

• Businesses with high employee turnover 

• Individuals who cannot leave a job freely

• Housing where multiple people live under strict rules 

• Online ads or social media activity that sexualizes minors. 

Myth V. Fact

Myth: Human Trafficking is the same as human smuggling. 

Fact: Trafficking and smuggling are different crimes. Smuggling involves consent and transportation across borders. Trafficking involves force, fraud, and/or coercion for exploitation and does not require travel. 

Myth: Victims will immediately ask for help or self-identify.

Fact: Many victims do not see themselves as victims or feel unsure, ashamed, or afraid to seek help. 

Myth: If someone agreed to the work or situation, it can’t be trafficking.

Fact: Consent becomes irrelevant if force, fraud, or coercion is used. Someone may agree initially but later be exploited or controlled against their will.

Myth: Foreign nation victims are always undocumented.

Fact: Victims may be undocumented, on temporary visas, permanent residents, or even students or tourists. Trafficking can even happen with individuals with immigration status.

Taking Action

Human trafficking is not an injustice where the effects are isolated; in fact, they spread outward and directly impact individuals, communities, businesses, and local systems. The direct impact can lead to overwhelming systems such as healthcare, social services, legal services, and law enforcement. This is why prevention is important. Ending human trafficking requires informed and compassionate communities. Being an expert is not required; awareness is the most important factor, as it alone can make a difference. 

Ways You Can Help:

• Learn the signs and ALWAYS trust your instincts.

• Report suspicious activity to local authorities and local/ national hotlines.

• Support organizations like New Directions Center that provide survivor-centered care.

• Talk about trafficking to openly break the stigma and silence.

• Advocate for prevention through education and community involvement.

Human trafficking is complex and ultimately deeply painful, but it is not unstoppable. At New Directions, we are committed to survivor-centered advocacy and education. Knowledge is the most powerful tool communities have. When communities are knowledgeable, it increases prevention efforts, and traffickers lose the advantage of ignorance. At New Directions Center, we value education because by learning the what, how, and why of human trafficking, we can choose to be caring and compassionate community members that play a role in protecting vulnerable populations and helping survivors reclaim their lives. Change occurs when we seek knowledge and choose to take action.