Human Trafficking Information

WHAT IS HUMAN TRAFFICKING?

The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000* defines
“severe forms of trafficking in persons” as:

• “sex trafficking in which a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such an act has not attained 18 years of age; or

• the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision or obtaining of a person for labor services, through the use of force, fraud or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage or slavery.”

*Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, Public Law 106.386.Sec 103

Human trafficking is Modern-Day Slavery.

PREVALENCE

• 27 million slaves in the world today.
• Approximately 800,000 to 900,000 people are trafficked across international borders worldwide each year.
• Between 14,500 and 17,500 people are trafficked into the United
  States each year.
• Roughly 80% of those considered trafficked are women and
  children.
• Every 40 seconds a child is found missing or abducted. 1 of 3
  teens on the street will be lured into prostitution within 48 hours
  of leaving home . (National Center for Missing and Exploited Children)

KEY QUESTIONS TO ASK:

Asking the right questions will help you determine if the person in front of you is a victim of trafficking who needs your help.

(Be aware of trafficker presence.)

• What type of work are they doing?
• Were/Are they forced to perform sexual acts?
• Are they being paid?
• Is their salary being garnished to pay off a smuggling fee?
• Is their salary being garnished to pay off living fees (housing, food, clothing)?
• Can they leave their job situation if they want to?
• When they are not working, do they have freedom to come and go as they please?
• Is there a lock on the door or windows so they cannot get out?
• Have they been threatened with harm if they attempt to leave?
• Are they in possession of identification and travel documents? If not, who has control of those documents?
• Are they allowed to socialize or attend religious services?
• Can they freely contact family and friends?
• Were they coached on what to say to law enforcement and immigration officials?
• Were they recruited for one purpose and forced to engage in some other job?
• Do they have to ask permission to eat, sleep or go to the bathroom?
• Where do they sleep and eat in relation to work?
• Have they been deprived of food, water, sleep, medical care or other life necessities?