Alienum phaedrum torquatos nec eu, vis detraxit periculis ex, nihil expetendis in mei. Mei an pericula euripidis, hinc partem.
[vc_empty_space height="10px"]
Definition: Human Trafficking is defined as the recruitment, harboring, moving, or obtaining of a person by force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of involuntary servitude, debt bondage, slavery, or commercial sex acts.
U.S. Federal Law: Minors under the age of 18 detained for commercial sex are not criminals, but sex trafficking victims, and are not subject to criminal prostitution charges.
Human trafficking is a crime against every person’s God-given basic human rights and dignity.
Categories: Labor & Sex Trafficking
How Does Trafficking Occur?
Understanding recruitment methods and how trafficking occurs in a community will assist with the identification of potential victims.
Force: Most victims are not kidnapped in the United States, but the use of force can occur, including physical restraint, physical harm, sexual assault, beatings, and confinement, and is often used to control victims, especially during the early stages of victimization, to break down the victim’s resistance.
Fraud includes false promises regarding employment, wages, working conditions, love, marriage or a better life. Over time, there may be unexpected changes in work conditions, compensation, debt agreements, or the nature of the relationship.
Coercion includes threats of serious harm to or physical restraint against any person, psychological manipulation, document confiscation, and shame and fear-inducing threats to share information or pictures with others or report to authorities.
(Include HT video)
Annual Worldwide Facts
This is a $236 billion industry
This is the fastest-growing criminal industry in the world, second only to the illegal drug trade, and it has recently surpassed the illegal gun trade.
According to the U.S. Department of State, there are 27.9 million people in labor and sex trafficking, but according to the International Labour Organization and Global Slavery Index, that number is as high as 50 million, with 22 million in forced marriages.
Common Misconceptions: Many believe it is primarily: (I like the Polaris setup: https://polarisproject.org/myths-facts-and-statistics/)
Illegal prostitution for money
Victims are girls.
Not where I live
Inflicted by pimps and I know what they look like
I don’t know anyone who is a victim
Traffickers only target those who are homeless, poor, or from other countries
I’m not involved
Types of Human Trafficking: (Could use same type of set up here)
Forced & Child Labor – When we think of human trafficking, we may think of a child in India making rugs or working on family farms in another country or victims are forced to work for little or no pay, under the threat of violence, often manufacturing or harvesting the products we use and consume every day. What we may not realize is that this happens in the United States as well.
Baby Factories – Women are held against their will, impregnated and give birth. Their babies are then taken from them and sold to couples or used in organ trafficking.
Forced Marriage — Women and children who are forced to marry another without their consent or against their will. Child marriage is still legal in many states in the U.S. and is still practiced here.
Garment Industry – Do you recall the Rana Plaza collapse in Bangladesh where the building collapsed killing more than 1,100 garment workers? How many know there’s a FABRIC Act Coalition fighting for the rights and wages of workers here in the U.S. Labor exploitation also happens here in the U.S. You can learn more about this issue with the Catholic Purchasing Alliance.
Child Soldiers – Thousands of children are recruited and used in armed conflicts across the world.
Organ Trafficking – receipt of living or deceased persons or their organs using threat or use of force or other forms of coercion.
Why is it done?
Trafficking is due in part to the perpetrators’ greed for wealth, control, and power. It is also due to the demand of the consumer who wants to buy people for sex, view pornography, and buy cheaper products of all types.
Traffickers:
Greed, need for power, control & wealth
$32 billion in the U.S.
Minimal risk for traffickers
– 2022 convictions: 5,600 worldwide & 256 in the U.S.
Consumer Demand:
Prostitutes & child victims
Pornography
Cheaper products
Who are the Victims?
You may be enabling human trafficking when you buy products from these victims’ labor (these are not all-inclusive).
Massage Workers
Farm Workers
Prostituted People
Children
Fishermen
Models
Immigrants
Restaurant Workers
Construction Workers
Domestic Workers
Factory Workers
Exotic Dancers
Risk Factors
Traffickers tend to prey on the most vulnerable. Those living in extreme poverty, who lost their livelihoods due to natural disasters or have a need to belong and feel loved, abused, poor and unemployed.
Family abuse/neglect
Bullying or being bullied
Sending messages with sexual content, graphic video, or photos
Secret meeting with someone I met online
Use of pornography
Escape from war, persecution, and other forms of violence
Migratory status
Lack of job opportunities
Lack of education
Living in poverty, homeless
Natural disasters
Drug & alcohol use
Who Are The Traffickers?
Traffickers can look like those we know and trust. They can be men and women, any age, those in authority, teachers, politicians, family members, celebrities, law enforcement, religious leaders, and teenagers
26-47% of trafficked children are sold by parents, legal guardians, or relatives
Where Do Traffickers Prey?
Traffickers can prey anywhere, but the internet and social media are a major source for predators’ recruitment:
Malls
Businesses
Attractions
Playgrounds
Restaurants & Coffee Shops
Movie Theaters
Night Clubs
Schools & College Campuses
Sporting events
Airports
Hotel, motel, shelters
At natural disasters
Traffickers meet the needs of love, belonging, and esteem through online grooming or by posing as a boyfriend (also known as the Romeo Trafficker or Boyfriend Pimp).
Why Do Victims Stay?
Trauma Bond with “Romeo Trafficker”
Controlled by captors
Lacks understanding of their situation
Feeling helpless & afraid
Threats to them, family, friends
Beaten, starved, drugged, brainwashed, worse by “Guerilla Traffickers”
