January is Human Trafficking Prevention Month and we wanted to raise awareness by providing some safety tips to guard against trafficking.
What is Human Trafficking?
Human trafficking is when a person is illegally exploited in one of three areas: sex trafficking, labor trafficking, and domestic servitude. Human trafficking is the third-largest global criminal enterprise.
What is the difference?
Sex trafficking is when an individual of any gender or age is compelled to engage in sexual acts.
Labor trafficking is when an individual is compelled to perform labor or service.
Domestic servitude is an individual who is being controlled and exploited within a household. The individual may appear to the outside world as nannies, housekeepers, or other types of domestic workers.
It’s important to know that sex trafficking is not the only human tracking out there. It does seem that sex tracking has been more prominent in the media for the past few years which has really helped bring awareness to the crime. Let’s continue the trend of awareness and point out a few safety tips:
When you go out in public here are things to know:
- Stay alert and know your surroundings
- If you feel like someone is following you be sure to do two things
- Make the person aware you see them (bring attention to them)
- Find a store associate or a trusted adult and make them aware
- Don’t walk alone at night
- Stick to more populated areas
- Trust your instincts! If you feel uncomfortable in a situation, find a safe way to leave
If you find yourself in a bad situation and are unable to verbally yell for help, you can use the hand gesture to signal for help.
Not only do we have to worry about human trafficking when we go out in public but even in the cyber world.
What are things I can do to stay aware online?
Know what your privacy settings are set to and don’t just trust the default settings.
Know who you are sending pictures too, you can’t control how the pictures you send are being shared by others.
Be aware of scammers that might portray to you that they have accidentally messaged the wrong number.
It’s important to tell someone. Express to your child or teen the importance of a trusted adult to know. There is another option if they find it difficult to share, calling the CyberTipline at 1-800-843-5678 and talking to some anonymously.
Human Trafficking Indicators:
Signs of physical abuse
Submissive or fearful
Inability to speak to individual alone
Answers appear to be scripted and rehearsed
If you believe you have identified someone in a trafficking situation, alert law enforcement immediately.
Report Trafficking & Get Help
If you are a human trafficking victim or have information about a potential trafficking situation, call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) at 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733. NHTRC is a national, toll-free hotline, with specialists available to answer calls from anywhere in the country, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also submit a tip on the NHTRC website.
If you believe a child is involved in a trafficking situation, submit a tip through the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s CyberTipline or call 1-800-THE-LOST. FBI personnel assigned to NCMEC review information that is provided to the CyberTipline.
For more information please click here to be transferred to the FBI Human Trafficking page.
Help raise awareness about human trafficking, using the following hashtags: #endtrafficking, #freedomfirst.
