The Term human trafficking describes the recruitment, transportation, harboring, transfer, and receipt of people through fraud, force, and coercion to exploit them for profit. Human traffickers often use violence and fraudulent employment schemes to lure their victims into their traps. Human trafficking can happen in any community, and victims could be from any age group, gender, religion, or race.

In most cases, victims of human trafficking fail to seek help due to language barriers, fear of law enforcement, and the fear of their traffickers. Most traffickers will study the victims beforehand, and they mainly prey on individuals who are susceptible to economic hardships, emotional vulnerability, psychological distress, and social instability. In most cases, trafficking involves forced labor or commercial sexual exploitation.

While there are obvious signs of trafficking, especially when abuse is involved, the trauma caused in these situations causes victims to deter from seeking help even in highly public settings. Some of the most common types of human trafficking include:

Labor Trafficking

Labor trafficking is a prevalent form of human trafficking that involves using coercion or force to make another person work or provide a service. In most cases, labor trafficking occurs in industries like agriculture, domestic work, and cleaning service. Labor human trafficking could be in the form of;

  • Child labor. Child labor is any work done by individuals between five and seventeen years that is harmful to their development and prevents them from attending school. Children are a vulnerable group of individuals, making it easy for a criminal to take advantage of them. Any act of forcing children to work in conditions that could harm them is considered trafficking.
  • Debt bondage. Commonly known as bonded labor, debt bondage occurs when an individual is forced to work so they can cover a particular debt. In these cases, “the employer” prevents the victim from paying the debt any other way.

Sex Trafficking

Sex trafficking is a crime that uses force, coercion, or fraud to induce another person into selling sex. If the alleged victim is under eighteen years, any form of commercial sex will be viewed as human trafficking. Victims of sex trafficking are forced to work as escorts, brothels, or engage in pornography.

Who are the Victims of Human Trafficking?

According to the International Labor Organization, hundreds of thousands of trafficking victims in the United States each year. Human trafficking victims can be men, women, or children. There are three main categories of trafficking victims:

  • Minors under eighteen years induced in commercial sex
  • Adults induced into commercial sex through force, violence, or coercion
  • Adults and children forced to perform labor or provide services

While anyone can be a victim of trafficking, the traffickers often prey on runaway and homeless youths. This group of individuals lacks the financial resources and social support needed to make the right decision. Human traffickers often frequent shelters and other public spaces where vulnerable people may be present. Additionally, individuals who have experienced past trauma and violence may easily fall victim to trafficking and exploitation. Victims of domestic violence, sexual abuse, and other forms of assault could view the traffickers’ offer as a way out of their troubles.

Who are the Perpetrators of Human Trafficking?

A human trafficker is any individual who uses fraud, force, or coercion to lure victims into labor or commercial sexual exploitation. Often, human traffickers prey on individuals looking for a better life or who have an unstable home life. Based on the prevalent human trafficking cases, traffickers could identify themselves as:

  • Pimps
  • Fake massage business owners
  • Gangs and criminal networks
  • Fraudulent employers of domestic servants
  • Family members
  • Small business managers and owners
  • Crew leaders in agriculture
  • Factory owners and other corporations

The crime of human trafficking has continued to exist because the venture remains lucrative. The two main factors that encourage traffickers to continue this illegal activity are low risk and the vast profits they accrue at the end of the day. Most human traffickers exploit online advertising agencies, the hospitality industry, and labor brokers to move forward with their schemes.

What are some of the Common Signs of Trafficking for  Sexual Exploitation?

Human traffickers often instill fear among their victims, making it hard for the victim to open up or seek help. Often, teachers, parents, counselors, and other professionals fail to notice the signs of abuse in trafficking victims. Identifying signs of trafficking based on sexual exploitation is the first step in helping the victims and making criminals accountable for their actions. Some of the common signs you need to look out for as an indication of child sexual exploitation include:

  • Disruptive behavior and skipping school
  • Mood swings
  • Use of drugs or alcohol
  • Display of inappropriate sexual behavior such as taking and sending sexualized images via the internet
  • Showing signs of unexplained physical harm
  • Appearing with mysterious gifts that you cannot account for
  • Tattoos that may be related to prostitution and pimping activity
  • Aggression, anger, and being suicidal
  • Use of prostitution-related terminology
  • Extreme secrecy

What Measures has the DA’s Office in San Diego Done Towards Fighting Human Trafficking?

The DA has human and sex trafficking units consisting of investigators, paralegals, prosecutors, and victim advocates who are on the front line of fighting human trafficking. Additionally, a special team offers moral support to individuals who have been victims of trafficking. Some of the common actions taken to fight this vice include:

  • By using computer technology, the DAs office can track gang-related activities and help curb instances of trafficking.
  • The DAs office provides training to DA victim advocates to ensure that the victims are treated with the necessary compassion.
  • Promote awareness by running a campaign and implementing the posting laws, which increases the number of people fighting human trafficking.
  • The DAs office created a “girls only” toolkit which prevents young girls from falling prey to traffickers who disguise themselves in the boys and girls Club organization.

Preventing Human Trafficking

Human trafficking continues to be a global issue that affects millions of vulnerable individuals. The following are some ways through which we can prevent human trafficking. Learning the signs of both labor and sex trafficking will help us identify the victims of these cats and report them to the relevant authorities. Some of the ways through which you can help prevent trafficking include:

  • If you recognize the signs of human trafficking in a person, you Should report the issue by calling 1-888-3737-888
  • Educating yourself and others on the red flags associated with human trafficking to protect you from falling prey to the criminals
  • Encourage schools to teach children about the topic and urge them to seek help if they are in such a predicament.
  • Support individuals who have fallen victim to human trafficking. This can be done by welcoming them back to society and helping them cope with the situation.
  • Stop labor and sexual demands that drive the human trafficking venture.

Safety Tips

With the advancement and accessibility of technology, human traffickers often reach the victims through online advertisements and other social media platforms. This allows the criminals to expand their scope of advertisement as they try to maximize profit. You can protect your family from human trafficking by:

  • Avoid interacting with strangers
  • Don’t post confidential information on social media platforms
  • Skip party invitations from people you do not trust
  • Do not believe claims from people who promise quick money and well-paying jobs

Public Schools Prevention Education

The school prevention education has programs that combine the classroom curriculum with participatory theater to minimize the prevalence of human trafficking in San Diego.

Information from NHTRC

NHTCR is a project supported and funded by the Department of Human Services. This organization is open every day for twenty-four hours. When you call NHTRC, the specialists will connect you to social services or law enforcement, who ensure that the victim is safe.

Common Human Trafficking Indicators

Human trafficking occurs in all environments, and anyone could fall victim to the rime. Some of the common signs that a victim of human trafficking could exhibit include:

  • Evidence of being physically and emotionally out of control
  • Inability to relay information
  • Having few or no personal possessions
  • Loss of the sense of time, space, and privacy
  • Inability to leave the workplace or home
  • Poor physical health
  • Inconsistencies in the information they provide

Who to Contact

Anyone can fall victim to human trafficking. If you are a victim or know someone exhibiting the signs of human trafficking, you should contact the National Human Trafficking Resource Center by calling 1-88-373-788 or texting BeFree at (233733).

Community Resources and Initiatives

With assistance from the district attorney, the police, and victim services, the HRC of San Diego has initiated an effort to implement laws that mandate posting human trafficking-related information at the required establishments. Senate Bill 1193, enacted in April of 2013, has a new section of the civil law that requires businesses to notify the human trafficking victims and the public about the hotline they can call to report suspicious conduct or illegal activities.

Some of the businesses that are mandated to post the human trafficking hotline information include:

  • Sexual or adult-oriented businesses
  • Hospital energy rooms
  • Rail and bus stations
  • Rest areas
  • Primary airports
  • Truck stops
  • Emergency care centers/