Prevent Human Trafficking

Human Trafficking In The United States, Explained 

Beverly Murillo | December 28, 2020

 Anyone can be trafficked; it doesn’t rely on your age or gender. Due to the amount of cases, Polaris has operated the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline. The hotline offers call, message, or live chat services for any victim in danger and in need of support. We need to be informed about the causes and amount of cases due to human trafficking. 

How many people reported their case to the hotline? 

In 2018, there were 3,625 victims who contacted the hotline to report their own situation. According to Polaris the article, “2019 U.S. Nationl Human Trafficking Hotline Staticics,” Last year the number of victims who contacted the hotline to report their situation is viewed as a 19 percent increase. In 2019, there were 4,312 victims who contacted the hotline to report their situation. The people who answer the hotline offer the victim help by providing information about safe places for the night, an attorney, trauma counselor, transportation or seeking law enforcement. 

Who is being trafficked? 

Human trafficking doesn’t rely on your age, gender, or nationality because anyone can be trafficked. In the Polaris on Demographics, they explain the people who reported their situation to the hotline based on the age the trafficking began, nationality, and gender. Age at the time trafficking began there were 1,435 adults, 5,359 minors, and 15,532 unknown victims that reported their situations. The nationtinaly status of cases was 1,388 are U.S citizens, 4,601 considered foreign nationals, and 16,337 were unknown. Based on gender for the cases there were 15,222 females, 3,003 males, 135 gender minorities, and 3,966 that were considered unknown. 

Why does human trafficking continue? 

There are many risk factors of human trafficking. The use of fraud, force, and harassment is the issue of trafficking. Many risk factors for sex and labor trafficking. 

According to the Polaris the article, “2019 U.S. Nationl Human Trafficking Hotline Staticics,” The top risk factor for sex trafficking is substance use concern and labor trafficking is recent relocation. Substance use concern, runaway homeless youth, recent relocation, unstable housing, and mental health concern are the top five risk factors of sex trafficking. Recent relocation, unstable housing, criminal record history, physical health concern, and substance use concern are the top five risk factors of labor trafficking. For sex trafficking there was 510 cases reported for top risk factor which was substance use concern. There were 2,364 cases reported for recentmigration as the top risk factor for labor trafficking. Many risk factors means we need to provide more prevention. 

What can we do to prevent human trafficking? 

As reported by the United Way in the article, “Five Ways You Combat Human Trafficking And Modern Day Slavery,” shares ways we can prevent human trafficking. The top five ways are be informed about the red flags of potential human trafficking, raise awareness on network and social media, volunteer at local anti-trafficking organization, learn more information about your consumer habits may be connected to modern slaveyr, and being involved with United Way’s Center On Human Trafficking & Slavery. According to the Office On Trafficking In Persons in the article, “10 Ways You Can Help End Trafficking,”explains how each way can benefit prevention. The top three ways  you should know are learning the red flags by learning common myths about trafficking with facts, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline if you have any concerns about a trafficking siuation, and share awareness resoruces in your community. Anyone can prevent human trafficking by understanding the red flags, reporting a tip by call or text to a hotline, and spreading awareness to your community.