Every January, a wave of awareness rises around the fight against human trafficking, but this battle is fought 365 days a year. Millions of individuals—children, women, and men—are trafficked worldwide every year, and it is our mission to put it to an end.
What is human trafficking?
Human trafficking is a criminal act using force, fraud, or coercion to obtain certain types of human labor, including sex trafficking, forced labor and services, and domestic servitude. While it is often viewed as victims moving from one place to another, it does not require transportation to be considered a crime—it can be committed against an individual who has not left their hometown.
Who does it target?
Human trafficking does not target a single demographic. It can happen to anyone, no matter the age, gender, race, ethnicity, nationality, socioeconomic status, or immigration status.
According to the Department of Homeland Safety, “Human traffickers exploit many vulnerabilities to victimize people. Vulnerabilities for children can include a lack of safety at home from violence, abuse, and neglect; homelessness or runaway status; and a lack of proper care in the child welfare system. Other vulnerabilities for adults and children can include having a lack of trust in government institutions, economic hardship, isolation from family and/or community, and displacement from natural disasters.”
As a logistics professional, how do I recognize signs of human trafficking?
Professionals within the transportation and logistics industry are placed in a unique position to spot the potential signs of these criminal acts. As the eyes and ears of the public roadways, it is vital to understand and know how to recognize unsafe situations where individuals are being trafficked.
Here are some signs from a potential victim of human trafficking from the Department of Homeland Security:
- Go from truck to truck.
- Spend excessive amounts of time near or in the truck stop showers and bathrooms.
- Seem to be under the influence and/or unaware of their surroundings.
- Appear to be deprived of food, water, sleep, basic hygiene, medical care, or other necessities.
- Act fearful, anxious, depressed, submissive, tense, nervous/paranoid, or disassociated/ “checked out.”
- Have bruises or other signs of physical abuse, restraint, and/or confinement.
- Defer to another person to speak for them, appear to be coached on what to say, or their responses seem rehearsed.
- Appear to have no control over their money and/or ID.
What can I do to be a part of the fight against human trafficking?
There are several ways to be a part of the fight. If you suspect an individual is being trafficked, report it to the 24-hour National Human Trafficking Hotline at 888-373-7888 or report an emergency to law enforcement by calling 911. You can also volunteer in local community anti-trafficking efforts, organize fundraisers, and spread awareness to your peers. View more ways to get involved at USA.gov.