Human trafficking is a crime of exploitation, not movement, and it can occur entirely within one city, neighborhood, or home without crossing any borders. [fbi.gov], [un.org]
• Trafficking commonly relies on force, fraud, or coercion, including psychological manipulation, threats, debt bondage, or control of identification documents—rather than visible physical restraint. [fbi.gov], [justice.gov]
• Any minor engaged in commercial sex is legally a trafficking victim, regardless of consent, force, or coercion. [fbi.gov], [state.gov]
• Victims often do not self identify as victims due to fear, trauma, loyalty to traffickers, language barriers, or distrust of authorities. [fbi.gov], [justice.gov]
• Common indicators include restricted freedom of movement, coached or scripted responses, lack of control over money or documents, unusual work hours, and untreated medical needs, though no single indicator is definitive. [justice.gov], [fbi.gov]
• Human trafficking affects all genders, ages, citizenship statuses, and socioeconomic groups, including U.S. citizens exploited by other U.S. citizens. [fbi.gov], [state.gov]
• Traffickers increasingly use technology—such as social media, encrypted messaging apps, online job ads, and digital payment systems—to recruit, control, and exploit victims. [state.gov], [un.org]
• Effective responses require a victim centered, trauma informed approach that prioritizes safety, dignity, and access to services over immediate prosecution. [justice.gov], [un.org]
• Misidentifying victims as offenders (e.g., for prostitution, immigration, or minor crimes) undermines investigations and perpetuates exploitation. [fbi.gov], [state.gov]
• Collaboration with task forces, service providers, healthcare professionals, labor inspectors, and NGOs is essential for successful identification, protection, and prevention. [fbi.gov], [un.org]
• Context matters more than checklists, and officers must assess indicators within the individual’s environment, behavior, and power dynamics. [fbi.gov], [justice.gov]
• Prevention improves when law enforcement uses data driven intelligence, standardized reporting, and trend analysis to identify patterns, hotspots, and organized trafficking networks. [content.go…livery.com], [iom.int]
• For immediate danger call 911, and to report tips you can call the HSI Tip Line at 1-866-347-2423. [dhs.gov]
• To get help or share concerns, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text “BEFREE/HELP” to 233733 (24/7, confidential support). [humantraffickinghotline.org], [dhs.gov]

Essential Knowledge for TSA and Customs Agents on Human Trafficking
• Human trafficking is a crime of exploitation, not transportation, and the presence of travel documents or legal immigration status does not rule out trafficking. [fbi.gov], [un.org]
• Trafficking victims may be traveling voluntarily on the surface but under coercion, manipulation, or threats that are not immediately visible. [fbi.gov], [state.gov]
• Any minor traveling for the purpose of commercial sex is a trafficking victim, regardless of consent or the presence of a purported guardian. [fbi.gov], [state.gov]
• Red flags at airports include one traveler controlling passports or boarding passes, answering all questions, restricting communication, or closely monitoring another person’s behavior. [justice.gov], [fbi.gov]
• Victims may appear confused about their destination, itinerary, length of stay, or who is meeting them, especially when questioned separately. [justice.gov], [fbi.gov]
• Human trafficking commonly involves psychological coercion, debt bondage, lies about work or education, or threats to family members, rather than overt violence. [fbi.gov], [un.org]
• Language barriers, fear of authority, trauma responses, or coached answers may prevent victims from disclosing exploitation even when directly questioned. [fbi.gov], [justice.gov]
• Traffickers increasingly use technology, including online recruitment, encrypted messaging, digital payments, and last minute itinerary changes to evade detection. [state.gov], [un.org]
• Indicators must never be treated as a checklist, and context, behavior, power dynamics, and inconsistencies are more important than any single sign. [fbi.gov], [justice.gov]
• Separating travelers politely and legally for routine questioning can be a critical tool for identifying coercion or scripted responses. [fbi.gov], [un.org]
• Victim identification improves when agents apply a trauma informed, nonjudgmental approach that prioritizes safety over speed or enforcement metrics. [justice.gov], [un.org]
• Human trafficking occurs across all nationalities, genders, and socioeconomic levels, including U.S. citizens and lawful travelers. [fbi.gov], [state.gov]
• Effective prevention depends on interagency coordination, including referrals to specialized investigators, task forces, and victim service providers rather than improvising responses. [fbi.gov], [un.org]
• For immediate danger call 911, and to report tips you can call the HSI Tip Line at 1-866-347-2423. [dhs.gov]
• To get help or share concerns, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text “BEFREE/HELP” to 233733 (24/7, confidential support). [humantraffickinghotline.org], [dhs.gov]

• Human trafficking is a crime of exploitation, not movement, and first responders frequently encounter victims during emergencies, calls for service, or medical responses without realizing it at first. [fbi.gov], [un.org]
• Victims may be injured, ill, or in crisis while still under the control of traffickers, making emergency scenes a critical window for identification. [justice.gov], [fbi.gov]
• Trafficking rarely involves visible restraints; control is most often maintained through fear, threats, debt, manipulation, or psychological coercion. [fbi.gov], [un.org]
• Red flags at emergency scenes include someone answering questions for the patient, refusing separation, controlling medications or ID, or closely monitoring conversations. [justice.gov], [fbi.gov]
• Patients may provide inconsistent or rehearsed stories, appear fearful of authority, or show reluctance to explain how injuries occurred. [justice.gov], [fbi.gov]
• Any minor involved in commercial sex is legally a trafficking victim, regardless of consent, demeanor, or the presence of an adult claiming guardianship. [fbi.gov], [state.gov]
• Indicators of labor trafficking may include exhaustion, dehydration, untreated injuries, fear of job loss or deportation, or injuries inconsistent with stated employment. [justice.gov], [un.org]
• Trauma responses such as shut down behavior, agitation, dissociation, or unusual calmness should be interpreted as possible survival responses, not noncompliance. [fbi.gov], [un.org]
• First responders should never attempt to confront or rescue from a trafficker on scene, as this can escalate danger for the victim and responders. [justice.gov], [un.org]
• When possible and lawful, separating the patient from others during routine medical care or transport can create safer opportunities for disclosure. [fbi.gov], [un.org]
• Indicators must never be treated as a checklist, and patterns, environment, power dynamics, and patient behavior over time matter most. [fbi.gov], [justice.gov]
• Proper response requires following agency protocols, documenting concerns clearly, and notifying appropriate supervisors, medical staff, or investigators. [justice.gov], [un.org]
• First responders play a vital prevention role by approaching patients with calm, respect, dignity, and trauma informed care, which may be the first safe interaction a victim has experienced. [un.org], [state.gov]
• For immediate danger call 911, and to report tips you can call the HSI Tip Line at 1-866-347-2423. [dhs.gov]
• To get help or share concerns, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text “BEFREE/HELP” to 233733 (24/7, confidential support). [humantraffickinghotline.org], [dhs.gov]

Human trafficking is a crime of exploitation, not movement, and many victims access healthcare while still under the control of traffickers. [fbi.gov], [un.org]
• Victims may present for care multiple times without disclosing abuse, often due to fear, trauma bonding, language barriers, or threats against themselves or their families. [justice.gov], [fbi.gov]
• Common clinical indicators include inconsistent histories, untreated chronic conditions, signs of physical or sexual assault, malnutrition, sleep deprivation, or work related injuries inconsistent with the stated job. [justice.gov], [un.org]
• Psychological indicators may include anxiety, depression, PTSD symptoms, dissociation, shame, self blame, or intense loyalty to an accompanying person. [fbi.gov], [un.org]
• A controlling companion who refuses privacy, answers questions for the patient, or controls identification, money, or movement is a significant red flag. [justice.gov], [fbi.gov]
• Any minor involved in commercial sex is legally a trafficking victim, regardless of apparent consent or relationship dynamics. [fbi.gov], [state.gov]
• Labor trafficking may present through overwork, debt bondage, fear of job loss or deportation, or injuries tied to agriculture, domestic work, construction, hospitality, or caregiving. [justice.gov], [un.org]
• Screening for trafficking should be done privately, safely, and without accompanying individuals present, using clear, nonjudgmental, culturally appropriate language. [justice.gov], [fbi.gov]
• Indicators should never be used as a checklist, and clinical judgment must consider context, power dynamics, and patterns over time. [fbi.gov], [justice.gov]
• Providers should not attempt rescues or confront traffickers, but follow institutional protocols, mandated reporting laws, and referral pathways immediately. [justice.gov], [un.org]
• Trauma informed care that prioritizes patient autonomy, confidentiality, safety planning, and informed consent improves outcomes and reduces retraumatization. [un.org], [state.gov]
• Effective prevention and response rely on interdisciplinary coordination with social services, specialized advocates, law enforcement task forces, and survivor centered resources. [un.org], [fbi.gov]
• For immediate danger call 911, and to report tips you can call the HSI Tip Line at 1-866-347-2423. [dhs.gov]
• To get help or share concerns, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text “BEFREE/HELP” to 233733 (24/7, confidential support). [humantraffickinghotline.org], [dhs.gov]

• Human trafficking is a crime of exploitation that frequently occurs in hotels and lodging settings, often without violence or visible restraints. [fbi.gov], [state.gov]
• Victims may appear anxious, submissive, fearful, or deferential to a controlling companion, who may insist on speaking for them or monitoring their interactions. [justice.gov], [fbi.gov]
• Any minor involved in commercial sex is automatically a trafficking victim, regardless of whether the child appears willing or accompanied by an adult claiming to be a guardian. [fbi.gov], [state.gov]
• Warning signs in hotel settings can include frequent requests for new towels or linens, refusal of housekeeping, excessive condoms or drug paraphernalia, or unusual foot traffic to a room. [justice.gov], [un.org]
• Guests who lack identification, do not control their own money, or seem unsure of their location, length of stay, or travel plans may be experiencing trafficking. [justice.gov], [fbi.gov]
• Trafficking victims often do not ask for help directly due to fear, trauma, threats, language barriers, or distrust of authorities. [fbi.gov], [justice.gov]
• Traffickers commonly use technology, such as online ads, messaging apps, and digital payments, to coordinate exploitation within hotels. [state.gov], [un.org]
• Hotel staff should never confront suspected traffickers directly and should instead follow internal protocols and report concerns to designated supervisors or security. [justice.gov], [un.org]
• Reporting suspicions promptly can interrupt exploitation and potentially save lives, even if the signs seem uncertain or incomplete. [fbi.gov], [state.gov]
• Effective prevention depends on consistent training, clear reporting procedures, and coordination with law enforcement and victim service organizations. [un.org], [state.gov]
• Human trafficking can involve labor exploitation of hotel or contracted workers, including housekeeping, maintenance, or food service staff subjected to coercion or debt bondage. [justice.gov], [un.org]
• Creating a culture of awareness and responsibility among all employees is one of the most powerful deterrents to traffickers who rely on secrecy and inaction. [un.org], [state.gov]
• For immediate danger call 911, and to report tips you can call the HSI Tip Line at 1-866-347-2423. [dhs.gov]
• To get help or share concerns, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text “BEFREE/HELP” to 233733 (24/7, confidential support). [humantraffickinghotline.org], [dhs.gov]

• Human trafficking is a crime of exploitation that can affect students of any age, gender, background, or academic standing, and it frequently occurs without physical abduction or violence. [fbi.gov], [state.gov]
• Traffickers often target youth experiencing vulnerability, including those facing family conflict, housing instability, poverty, substance use, immigration stress, or social isolation. [justice.gov], [un.org]
• Students may be recruited through social media, gaming platforms, dating apps, or peer relationships, often by someone posing as a boyfriend, girlfriend, mentor, or benefactor. [state.gov], [un.org]
• Warning signs can include sudden changes in behavior, unexplained absences, withdrawal, secrecy about relationships, possession of expensive items, or intense anxiety about authority figures. [justice.gov], [fbi.gov]
• Any minor involved in commercial sex is legally a trafficking victim, regardless of perceived consent, affection toward the exploiter, or lack of physical force. [fbi.gov], [state.gov]
• Victims may exhibit trauma responses such as shame, denial, aggression, dissociation, or loyalty to an exploiter, rather than asking for help directly. [fbi.gov], [justice.gov]
• Chronic running away, frequent moves between homes, or unexplained periods of disappearance can be significant indicators of trafficking risk, especially when combined with other warning signs. [justice.gov], [4a3c9045ad…ackcdn.com]
• Labor trafficking can also affect students through forced work, unpaid family labor, debt bondage, or exploitation tied to immigration or housing, not just sex trafficking. [justice.gov], [un.org]
• Staff should never attempt to investigate or confront suspected traffickers, but should follow mandated reporting laws and school protocols immediately. [justice.gov], [un.org]
• Trust based, trauma informed conversations that avoid judgment or pressure increase the likelihood that a student will disclose concerns safely. [fbi.gov], [un.org]
• Early education on healthy relationships, online safety, consent, and personal boundaries is one of the most effective long term trafficking prevention strategies. [state.gov], [un.org]
• Preventing trafficking in school communities depends on ongoing staff training, clear reporting pathways, and coordination with child protection, law enforcement, and victim service providers. [un.org], [state.gov]
• For immediate danger call 911, and to report tips you can call the HSI Tip Line at 1-866-347-2423. [dhs.gov]
• To get help or share concerns, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text “BEFREE/HELP” to 233733 (24/7, confidential support). [humantraffickinghotline.org], [dhs.gov]

Human trafficking is an issue affecting children all over the world and in the United States. To empower adults to speak with the children in their lives about the issue, we’ve created tips on how to engage and educate youth on this topic.

As parents, guardians, or educators of children, discussing an issue as vast, unsettling, and frightening as human trafficking may be intimidating. However, it is important for you to understand the vulnerabilities that youth have to trafficking, since it’s an issue that affects communities across our nation and world. You are part of the solution for preventing this abuse and exploitation.

Creating a safe environment for children to explore this issue with a trusted adult can help dispel anxiety and fear and create an opportunity for youth to understand how to keep themselves safe. While you ultimately know what is best for your child, here are ten key messages that can help you educate and empower the youth you care about.

Key Messages for Your Kids:
• Educate yourself on the issue, and learn the signs of a trafficked victim.
• Don’t accept friend requests from people you don’t know on social media. Traffickers commonly use sites like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to lure their victims.
• Be aware of how traffickers recruit people, and pay attention to your surroundings.
• Don’t reveal too much about yourself (i.e. your full name, address, school, or living situation) to people you don’t know, whether on your social media sites or in person, no matter how friendly the person may be.
• Never agree to meet someone you don’t know without first consulting a trusted adult (i.e. parent, teacher, guidance counselor).
• If you feel uncomfortable or are hesitant about a situation, confide in an adult who you can help you make the best choices.
• Making a decision to leave a situation or relationship where you feel unsafe or are being harmed or threatened can be hard and scary. If possible, talk to someone you trust, like a friend, family member, counselor, or youth worker.
• If you are in immediate danger or are being physically harmed, call 911 for help.
• If running away from home, try to find a safe place to go or call the runaway switchboard at 1-800-Runaway.
• If you suspect you or a friend are at risk trafficking, call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 888-3737-888 or text “BeFree” (233733)

PARENTS – Video Resources please review and share with other parents and your children as you deem appropriate

Keeping Your Children Safe From Human Traffickers
Keeping Kids Safe From Human Trafficking: What Parents Need to Know
Online safety for kids: Simple and effective tips on how to protect your kids
Teens are easy targets for human Trafficking
Teaching children the signs of human trafficking
Human Trafficking Prevention Education in Schools & Communities

Stranger DangerVideo for kids 3 to 12

Online Stranger Danger
Protect Yourself Rules – A Friendly Stranger

• Human trafficking is exploitation for labor or commercial sex and does not require transportation across borders (it can happen entirely within a campus town or dorm community). [dhs.gov], [fbi.gov], [polarisproject.org]
• Traffickers most often rely on force, fraud, or coercion (including psychological coercion, threats, and manipulation) rather than obvious physical restraint. [dhs.gov], [fbi.gov]
• Under U.S. law, anyone under 18 in commercial sex is a trafficking victim even if force, fraud, or coercion is not shown. [fbi.gov], [ojp.gov]
• College students can be targeted through fraudulent job offers, “modeling”/promotion pitches, and “too-good-to-be-true” opportunities that create dependence and control over time. [dhs.gov]
• Traffickers may also use false promises of love, belonging, or a better life (grooming) to gain trust and isolate someone from friends, roommates, and support networks. [dhs.gov], [polarisproject.org]
• Technology is a major gateway: perpetrators use dating apps, online ads, and encrypted messaging to recruit, advertise exploitation, and evade detection. [state.gov]
• Many victims do not self-identify or ask for help due to fear, distrust, shame, isolation, or manipulation, so “not asking” never means “not harmed.” [cops.usdoj.gov], [polarisproject.org]
• “Red flags” are contextual (not a checklist) but can include excessive monitoring by another person, inability to speak freely, scripted answers, sudden withdrawal, or signs of coercive control in relationships. [polarisproject.org], [dhs.gov]
• If something feels off, don’t confront a suspected trafficker or alert a potential victim to your suspicions—prioritize safety and report through proper channels. [dhs.gov]
• For immediate danger call 911, and to report tips you can call the HSI Tip Line at 1-866-347-2423. [dhs.gov]
• To get help or share concerns, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text “BEFREE/HELP” to 233733 (24/7, confidential support). [humantraffickinghotline.org], [dhs.gov]
• Avoid profiling: race, ethnicity, gender, and religion are not indicators, and reporting should focus on behaviors, control dynamics, and safety concerns. [dhs.gov]
• Use campus-ready prevention resources—like the DHS Blue Campaign Student Leaders on College Campuses Awareness Guide—to learn indicators and share trusted reporting options with peers. [dhs.gov]

• Human trafficking is a crime of exploitation, not kidnapping, and it often occurs through manipulation, coercion, and abuse of trust rather than force or chains. [fbi.gov], [un.org]
• Trafficking can happen anywhere—homes, schools, workplaces, online spaces, hotels, hospitals, and communities—and affects people of all ages, genders, races, and nationalities. [fbi.gov], [state.gov]
• Traffickers frequently target vulnerability, including poverty, loneliness, homelessness, disability, addiction, migration stress, or a desire for love, safety, or opportunity. [justice.gov], [un.org]
• Most victims do not self identify or ask for help, often due to fear, shame, trauma bonding, language barriers, or threats to themselves or their families. [fbi.gov], [justice.gov]
• Any minor involved in commercial sex is legally a trafficking victim, regardless of consent, gifts, emotions, or relationship labels. [fbi.gov], [state.gov]
• Warning signs may include controlled communication, lack of freedom, fearfulness, inconsistent stories, untreated medical needs, or someone else speaking or deciding for them. [justice.gov], [fbi.gov]
• Trafficking often involves psychological control, including lies, debt, emotional dependence, threats, or promises of love, work, housing, or protection. [fbi.gov], [un.org]
• Technology plays a major role, with traffickers using social media, messaging apps, online ads, and digital payments to recruit and exploit victims. [state.gov], [un.org]
• No single indicator proves trafficking, and context, patterns, and power dynamics matter more than checklists. [fbi.gov], [justice.gov]
• Ordinary people can reduce harm by not judging, not interrogating, and not confronting suspected traffickers, which can increase danger. [justice.gov], [un.org]
• Reporting concerns—even when unsure—through proper channels or trained organizations can interrupt exploitation and save lives. [fbi.gov], [state.gov]
• Prevention is strongest when communities promote dignity, connection, economic stability, healthy relationships, and care for the most vulnerable. [un.org], [state.gov]
• For immediate danger call 911, and to report tips you can call the HSI Tip Line at 1-866-347-2423. [dhs.gov]
• To get help or share concerns, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text “BEFREE/HELP” to 233733 (24/7, confidential support). [humantraffickinghotline.org], [dhs.gov]

Human Trafficking: A Pervasive Problem in US Cities and Towns
By Steven M. Wynne, J.D, MBA
Faculty Member, Dr. Wallace E. Boston School of Business and Community Ambassador, Anti-Trafficking International

We often think of human trafficking as something that happens in faraway lands, lawless places where governments don’t protect their citizens well, if at all. But the reality is far worse.

According to Etactics writer Elia Meltzer, human trafficking happens in every big city and small town in the United States, as well as all communities around the world. Although it is difficult to provide exact figures for victims, The High Court estimates that more than 25 million human beings across this globe are denied their fundamental right to freedom.

Who Is Involved in Human Trafficking?

In the US, human traffickers in every community typically take advantage of the innocence and insecurity of their targets. They can be:
• Organized crime syndicates
• Local players in the sex industry
• Street gangs
• Abusive partners
• Family members
Combatting Human Trafficking Starts with Raising Awareness of How Pervasive It Is
Raising public awareness that human trafficking is a real problem in every city and town in America is the first step to combatting human trafficking. DeliverFund, a nonprofit intelligence organization dedicated toward eliminating human trafficking, notes that “between 15,000 to 50,000 women and children are forced into slavery in the United States every year, and the total number varies wildly as it is very difficult to research. One study from the Department of Health and Human Services estimated the number between 240,000 and 325,000, while a report from the University of Pennsylvania put it at between 100,000 and 300,000.”
Finding exact statistics on human trafficking at home and globally is not possible, as far too many victims do not report this crime. Some trafficking cases are mischaracterized as domestic disputes, or they are somehow lost in the criminal justice system.
Even if a human trafficking victim escapes bondage (only 1% are believed to escape), he or she may not report this crime for a variety of reasons, including (but not limited to):
• Insecurity
• Embarrassment
• Fear of retaliation
• Intimidation
Some trafficking victims may be convinced that their new lifestyle was a choice, so they really have no one else to blame for their current situation. Others feel a false sense of empowerment; this feeling especially applies to the sex industry, where human trafficking victims live a different lifestyle than they normally would.
The lack of accurate reporting on human trafficking demonstrates that whatever statistics we compile will always be a gross underestimation of the actual human trafficking that happens in this country and around the world. Whatever statistics are provided will never account for all the human trafficking that happens globally. However, Anti-Trafficking International notes that every 30 seconds, a child is stolen somewhere on this planet.
Education: The Second Step to Combatting Human Trafficking
The second step to fighting human trafficking involves education: teaching ourselves and others to recognize fight this ever-growing threat to our children and our society. According to Anti-Trafficking International, public awareness and education are our best tools in the ongoing war on human trafficking.
No One of Any Age Is Immune from Human Traffickers
Children are normally the target of human traffickers, although adults can also fall prey to the slave trade, whether it be for forced labor or the sex industry. No one is truly immune from human traffickers; they will target men, women and children – anyone who appears vulnerable.
Anti-Trafficking International observes that children are especially vulnerable as they are easier to manipulate, intimidate and control. Kids who feel marginalized, misunderstood at home or school, insecure, or alone make particularly good targets.
The Human Slave Trade Is Highly Lucrative
Human trafficking has become a sophisticated and extremely profitable criminal activity. It is the second largest criminal enterprise on this planet, behind illegal drug trafficking.
According to Anti-Trafficking International, human trafficking is estimated to be $150 billion a year industry. Many experts estimate that human trafficking will soon overtake drug trafficking as the largest criminal enterprise.
Drug trafficking is a risky business because illegal drugs must be transported over borders and can only be sold one time. By contrast, human trafficking victims can be resold hundreds or thousands of times.
Technology Has Made It Much Easier for Human Traffickers to Target Victims
Digital platforms have become the largest threat to our children because they provide easier access to children and greatly reduced the risk of capture to human traffickers. These criminals can quickly make an online connection with hundreds or even thousands of kids, rather than simply lurking around playgrounds. Most children feel like they don’t fit in at some point, so in some ways, all children are at risk for human trafficking.
These traffickers working online gain a victim’s trust and develop a pseudo-caring relationship that seems very real to the victim. For victims, the relationship seems so real that they often willingly choose to the trafficker in person and are then kidnapped.
There are several common tactics traffickers use to manipulate and control their victims:
6. Love bombing – overwhelming the victim with affection, adoration, gifts and love
7. Gaslighting – making victims question their sense of reality or sanity
8. Negging – causing a potential victim to feel bad or worthless
9. Guilt tripping – making victims feel that they should do more to help the trafficker, especially in romantic, professional or familial relationships
10. Emotional blackmailing – using blackmailing tactics such as a threat of suicide or sending illicit photos to family and friends
Organizations Designed to Prevent Human Trafficking and provide assistance to the Survivors
Thankfully, there are organizations dedicated to helping the public become more aware of human trafficking and its impact on our society. These organizations include the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the A21 Campaign. The Department of State also offers an annual Trafficking in Persons Report. For immediate assistance call local emergency or the National Human Trafficking Hotline 1-888-373-7888, or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233
In addition, Anti-Trafficking International provides tailored programs on awareness and prevention education, as does Unbound Now.
About the Author
Steven Wynne earned his Juris Doctorate with a certificate in international legal studies from Loyola School of Law and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of the District of Columbia with a specialization in international business and marketing. He has worked as an international law and global business consultant for more than 30 years, working on strategic plans and with many different corporations in more than 80 nations. Steven has also taught at the graduate and undergraduate level for more than 20 years, focusing on international law and global business. He has consulted with Fortune 500 companies and governmental agencies such as the Department of Justice and the Environmental Protection Agency. Steven has also worked with global nonprofits such as the ONE Campaign to help end global poverty, and he is currently the Community Ambassador for Anti-Trafficking International. Steven is the President and CEO of Blink3

Human Trafficking: Targets, Traffickers and Tactics
By Steven M. Wynne, J.D, MBA
Faculty Member, Dr. Wallace E. Boston School of Business and Community Ambassador, Anti-Trafficking International
Note: This is the second article in a series about human trafficking.
Although certain populations are far more vulnerable – and therefore are more highly targeted – people of any age and background can become victims of human trafficking.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, “Human trafficking, also known as trafficking in persons, is a crime that involves compelling or coercing a person to provide labor or services, or to engage in commercial sex acts. The coercion can be subtle or overt, physical or psychological. Exploitation of a minor for commercial sex is human trafficking, regardless of whether any form of force, fraud, or coercion was used.”
Human Trafficking Targets
Human traffickers will exploit anyone they believe can be controlled and profitable. However, their favorite target are the most vulnerable members of our population – especially young children and those who feel disenfranchised.
That includes the LBGTQ community, those with disabilities or drug addiction, as well as any child who may feel alone. Immigrants and refugees are also highly susceptible to human trafficking.
There is no single profile of a trafficking victim, but traffickers often find easy targets in those who have been marginalized by society, such as people who seek help from the welfare system. Human traffickers also attempt to lure people who have a criminal record – as well as runaways and the homeless. Even the elderly can fall victim to human trafficking and exploitation.
Poverty, Economics and Forceful Tactics
Although human trafficking has become an extremely widespread and sophisticated global criminal network, it also happens on a local and even familial level as well. Abusive spouses, partners, and even family members can enslave or dominate victims and eventually traffic them for profit.
Socioeconomic status also plays a role. This is especially true in impoverished regions around the world – where family members feel forced into selling their children into the human slave trade as they simply don’t have any other means to survive – or even the ability to feed themselves.
Some victims are even conscripted into local militias at gunpoint. Sadly, the victim sometimes chooses this hellish life willingly because living in poverty – or watching their family starve – seems like a far worse option.
Quite often, people are lured away from their homes with promises of high-paying modeling jobs in other countries. Yet these are just tactics used by the human traffickers to lure victims in; once they are taken to another country, they become slave labor and are usually never seen – or heard from – again.
Even those who participate in grooming and trafficking other human beings may themselves be victims of human trafficking. These global organized crime syndicates often recruit and force the front-line traffickers into the role of trafficking other human beings against their will.
Through threats of violence to their families or other coercive means, human traffickers enslave their victims. Some of the lower-level traffickers are also coerced through threats of violence to their families.
In some regions, prosecution of these trafficking rings is nonexistent. This is why an emphasis on preventative education is so important in the fight against human trafficking.
Human Traffickers Versus Illegal Drug Traffickers
Although profit is not necessarily a factor in human trafficking, if the victim serves an exploitative purpose, human trafficking is the second largest global criminal enterprise – second only in profitability to the illegal drug trafficking trade. However, the earning potential of an individual who sells a human being is much higher than a person who sells illegal drugs, since the latter must transport their goods across national borders every time – and their product can only be sold once. Human beings can be brought across the border once and subsequently sold thousands of times. The published profit figures for human trafficking are often incorrectly low – since many incidents go unreported.

Tactics of the Traffickers
Traffickers are becoming far more sophisticated, especially in their use of social media and other digital platforms. They lure children away from the comfort of their homes with promises of love, money, or just someone who they believe really cares about them.
Although many victims are still snatched off the streets or playgrounds, the networks have become so sophisticated – and so widespread – that it is estimated that one-in-six U.S. children has been contacted by a human trafficker attempting to groom them.
Traffickers will contact marginalized kids and use tactics like love-bombing, negging (which means insulting or undermining an individual in the hope that decreasing his or her self-confidence might make them more vulnerable to advances), gaslighting, emotional blackmail, or a guilt trip. With their use of online platforms, the human trafficking trade becomes more and more sophisticated each year.
Traffickers will quickly try to lure their victim to other platforms that are either encrypted or where messages cannot be viewed by family members or they are deleted automatically so they can never be viewed. There are even websites designed to allow this type of communication, yet the application’s icon is fake. The icon on the screen of the recipient’s phone looks like it’s a calculator – or some other seemingly harmless item – to further hide the communications.

Human traffickers have become so sophisticated they are even concealing their messages with emojis or pictures. For instance, the set of emojis below seems harmless to most – a rose, a camera, a heart, an airplane and a crown. Not too many parents would find this alarming if they saw them on their child’s phone.

Yet this seemingly innocent string of emojis has a very dark message. According to a recent NBC News affiliate’s report, this particular combination of emojis means “to pay money to record having sex with an underage person who is being trafficked by a pimp.”
Likewise, if a parent saw the two emojis below on a child’s phone, they would assume it means cheese pizza.

But these two simple emojis can be an advertisement seeking child pornography. Cheese pizza and child pornography both start with the letters C and P – and that is enough for them to send their dark messages without being detected.

The Dark Web
Worse yet, human traffickers can easily change – and adapt – when this secret code has been discovered and continue these practices on public social media; they also have the dark web as a resource.
“The dark web is only accessible by means of special software, allowing users and website operators to remain anonymous. Once used by political dissidents, the dark web has become the Internet’s black market, where visitors can buy anything from guns to drugs and fake IDs or trade child pornography.” ~ Guillermo Contreras.
The dark web provides an anonymous global marketplace for illegal activity and is often out of the reach of local and international authorities. The growing sophistication of not only the traffickers and their global criminal enterprises, but also the ability to remain anonymous on the dark web, poses an ever-growing threat to humankind.

Tactics to Combat Human Trafficking
Once they know a victim’s whereabouts, global law enforcement – as well as federal and local law enforcement officials – provide excellent assistance in rescuing the victim and prosecuting any apprehended traffickers. There are also many programs which work with the survivors of trafficking to help with mental or physical trauma.

However, with the ever-growing threat, investing more in law enforcement initiatives, counselling, and other services which help survivors – is long overdue.

As long as human trafficking remains extremely profitable, it will be difficult to eliminate. The best tactics to combat human trafficking involve awareness and education. It’s important to demonstrate how widespread and profitable human trafficking is, and it’s equally as important that appropriate officials help provide awareness prevention programs to educate potential victims of trafficking before they are abducted or otherwise harmed.

Fully understanding the targets, the traffickers, and the tactics traffickers use, is our best hope in combating this ever-growing threat to humanity. A simple understanding that a cheese emoji, followed by a pizza emoji, may not mean “cheese pizza” could save a life.
Although law enforcement is working diligently to investigate capture and prosecute human trafficking criminals, it is often very difficult. The tactics of these traffickers are becoming more sophisticated and more difficult to combat, and – when organized crime is involved – it is more difficult to apprehend and prosecute the top-level traffickers – even if street-level traffickers are captured.
Education, awareness and prevention is our best hope at fighting the ever-increasing threat of human trafficking. There are several organizations including Anti-trafficking International which provide a broad range of awareness programs for parents, children and even in specified industries where trafficking is most prevalent.
Organizations Designed to Prevent Human Trafficking and provide assistance to the Survivors
Thankfully, there are organizations dedicated to helping the public become more aware of human trafficking and its impact on our society. These organizations include the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the A21 Campaign. The Department of State also offers an annual Trafficking in Persons Report. For immediate assistance call local emergency or the National Human Trafficking Hotline 1-888-373-7888, or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233
In addition, Anti-Trafficking International provides tailored programs on awareness and prevention education, as does Unbound Now.

About the Author

Steven Wynne earned his Juris Doctorate with a certificate in international legal studies from Loyola School of Law and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of the District of Columbia with a specialization in international business and marketing. He has worked as an international law and global business consultant for more than 30 years, working on strategic plans and with many different corporations in more than 80 nations. Steven has also taught at the graduate and undergraduate level for more than 20 years, focusing on international law and global business. He has consulted with Fortune 500 companies and governmental agencies such as the Department of Justice and the Environmental Protection Agency. Steven has also worked with global nonprofits such as the ONE Campaign to help end global poverty, and he is currently the Community Ambassador for Anti-Trafficking International. Steven is the President and CEO of Blink3