Let’s Talk About Human Trafficking

Human trafficking is the fastest growing criminal industry in the world. Since December 2007, the National Human Trafficking Hotline has documented more than 63,380 human trafficking cases in the United States alone. Sadly, this number likely does not reflect the true extent of this crime, as many cases go unreported. The internet has also allowed this crime to increase at an incredible pace. In Louisiana, human trafficking is so widespread that Governor John Bel Edwards created a special office to combat human trafficking and better serve victims.

And yet, human trafficking is often not talked about. Let’s start talking about it so we can help end it!

What is human trafficking?

Human trafficking is considered a form of modern-day slavery. According to the U.S. Department of State, human trafficking involves forcing or coercing (persuading someone by threatening them) individuals into a commercial sex act or compelled labor.

Let’s break down what that means:

A “commercial sex act” is when a sexual act is performed in exchange for money or something else of value. Someone can become a victim of sex trafficking by being physically forced, threatened, or psychologically manipulated.

“Compelled labor” means that somebody is being forced to work and they might not be getting paid at all or very little. Victims can be forced to work in private homes, factories, or on farms. Other common forms of labor trafficking include magazine sales crews and begging rings.

Note: We use the word “forced” to indicate that the work is occurring against a person’s will. But sometimes trafficking victims clearly understand the situations they’re entering, yet they choose to participate anyway because they believe they will earn money. Let’s be clear though: When minors are involved in sex work or compelled labor, they have not made a choice; they are victims of human trafficking.

Who might be a trafficker?

A trafficker is anyone who coerces victims and exploits vulnerable people. However, traffickers are not always the “powerful gangsters” we tend to see portrayed in movies. Trafficking occurs in a wide range of socioeconomic classes, and the people involved could be anyone—there’s no “one type” of trafficker. Traffickers also are not always strangers; sometimes they are family members or neighbors.

Who is at risk?

All children under the age of 18 are considered “at risk” for human trafficking, but certain groups are more at risk than others. Those at higher risk include teens and children who have challenging family situations, have been in foster care, have run away, are homeless, live in poverty, have learning disabilities or developmental delay, or identify as LGBTQ.

How do traffickers target those at risk?

Traffickers can use many different methods to target those at risk, including social media, chat lines, shopping malls, bus stops, and even through friends.

Human trafficking in Louisiana

• In 2020, there were 759 cases of human trafficking in Louisiana alone. This is likely an underestimate as there were fewer reporting agencies in 2020 participating in data collection and access to care was greatly reduced by Covid-19.
• Juveniles make up 70% of these cases.
• 91% of victims in Louisiana are female.
• The highest concentration of victims is in Orleans, Caddo, and East Baton Rouge parishes.

How do traffickers use social media to find victims?

We’ve all heard about being careful on social media, but it’s advice worth repeating. Traffickers often use social media to find victims by:

• Looking for signs of unhappiness
• Looking for signs of instability such as family divorce, living in foster care, moving to a new city, or newly unemployed parents
• Looking for signs of rejection or alienation, which are more often found among youth in the LGBTQ community
• Following hashtags such as #mylifesucks, #nobodyunderstandsme, #nobodylovesme and #ineedtogetoutofhere
• Reaching out via direct messengers
• Gaining trust or affection by saying things like “I think you are beautiful,” “I think you should show more of your body,” “I’ll protect you,” or “I’ll make you a model”
• Convincing minors to send them a risky or sexually explicit photo and then using it to extort the individual

There are several signs you can watch out for to identify a friend or peer who might be a victim of human trafficking:

• Unexplained absences from school
• Runaway behavior (leaving home without permission—often to escape family issues or abuse)
• References to frequent travel to other cities
• Bruises or unexplained injuries
• Inappropriate dressing for the season (like wearing summer clothes in the winter)
• Sleep deprivation
• Drug use
• Rehearsed responses to questions about how they are spending their time outside of school
• Sudden changes in attire and hygiene such as wearing the same clothes several days in a row or not bathing
• Expensive gifts
• Age-inappropriate sex talk
• A new older boyfriend or girlfriend