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What to Do If You Suspect Human Trafficking

Young woman reporting suspicious activity from her phone.

Suspecting that human trafficking mght be occuring is a scary thought, and one that should not be taken lightly. Such a suspicion can make you feel uneasy about various things–specifically, what you should do.

There are warning signs of human trafficking, and it's true that certain individuals are more vulnerable to the dangers of human trafficking than others. If you are familiar with these indicators, then reporting the actions you witness to the local authorities might be your best course of action.

If you are unfamiliar with these warning signs, then you should do yourself a favor and familiarize yourself with them. After all, much of the fight against human trafficking involves the ability to identify human traffickers and human trafficking indicators.

Know the Warning Signs

The first step in understanding the indicators of human trafficking is to know that some individuals are more vulnerable to human trafficking than others. While the below list is not a foolproof or complete list of factors, it can help instill some knowledge so you are better prepared to prevent human trafficking from occuring.

Individuals who are the most vulnerable tend to share the following personal factors:

  • A history of previous violence
  • A minority, typically targeted because of their sexual or gender identity
  • A struggle (previous or ongoing) of substance abuse disorders
  • Displacement from a home, either because of disaster, poverty, or migration

Understanding these vulnerabilities can enable you to be proactive. But while the above warning signs are attributed to the individuals themselves, there are also factors that are telling of the scenario as a whole. Again, this is not an exhaustive list, but it sheds some light on whether you may be witnessing a human trafficking situation.

  • If a person has no control over their own identification, passport, or personal money
  • If a person is requesting permission to perform simple tasks, such as using the restroom on their own If a person has bruises, scarring, or even branding marks
  • If a person is exhibiting strong signs of dependency issues

Don't Hesitate

If you think a human trafficking scenario might be happening, you should report it. Naturally, reporting human trafficking, or more specifically, a human trafficker, is a significant accusation, but any doubt you have should not outweigh the task. Reporting human trafficking (or suspicious activity) is better than staying silent, even if you are not 100% sure of the situation. 

After all, you might be saving a life. And if you are nervous about being involved, you absolutely have the right to report human traffickers anonymously. There is a link to do at the website for the National Human Trafficking Hotline.

The National Human Trafficking Hotline has a series of numbers that you can reach out to as well, which are listed here. The number for the National Human Trafficking Hotline is 1-888-373-7888. This number is active 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and has a team of anti-trafficking hotline advocates that are available to take reports and hear what you have to say. 

Additionally, the National Human Trafficking Hotline also has a number for texting, since sometimes this is a simpler way to get your information out quickly and conveniently. That number is 233733. 

But these are not your only options. The National Human Trafficking Hotline also offers the opton to chat, which can be done at www.humantraffickinghotline.org/chat

Again, sharing your insights with the hotline is your responsibility if you suspect there might be a human trafficking situation happening. By joining the fight in this way, you could be saving a life and helping bring an end to a human trafficker's attempt to exploit another human being. 

Witnesses can contact their local law enforcement so that the law enforcement department can reach out to

Join The Fight Today to End Human Trafficking!

There are many organizations fighting to end human trafficking, from nonprofits to law enforcement to social campaigns, and all methods of attack are valid and crucial. But in addition to reporting human trafficking, you can also join the fight by donating. 

Eradicating human trafficking costs money, and by donating, you can help keep these services working, and keep the fight against human trafficking strong and ongoing.

Donate to DeliverFund today, and help us put an end to human trafficking once and for all.

 

This “Eyes on Trafficking” story is reprinted from its original location.

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PBJ Learning is a leading provider of online human trafficking training, focusing on awareness and prevention education. Their interactive Human Trafficking Essentials is being used worldwide to educate professionals and individuals how to recognize human trafficking and how to respond to a potential victim. Their online is available for use on any web browser (even your mobile phone) at any time.

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