‘Talk less, listen more’: How one Central Texas nonprofit is combatting human trafficking through preventative training

WACO, Texas (KWTX) – In light of January being National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, dozens of community members gathered at Methodist Children's Home in Waco Wednesday morning for a human trafficking prevention training.

According to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, over 1,700 victims were involved in human trafficking cases in Texas in 2021.

“No one just walks up to you and says, ‘Hey, I'm a human trafficking victim,'” Traci Wagner, VP of programs at Methodist Children's Home, told KWTX. “And so it goes back to the relationship, it goes back to honoring the truth-telling that people are willing to give to you and really knowing how to handle that information to help.”

The preventative training was led by McLennan County sheriff detective Joseph Scaramucci.

A nationally renowned law enforcement expert on human trafficking, Scaramucci touched first on the many myths surrounding the prevalent crime, one being that the foster system can cause human trafficking.

“Who here has heard that the foster care, DFPS, CPS, the system, is a gateway to trafficking?” Scaramucci asked the crowd. “Let me tell you something… that's B.S.”

The detective then dove into where trafficking victims are most likely to be groomed on social media. The number one platform, he says? Facebook.

“By and large, Facebook is still – I think it's something like 80 percent, when we talk to victims and ask, ‘Where did your trafficker come in contact with you?,'” Scaramucci said.

The local deputy concluded the training with the best way to look out for signs of human trafficking. His overarching message was to talk less, and listen more.

“Listening, believing people when they're telling their story and really honoring their commitment,” Wagner said. “And then putting the right people in places to really intervene and putting people on a path to happiness and healing and really thriving.”