Opinion: Human trafficking happens in CT – Darien Times

In 2021, the Department of Family and Children received 241 reports of child trafficking in Connecticut. Since its inception in 2007, the Human Trafficking Hotline has identified 508 human trafficking cases involving Connecticut victims. And between the years of 2016 and 2021, Connecticut logged 456 arrests for human trafficking-related offenses.

Since 2010, January has been recognized as National Human Trafficking Prevention Month — an annual reminder to raise awareness and educate on prevention. According to the U.S. Department of State, “there are estimated to be more than 24.9 million people — adults and children — subjected to human trafficking around the world, including in the United States.”  The most common form of human trafficking is sex trafficking, which is why at The Rowan Center, we are very focused on and concerned about this issue.

What is human trafficking?

Human trafficking occurs when force, fraud, or coercion is used to compel a person to perform labor, services, or commercial sex. Importantly, when someone under age 18 is used to perform a commercial sex act it is a crime, regardless of the circumstances — and the Department of Defense reports that more than 30 percent of trafficking victims are children. Research shows that the average age of children who are sexually exploited is 12-14 years old. And some anti-trafficking organizations note that victims can be sold for sex 20 to 30 times per day.

In addition, child pornography — pornography that includes any person under age 18 — is a major contributor to sex trafficking, as photos and videos are sold online and are easily available. It's an enormous and horrific reality — one that happens right here in our community.

Learn the Signs

Traffickers recognize and take advantage of people who are vulnerable, especially those who have unstable living situations, are runaways, are experiencing poverty, or are undocumented. They also focus on young people and often lure them with promises of protection and love, or even plans for adventure. People who are addicted to drugs or alcohol or have previously experienced other forms of violence are also vulnerable to trafficking.

Today, traffickers frequently contact potential victims through social media. They also approach them at clubs or bars, at school, in malls, or in train stations. Traffickers are very good at taking advantage of societal disruptions, like the pandemic, to find and groom more victims.

Victims of human trafficking often:

• Live in dangerous or inhumane conditions provided by an employer.
• Owe money to their employer.
• Do not have control over their own passport or other identification documents.
• Have a controlling partner or other individual who monitors their movements, spending, and/or communications.

But not all trafficking victims meet these descriptions. Many sex trafficking victims still live at home — in Connecticut, more than 60 percent of sex trafficking victims live with a parent or guardian.

Children who are either being trafficked or being groomed by a trafficker might exhibit some of these warning signs:

• Not attending school/missing classes on a regular basis.
• Running away from home.
• Possessing a cell phone that they or their parents did not purchase.
• Using credit cards that do not belong to them.
• Having relationships with older/age inappropriate boys or men.
• Showing signs of physical abuse (burn marks, bruises, or cuts).
• New tattoos (traffickers often use tattoos as a form of branding).

Get Involved

While certain groups of people are at higher risk, trafficking can happen to anyone, living anywhere. The advancement of technology gives our children access to the internet at younger and younger ages,  and that has made it much easier for traffickers to connect with, groom, and abuse children, regardless of where they live or their socioeconomic background.

If you think it isn't happening here, it is. If you think it can't happen to someone you know or love, it can. And if you think there's nothing you can do about it, think again. As the U.S. Department of State notes in its 2021 report on human trafficking, “An important component of any successful anti-trafficking strategy is a well-informed public that understands the real indicators of the crime and can identify it when it happens in their own communities.”

Speak up to create awareness, support organizations that provide stability and resources to survivors, advocate for community change, stay alert for signs of trafficking, and talk to your children about how to stay safe. Together, we can work toward a safer and healthier Connecticut, United States, and world.

For more tips and information about sex trafficking, visit therowancenter.org and read our blog.

Mary Flynn is CEO of The Rowan Center, a Stamford-based nonprofit agency providing counseling and support to victims of sexual violence and working throughout Lower Fairfield County to eliminate sexual violence with community-wide education programs.