Madison County Safe Harbour program continues to combat trafficking – Oneida Dispatch

WAMPSVILLE, N.Y. —  Although Human Trafficking Awareness Month ended in January, Madison County officials continue to combat the national problem of human trafficking on a local level through its Safe Harbour program. Despite its smaller population, the county has seen its share of trafficking incidents.

In 2021,10,359 situations of human trafficking were reported to the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline. That number included 16,554 individual victims. The Safe Harbour program received 43 referrals in 2022.

“Shocking as these numbers are, they are likely only a fraction of the actual problem,” Madison County Public Information Officer Samantha Field said. “For a county our size to receive 43 referrals, that shows you how much [of] a problem this truly is in our community.”

County services include the Safe Harbour Program, which offers supportive services to youth to age 21 who have been trafficked, exploited or are at risk through case management and prevention education.

The program also offers trainings to community agencies, medical facilities, schools, and the general public to raise public awareness and education on the exploitation and trafficking of youth for both sex and labor.

Those seeking may call 315-366-2548 option 5, or ask to speak to a School and Youth Development Coordinator.

“The Safe Harbour program offers supportive services to youth to age 21 who have been trafficked, exploited or are at risk through case management and prevention education,” Field said. “The Safe Harbour program also offers trainings to community agencies, medical facilities, schools and the general public to raise public awareness and education on exploitation and trafficking of youth for both sex and labor.”

Last year, Safe Harbour provided support addressing basic needs, case management and prevention education to at-risk youth. The program also presented internet safety presentations and provided trafficking awareness trainings and outreach.

Field said risk factors and possible indicators of trafficking seen with Madison County youth include contact with strangers on the internet, sexual risk-taking on social media, having an older and/or controlling significant other, unaccounted money or goods, not attending school regularly, substance use, mental health concerns, involvement with the child welfare system and being a runaway or homeless youth.

The National Human Trafficking Hotline received 10,359 trafficking complaints in 2021. In those situations, a total of 16,554 likely victims of trafficking were identified.

The top three types reported in 2021 were escort services, at 10 percent, pornography at eight percent, and illicit massage, health, and beauty at eight percent.

Data shows that trafficking victims are generally recruited by someone they know. These include a family member or caregiver at 33 percent, an intimate partner at 28 percent, or an employer at 22 percent.

The top three recruitment locations are the internet dating sites, at 13 percent; the street, meaning strangers who promise easy money or fame at 11 percent, and Facebook at 10 percent.

As a whole, the study said the internet remained the top reported recruitment location. The recent migration or relocation category remained the most frequently reported risk factor or vulnerability identified, applying to 54 percent of all likely victims with a known risk factor; this also applied to 93 percent of likely victims of labor trafficking.

The top five at-risk populations included after recent migration or relocation are those with a mental or physical health concern at 10 percent, substance abuse at nine percent, unstable housing at eight percent, and runaway or homeless youth at seven percent.

“Human trafficking can happen to anyone,” Field said. “Youth's vulnerabilities can put them at higher risk of trafficking.”