Human trafficking talk: ‘Tonight was a great experience’

“The opportunity to learn and develop some experience and knowledge in this area (human trafficking) is important,” he said. “The main thing I learned is recognizing the signs. I'd also say recognizing there are some organizations in the QC that I can reach out to if I ever see these situations. Tonight was a great experience.”

Braking Traffik survivor advocate Sara K, who uses only her first name for personal and client protection, presented an assortment of human trafficking information, beginning with defining factors.

“What's the immediate thought when you think of human trafficking?” she asked at the presentation. “What I most commonly hear is kidnapping, or you think of the movie ‘Taken,' right? When we think of labor (trafficking), sometimes we automatically think of an undocumented immigrant.”

Aiming to “change the mindset,” Sara used examples to show that anyone can be a survivor or trafficker.

Human trafficking is defined as selling another human being through force, fraud or coercion. This isn't always done for monetary profit, Sara said, as people also are trafficked for things like drugs and alcohol, housing, domestic services like nannying or cleaning and agriculture.

“It's a lot of control. They use a lot of fear tactics. It's not always physical or force. A lot of times it is mind control and manipulation,” she said. “… a lot of times, a survivor doesn't know they're being trafficked, or they're afraid of law enforcement. They can be afraid to have their trafficker come for them or their families.”

Noting how “force, fraud and coercion” separate human trafficking from prostitution, Attacking Trafficking President Ann Mohr spoke on efforts to pass the “Safe Harbor Act” in Iowa, which would prevent minors from being charged with prostitution.

Because of the language of certain provisions within the bill, it stalled in the Senate last session.

“What happens when an individual is being trafficked and then charged with prostitution is they're being victimized twice. First by the trafficker and then by the system itself,” Mohr said.

Trafficking is the third-largest criminal industry worldwide, Sara said, and about 76% of it occurs online. Since 2017, Braking Traffik has seen 698 survivors, and Sara said she's seen an increase over the past year.

The presentation ended on the signs of human trafficking, how to respond and resources to help victims.