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WHAT DOES HUMAN TRAFFICKING REALLY LOOK LIKE?

Feb 03, 2026

What does human trafficking really look like?

At it’s core, human trafficking is exploitation through force, fraud, or coercion.  When most people think of human trafficking, they often picture scenes from action movies such as dramatic kidnappings, dark alleys, and physical chains.  While that does happen, the reality is often much more subtle, psychological, and integrated into our daily lives.  Human Trafficking is exploitation through control, not just kidnapping.

common forms

sex trafficking

Forcing or manipulating someone into prostitution or other sexual exploitation.

labor trafficking

Forcing people to work in unsafe or unfair conditions such as factories, construction, and domestic work.

child trafficking

Exploiting children for sex, labor, begging or criminal activity.

what human trafficking commonly looks like
The relationship often times starts off “normal”
              • A romantic partner
              • A friend or a family member
              • An employer
              • Someone met online offering help. love, or opportunity
IT CAN BEGIN WITH
              • “I’ll take care of you”
              • “This job will change your life”
              • “You owe me after all I’ve done for you”
Then, the grip begins to harden…..

victims often blend into everyday life

Signs that may raise concern (especially when several signs appear together)

              • Someone else speaks for them, or is closely monitored
              • Limited freedom, a person is always picked up or dropped off and rarely alone
              • Fearful or submissive behavior around one specific person
              • Inconsistent stories about name, age, or living situation
              • Exhibits no control over phone, ID, bank cards, or social media
              • Signs of exhaustion, untreated injuries or repeated STI’s
              • A person may be wokring very long hours with little pay

labor trafficking, where it happens and red flags

LABOR TRAFFICKING CAN HAPPEN IN 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                • Restaurants
                • Farms
                • Construction
                • Factories
                • Domestic Workers
                • Nail Salons
                • Massage Parlors 

RED FLAGS

 

 

 

 

 

                • Being paid too little, or not at all
                • Employer holds passports and/or ID’s
                • Living where they work
                • Extreme hours with no days off
                • Threats about immigration or police

sex trafficking red flags

            • A boyfriend who “takes care and manages” everything
            • Someone who is pressured to sell sex to survive
            • Debt Bondage, a victim is offered a job or a loan, only to find that the “fees” for their housing, transportation, and food are manipulated so that the debt can never be paid off
            • Being moved frequently
            • Has quota’s or rules enforced with fear
            • Online Recruitment
            • Family Controlled Exploitation

Minors involved in commercial sex are always considred trafficked……. no exceptions!

why don't people just leave?

For victims, leaving can often times mean:
Homelessness
Deportation
Retaliation
Threats of being hunted down
Threat of loss of children or family
Not knowing exactly who you can trust or where you can go to feel safe

IF TRAFFICKING IS EVER SUSPECTED, please it is not about confronting the attacker, it's about believing the victim. It's about not judging or pressing the victim. It's about connecting them to trained help.

In the US, the National Human Trafficking Hotline number is 1-888-373-7888 (call or text). They're confidential and don't force police involvement.

If you or someone you know needs more information about legal rights or next steps, contact Judie A Saunders for confidential guidance.