Human Trafficking
Human trafficking affects people from all backgrounds
January is dedicated to awareness, education, and prevention
By Teresa Clyne, Programs for Peaceful Living
Goldendale, WA (January 6, 2022) - Human trafficking and slavery happen every day around the world. The U.S. Department of State estimates that around the globe, nearly 25 million adults and children are trapped in the form of human trafficking, including here in the United States.
To break the cycle of exploitation and protect future generations, January is recognized as National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. January 11 was set aside as a day of observance in 2007.
Human trafficking can be hidden in plain sight. It may come in the form of forced labor or sex trafficking and can affect families from all backgrounds.
“At six years old, my family began trafficking me. I went to school. I went to church. I went to crowded doctors’ offices. Dozens of adults were around me every day, but no one saw anything.” This survivor’s story is shared by ‘Hope,’ who was trafficked from ages 6-11. Learn more about her story through the OnWatch website at https://iamonwatch.org/.
Only one percent of sex trafficking victims in the United States are ever identified. According to OnWatch, the average age a person is first trafficked is 12, and family members sell forty percent of child sex trafficking victims.
The U.S. Department of State offers some potential red flags that might indicate human trafficking activities: Employees living with their employer, living in poor conditions, or too many people living in a cramped space; you may find that it is impossible to speak with the individual in private or even if you can converse their answers may seem to be scripted and rehearsed; the employer may hold all of the employee’s identity documents; they appear to have been physically abused, or their behavior is submissive or fearful; maybe they receive little to no pay, or are under the age of 18 and being prostituted.
If you have the opportunity to speak with a potential victim privately, be sure not to jeopardize the victim’s safety if the trafficker is watching.
Here are some sample questions you could ask if you see the red flags:
Can you leave your job if you want to?
Can you come and go as you please?
Have you been hurt or threatened if you tried to leave?
Has your family been threatened?
Do you live with your employer?
Where do you sleep and eat?
Are you in debt to your employer?
Do you have your passport/identification? Who has it?
If you believe you have identified someone in a trafficking situation, call 911 if it is an emergency. Otherwise, call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 to ensure response by law enforcement officials knowledgeable about human trafficking. They will connect you with the anti-trafficking services in your area, such as the Programs for Peaceful Living Crime Victim Service Center.
Recognizing and reporting suspected trafficking can help break the cycle of exploitation and protect future generations. Other ways to help combat Human Trafficking:
Support anti-slavery organizations. Groups such as the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women (catwinternational.org), Agape International Missions (aimfree.org), and Polaris (polarisproject.org) all work to end human trafficking and support survivors. OurRescue.org works as an underground railroad organization rescuing children. Its goal is to end child trafficking.
Volunteer with local organizations like Programs for Peaceful Living, or raise awareness with your local church or community organizations. Or find other organizations to donate your time to through EndSlaveryNow.org, which offers an Antislavery Directory.
Learn more about the problem to inspire action. Books and documentaries can illuminate many aspects of modern slavery, including “Understanding Global Slavery” by Kevin Bales and “A Crime So Monstrous: Face-to-Face with Modern-Day Slavery” by Benjamin Skinner.
Help break the cycle of exploitation. Become familiar with the issue and take action today. It could be as small as educating others through sharing resources or as big as becoming a volunteer with the underground railroad and helping to shelter a rescued child.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call the local 24/7 toll-free crisis line at 844-493-1709. For more information from the local Crime Victim Service Center operated by Programs for Peaceful Living, call 509-773-6100 or 509-493-2662.
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Programs for Peaceful Living operates under Washington Gorge Action Programs (WAGAP) which is a 501(c)(3) non-profit Community Action Agency that helps individuals, families, and communities. WAGAP addresses basic human needs, including food, shelter, energy assistance, and much more, in Skamania and Klickitat Counties. For more than 50 years, WAGAP has helped people help themselves and reach self-sufficiency. Learn more at wagap.org, or contact WAGAP at (509) 493-2662 or info@wagap.org.under