NO MATTER RACE, AGE OR GENDER
TEXARKANA MAGAZINE
THERE ARE DIFFERENT TYPES OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING SEX TRAFFICKING Know who makes the products you buy and the food you e to help keep slavery tainted items out of your home. Visit the Department of Labor list of goods that could be subje dol.gov/ilab/reports/child-labor/list-of-g
creating a relationship of trust before they start exploiting the victims.” Children are especially vulnerable to these types of predators because of their naivety. Many seek acceptance, attention, and friendship from those online if they are lacking it at home or school. “It is important to teach them what safe and healthy relationships are,” Crisp said, “including building open communication so that the child is more likely to come to a parent first if there is a problem.” Unfortunately, however, many do not have anyone to turn to. They are raised without a strong parental figure to teach and guide them. “Our sex trafficking victims are mostly girls who have grown up, aged out of the foster care system, and now they have nowhere to go,” Rayfield said. “Let’s say they end up at the Randy Sams [Shelter]. She’s very gullible. She’s just come out of the system and doesn’t have any family. And mainly, no one is looking for her. I would say most of it is because no one is looking for her. So, she ends up in sex trafficking because she doesn’t have anywhere to go.” Often, this results in the victim becoming dependent on their abuser. They literally don’t know how to live or make a living without them. “Even though the evidence is extraordinarily brutal and violent, the victims of trafficking often do not self-identify and even sometimes express loyalty to the trafficker,” Crisp said. “Many of these survivors had adverse childhood experiences which distorted their views of self-worth, love, and security. Without intensive treatment, and assistance of government programs for trafficking survivors, the outcome for many of these victims is grim. Because traffickers are experts at using the needs of their victims to their advantage, it appears preventative measures should be aimed directly at children who are lacking in healthy, loving relationships.” The sad truth is, it’s not uncommon for children to be born into sex trafficking or sold by their own mothers. When someone is raised in that type of environment, they’re likely to not even realize they are a victim. To them, it’s just life. “It’s just a generational cycle. We tell her, ‘That’s wrong. You should not do that,’ but that’s what she was brought up in. That’s her life,” Rayfield said. “That is all she knows. She comes from that world herself.” For those that realize they are being trafficked, fear often prevents them from seeking help, making human trafficking a hidden crime. To them, the chance of escaping does not justify the retribution that will be inflicted if caught by their abusers. “These victims are often heavily drugged (sometimes without their knowledge); they are frequently beaten, strangled, and raped,” Crisp said. “I had one case where a trafficker believed a victim took some money from him, so he attempted to murder her by setting her on fire. He then used that violent episode as a threat to his other victims—sending a clear message that they would be next unless they did as he ordered. Often these traffickers steal the victims’ clothing, including their shoes, so the victims can’t leave.”
are manipulated or forced against their will to engage in sex acts for money RECOGNIZE AND REPORT SUSPECTED HUMAN TRAFF
Truck stops, hotel rooms, rest areas, street corners, clubs, and private residences are just some of the places where victims are forced to sell sex
violence, threats, manipulation, or the promise of love and
To contact federal law enforcement, call 1-866-DHS-
FORCED LABOR
Through force, fraud, or coercion, victims are made to work for little or no pay
Very often victims are forced to manufacture or grow products that we use and consume every day Or submit a tip online at www.ice.gov/tips
Victims of forced labor could be found in factories, on farms, doing construction work, and more
DOMESTIC SERVITUDE Victims of domestic servitude call 1-888-373-7888 or text HELP or INFO to Befree(2333733) Help us bring this crime out of the shadows and into the light. Join the Blue Campaign.
are hidden in plain sight, forced to work in homes across the United States
They are prisoners working as nannies, maids, or domestic help
victim’s identification papers and travel documents in order to limit their freedom
EVERY YEAR IN THE UNITED STATES THOUSANDS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING CASES ARE REPORTED, BUT
HUMAN TRAFFICKING IS A HIDDEN CRIME VICTIMS MIGHT BE AFRAID TO COME FORWARD, OR WE MAY NOT RECOGN ZE THE SIGNS, I EVEN IF IT IS HAPPENING RIGHT IN FRONT OF US. WE NEED TO BRING THIS CRIME OUT OF THE SHADOWS
COMMUNITY & CULTURE Many people don’t recognize the signs of human trafficking, but there are times when it’s obvious that something is going on. If someone shows signs of abuse, starts acting out suddenly, seems overly fearful or paranoid, is wearing clothes inappropriate for the place or weather, etc., say something. It just takes one person stepping in to save a life. It is better to risk being wrong than to risk doing nothing. “She can’t get out of this by herself. She needs that support,” Rayfield said. “If we do not get in their lives, if she doesn’t get that support, her kids could be the next statistic.” HOW THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY IS FIGHTING HUMAN TRAFFICKING MANY MORE GO UNNOTICED dhs.gov/blue-campaign The Department of Homeland Security created the Blue Campaign to take a stand against modern day slavery and help combat this heinous crime by raising awareness WHAT YOU CAN DO
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