January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month! At MSP, we see many human trafficking survivors, and know that there are many misconceptions about the topic. Between the definitions, people at risk and general misconceptions about human trafficking, it can be difficult to find the right answers.
Based on the federal definitions of human trafficking, there are typically two types: sex and labor. Survivors of trafficking may have suffered either type or both.
- Sex trafficking can be defined as “the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for the purpose of a commercial sex act.”
- Labor trafficking is “the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery.”
While sex trafficking can seem easier to recognize, it is important to be knowledgeable of both types of trafficking to be able to help survivors.
Human trafficking includes the use of FORCE, FRAUD, OR COERCION, as a means to a purpose. The use of force includes physical assault (e.g., beating, burning, slapping, hitting, assault with a weapon), sexual assault, rape, gang rape, physical confinement and isolation.
Fraud is used by stating that there are false employment offers, lying about work conditions, false promises, or withholding wages.
Coercion is through any threats to life, safety, family members or other similar parties, threats involving immigration status or arrest, debt, withholding legal documents such as government documents, creating a climate of fear and/or psychological abuses.
It is important to remember that human trafficking can happen anywhere and has been commonly, but not solely, seen in the following places:
It is important to also note that trafficking can happen to anyone. In fact, one myth about HT that we hear all the time is that it only happens to people outside the United States. This is both inaccurate and stigmatizing to many survivors in this country. Another myth we often hear is that if the trafficking is happening to someone who may be undocumented, they have no rights and are unable to report or seek assistance. We advocate for the rights of everyone, regardless of citizenship status.
We encourage anyone who feels they are a survivor of trafficking to reach out to our hotline for more information and resources at 1-800-298-7233 (SAFE).
Ready to spread awareness about Human Trafficking? Share this blog post on social media with #HumanTraffickingAwarenessMonth, tag us, and get your community involved! Support us in bringing survivors justice and freedom in their journey to safety.