Human trafficking is defined as the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining a person for the purpose of commercial sex or labor and services through the use of force, fraud, or coercion. Since the development of MSP’s Anti-Trafficking Program, our case managers have helped hundreds of survivors from all across Westchester County. For Human Trafficking Awareness Month, our case managers Amanda and Kimberly sat down and answered a few questions.
Is human trafficking like what is portrayed in the movies?
Amanda:
While trafficking looks different for many victims and survivors, it’s important to recognize that the imagery and language we use can perpetuate sensationalized understanding of what trafficking really looks like. Human trafficking is very multifaceted and nuanced. We need to recognize the root causes of trafficking, learn what it truly looks like here, and understand how we can empower survivors.
Kimberly:
Movies and TV shows can bring attention to the issue of human trafficking. However, the portrayals in media can often dramatize certain things for entertainment purposes. Real life human trafficking is complex. Human trafficking can happen in various forms, and each has its own set of challenges and dynamics, and the experiences of survivors can vary widely.
Here is a list of survivor-vetted films about human trafficking: https://lnkd.in/g48T4RAj. This list was “created and curated by the trafficking survivor community around the world, led by Sabra Boyd, an independent writer and consultant with lived experience of human trafficking”. As Sabra stated, “Survivors have never been voiceless; we just need to be listened to” (Survivor-Vetted Films About Human Trafficking, Sabra Boyd).
Now with technology always changing and upgrading, are there any new dangers to being trafficked and how can someone protect themselves against the red flags?
Amanda:
Remember that perpetrators will use a person’s vulnerabilities, likes, and dislikes to build a relationship with them to gain power and control over them. Social media and technology make it so much easier for perpetrators to target victims, whether it be through fake job posts or building friendships or intimate relationships. They are in chat rooms, on video games, on children’s apps, in direct messages...be smart, be vigilant, be safe, and always report or block suspicious or inappropriate people or accounts.
Kimberly:
Technology has introduced new challenges and risks related to human trafficking. Traffickers often exploit digital platforms, social media, and various online tools to recruit, control, and exploit their victims. Examples of this can be online recruitment, monitoring on smart phones, tracking locations, blackmail, and extortion.
If someone is trying to get out of a trafficking situation, what is their first step?
Amanda:
There is no one size fits all answer to this. A victim/survivor’s immediate safety is always the number one priority. So, if you have access to a safe phone, call our 24/7 hotline or the National Human Trafficking Hotline. However, if you are in immediate danger and have access to a phone, call 911 or law enforcement. Here at MSP, we can help you with a safety plan and aftercare, but cannot provide immediate in-person assistance, especially if you are unsafe.
I know contacting law enforcement can be triggering or intimidating, but they can put you in contact with local service providers once you are safe. If someone is in a health care setting and they are comfortable, they should ask to be checked alone, or ask to use the restroom and flag a nurse down and tell them they fear for their own safety.
It can be so easy for me to sit here and tell victims and survivors to call our hotline or call law enforcement immediately, but it is likely never that easy. So, I think their first step would be assessing the situation they are in, and if they have the opportunity to flee or call for help to do so.
What is the initial meeting like with a case manager at MSP?
Amanda:
After an initial intake screening is done by the Center for Legal Services Intake Specialist, if the person is possibly eligible for our services, they will be scheduled for a consultation with our Anti-Trafficking Program, and possibly for our Immigration and/or Family Law units. A consultation can be done over the phone or in person at one of MSP’s office locations, and this is the first time a potential client meets with an Anti-Trafficking Program case manager.
During this meeting, potential clients should expect to share some basic demographic information, answer trafficking assessment questions, and go into detail about their potential trafficking experiences. The person will never be forced to share any information that they are not comfortable with, and this is all done at their pace, not the case manager’s.
After the consultation, the case manager will come to a determination as to whether the person’s experiences meet the federal definition(s) of human trafficking. From here, a client is either accepted into the program and appropriate referrals are made, or they are referred to other resources and/or service providers if they do not meet official trafficking definitions. A client is never merely turned away, they are always provided with as many resources and as much support as possible, regardless of whether they work with us or not.
What is one thing you would like all survivors of human trafficking to know?
Amanda:
You are the experts.
I do this work because no person should ever have to be exploited, taken advantage of, harmed, and treated in the most inhumane ways, but they are. I do this work to hopefully prevent trafficking from occurring, and to educate the community, empower survivors and to help them heal.
I am not a human trafficking survivor, but you are. You know what you need, when you need it, why you need it, and how you need it; not me. I do this work yes, because of you and for you, but I also do this work alongside and with you.
Kimberly:
Survivors of human trafficking should know that they are strong and resilient. Survivors should know that they are not alone in what they have experienced. There are individuals, organizations, and other survivors who are committed to helping them. Survivors of trafficking should be met with support and empathy.
Anything else you would like to share?
Amanda:
Trafficking is happening right now around you. Survivors are not always locked and chained up; they are going to work, going to school, and going to appointments. Traffickers use power and control to create trust, fear, and relationships to make it harder for survivors to want or seek help. Look for the signs. Offer help when safe to do so. Ask us for advice, trainings, or presentations for your groups, agencies, and organizations.
Kimberly:
For Human Trafficking Awareness Month, it is important for the public to know that they can play a significant role in preventing human trafficking by staying informed and vigilant. There are now hotlines individuals can call if they suspect someone they know to be a victim of trafficking. People can also volunteer with anti-trafficking organizations such as MSP, to assist with victim support and awareness campaigns.
If you or someone you know is being trafficked reach out today.
24/7 MSP Hotline:
1-800-298-7233 (SAFE)
Text or Chat with MSP:
mspny.org/connect-now
914-600-4208
(Available Monday-Saturday 10am-10pm)
National Hotline:
1-888-373-7888
Text ‘BEFREE’ or ‘HELP’ to 233733