While human trafficking crimes are often hidden and underreported, several local and national organizations are working to get facts and figures on the crisis to better educate people on just how prevalent it is. For example, The Polaris Projects is leading a data-driven social justice movement to fight sex and labor trafficking at the massive scale of the problem – 25 million impacted worldwide.
Abbie Newman, CEO of Mission Kids Child Advocacy (CAC), mentions that the King of Prussia region isn’t the only hotspot for human trafficking. It occurs everywhere, no matter the state, country or city an individual is living.
The major highways that intersect other cities and states such as I-95, is a main transporting routes for sex traffickers according to Polaris infrared human trafficking map. The brighter the spot on the map indicates a call received by the Human Trafficking Hotline, which has at least one bright spec across all of America.
Newman touches upon the number of children and adolescents who are trafficked by a parent or household member. They are exploited for sexual acts labeled as commercial sexual exploitation of children and it has only worsened by the opioid epidemic and COVID-19 since many children are staying home.
Here are some facts:
- Online recruitment has become the top recruitment location. Polaris discovered a significant increase in potential victims through Facebook and Instagram. 125 percent increase in reports of human trafficking coming from social media platforms.
- The Industry of human trafficking is estimated to be worth $150 billion yearly worldwide, with escorts services and child pornography contributing the most following alongside illicit massage and beauty services.
- Among all forms of trafficking whose recruitment relationships were known (4,142), the proportion of victims recruited by a family member or caregiver increased significantly – from 21 percent of all victims in 2019 to 31 percent in 2020 – a 47 percent increase.
- A study in San Diego worked with 20 high schools, every one of those high schools identified at least one student that they believed was a victim of trafficking that was attending school.
- Most of the victims who are children or adolescents are groomed and have no idea that they are being trafficked, this occurs because 70 to 90 percent of victims have prior sexual abuse in their life. Children who have experienced these traumas are much more vulnerable to traffickers because of their mental trauma and low self-esteem.
Individuals who have an unstable living situation or a household member with serious substance addiction can be vulnerable to trafficking. Keeping an eye out for a romantic relationship with a considerable age difference is a situation that might cause some concerns.
Anyone can be trafficked, in any community, just as anyone can be the victim of any kind of crime. While it can happen to anyone, available evidence suggests that people of color and LGBTQ+ people are more likely to be trafficked than other demographic groups. Human trafficking is highly personal and most of the time the abuse will happen right in front of you.
If you or a loved one has any suspicion about an individual being a part of human trafficking, contact the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline at (888) 373-7888.
