Welcome to the Our Rescue Human Trafficking 101 course.

The following content may be distressing to some viewers. If you need to please practice self care. Step away and take a break. Breathe and drink water.

49.6 million people are trapped in modern slavery worldwide. 12 million are children each year. Forced commercial sexual exploitation generates 173 billion in illegal profits globally.

Human trafficking is a global problem and when you see statistics like these, it may seem unbeatable, but it isn’t.

This course will teach you the basics of what human trafficking is, how it happens, and how to take action to stop it. Equipped with the knowledge you gain here, you will be able to take action to fight back against human trafficking.

This course also includes a companion worksheet that you can download from the Resources tab at the top right of the course window. The worksheet can be printed or filled digitally.

Welcome to the menu. You can navigate through different human trafficking topics from here. Complete the first section and the others will be unlocked for you to explore.

So, first things first. What exactly is human trafficking?

According to Webster Dictionary, it’s an organized criminal activity in which human beings are treated as possessions to be controlled and exploited as by being forced to engage in commercial sex or involuntary labor.

There are two main types of human trafficking, labor trafficking and sex trafficking.

When we talk about labor trafficking, we’re referring to the crime of using force, fraud or coercion to induce another individual to work or provide service as defined by Polaris and sex trafficking.

It’s defined by the Trafficking Victim Protection act as when a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud or coercion, or when the person induced to perform the act is under 18 years old.

It’s important to note that sex and labor trafficking can co occur or one can lead to the other.

A commercial sex act is defined as any sexual act performed in exchange for money or goods. This includes various forms of sexual services such as prostitution, escort services, and pornography. Anytime something of value is traded for sexual services, it is considered a commercial sex act.

You can review all of these definitions at any time during the course. In the glossary on the left side of the course window.

Let’s talk about the characteristics of trafficking.

It’s a crime against a person and no actual movement is necessary. It involves elements of force, fraud and or coercion leading to involuntary servitude and most importantly, in a trafficking situation, the victim has no control.

Now let’s get into trafficking and smuggling.

These terms are often used interchangeably, but it is important to note that they are different. Trafficking is a crime against a person. Smuggling is a crime against a border. They are not the same.

In a smuggling situation, the crime is committed against a border or state with the smuggled person in the destination country illegally. Once the smuggled person reaches their destination, the business relationship ends with the smuggler, leaving the smuggled person free to make their own decisions and to choose their employment.

In smuggling situations, the smuggled person is complicit in the crime.

Trafficking is something that not a lot of people know about because most people don’t know what it looks like. In fact, as a society, we have a lot of misconstrued views of what human trafficking actually is.

That being said, let’s dig deeper.

Did you know that 73% of people believe that human trafficking is widespread or occasional in the US but when they are asked if they think it occurs in their local community, the number drops to 20%.

So let’s learn a little bit and bust some myths with flashcards.

As you go through these flashcards, think about where you fall. What are your initial thoughts? Are there any myths that you believed?

Click the card to reveal the reality behind each myth. When you are ready for the next card, drag and drop the current card to the right or left edge of the slide.

• Trafficking only happens to women and girls. M.
• Traffickers are usually strangers. M.
• Trafficking doesn’t happen where I live.
• Trafficking only happens to children.
• Trafficking always involves movement.
• Victims always ask for help. M.
• Trafficking always involves violence or fraud.
• Myth Myth all traffickers are men.
• Trafficking only happens in poor communities.
• Victims of human trafficking are physically held captive and unable to physically leave.
• Human trafficking is only a criminal issue, not a human rights issue.

Who are traffickers and where are they? M.

At this point you may be asking yourself, who are the traffickers? What do they look like and how can I spot them?

The reality is that it could be anyone.

While it may be easy to imagine a shadowy figure or a group of nefarious criminals, the reality is that traffickers can be anybodya family member, romantic partner, a stranger online from all parts of the world, from all economic standings. This is one of the elements that makes identifying human trafficking so difficult.

A trafficker could be someone you don’t expect, like a pleasant seeming suburban mother who is trafficking her children.

It may hurt your heart to hear that family members can be among those who are trafficking individuals. The statistics on familial trafficking are shocking.

Did you know that 82% of familial trafficking is related to drug use?

Did you also know that in 90% of familial trafficking cases. The trafficking starts at home.

Additionally, 32% of people that are trafficked by a family member are trafficked by their father, and 65% of people that are trafficked by a family member are, uh, trafficked by their mother.

Imagine how it would feel to not be protected by the one person that you thought would keep you safe. It’s a scary and sobering thought.

Now that you know what human trafficking looks like and who the traffickers are, you might be wondering where it actually happens.

So let’s look at some of the more common places where human trafficking can occur.

So where does trafficking actually happen?

In short, everywhere.

Trafficking occurs across the globe, even in places you might think it may not be. It can occur in your city, neighborhood, or even your own home.

Some of the most common physical places where trafficking can occur include homeless shelters, parks, streets, schools, and local markets.

Take just a minute to think about that. When you’re ready, hit next to continue.

Trafficking doesn’t just happen in the real world, though. It can also happen online.

Traffickers are moving into digital spaces for a variety of reasons, one of which being that they can lie about their true identity in the beginning.

In digital spaces, traffickers use apps such as TikTok, YouTube, Tinder, Snapchat, Instagram, Discord, WhatsApp, Facebook, Tumblr, Kik, GroupMe, WeChat, and even gaming platforms such as Xbox, PlayStation, and Steam to exploit victims.

It’s important to note that any app with a chat feature poses a safety risk. It’s crucial to be aware of these spaces to better protect vulnerable individuals, especially youth.

The statistics on online safety are shocking.

Consider the following 40 to 60% of youth ages 12 and 13 use social media regularly.

In 2023, NCMEC received 26,718 reports of financial sex torsion.

Children often start using social media at a very young age, sometimes as early as 8 to 9.

And throughout their child’s lifetime. Parents only spend an average of 46 minutes talking with their kids about online safety.

Take a minute to look at those statistics. Are you surprised by any of them?

So what can you do about human trafficking?

If you see any suspicious activity, you can always do at least one of three things.

The first thing you can do if you see or suspect human trafficking is report it.

First, call your local law enforcement or emergency number. Then call your national human trafficking hotline.

In the United States, if the individual is under 18 years of age, you must call local law enforcement and the national Human trafficking hotline. This may differ depending on the country you are in.

If you are ever suspicious, follow your gut. In the case of human trafficking, it is always better to be safe than sorry.

To see the different reporting options in different countries, scroll to find your country in the scroll bar.

You can also donate to and volunteer with other anti trafficking organizations.

Donating to reputable anti trafficking organizations is crucial in the fight against human trafficking. Your financial support helps these organizations provide essential services such as shelter and counseling and legal assistance to survivors. Every contribution, no matter the size, can make a significant impact on their ability to combat trafficking.

Volunteering with these organizations allows you to actively participate in raising awareness and supporting survivors. By dedicating your time, you help amplify their message and contribute to community education. Engaging with anti trafficking efforts fosters a collective responsibility to protect vulnerable individuals and and create a safer society for all.

Spreading awareness about human trafficking is crucial in combating this global issue.

By discussing it with friends, family and coworkers, we can educate others on the signs and risks associated with trafficking. This collective knowledge empowers communities to recognize and report suspicious activities, ultimately saving lives.

Engaging in conversations about human trafficking fosters a culture of vigilance and support. Organizing workshops or sharing resources can further enhance understanding. By creating a network of informed individuals, we can collectively advocate for policy changes and support organizations dedicated to fighting human trafficking.

Now we’re moving to the AMP model, a simple model that can help us to identify if an individual is being trafficked.

The AMP model stands for Action, Means and Purpose. It’s a straightforward way to understand the mechanics of trafficking and I’ll give you an example to help you understand each pillar.

For each pillar of the AMP model, you only need to identify one element for it to be considered trafficking. Though you may see multiple in an individual’s experience.

The first pillar of the AMP model is action.

Action can include recruiting, harboring, transporting, providing, patronizing, soliciting and advertising.

The second pillar of the AMP model is means.

Means involves force, fraud and or coercion. However, for minors involved in commercial sex acts, neither force, fraud nor coercion needs to be shown.

Force is defined as anything including physical restraint or harm, sexual assault and beatings.

Fraud includes false promises regarding employment, working conditions, compensation or debt, agreements or nature of relationships.

Coercion includes threats of serious harm or physical restraints against any person, psychological manipulation, document confiscation and fear inducing threats to share information or or pictures with others or authorities.

The third pillar of the AMP model is purpose.

Purpose refers to commercial sex acts, labor or services. This is often the easiest pillar to identify because this is what the Victim or survivor is doing.

Click on each box to see what each pillar may look like in a real life scenario.

In a bustling city, a young girl named Mia, uh, is approached by a stranger advertising a modeling opportunity. Mia has seen many girls on social media have a lot of success modeling and she’s been wanting to do it for a long time. She’s struggling to pay her rent and bills on time, and the pay the stranger is offering sounds amazing.

This represents the action element where the stranger is advertising for a job that is exciting and enticing to Mia.

After discussing with the man, Mia decides to take the job. However, she quickly learns when she starts that the job is not for modeling. She is forced to wear revealing clothing that she is uncomfortable in and is sent to strip clubs every night to make money. If she doesn’t make enough, there are consequences later.

Eventually, he stops sending her to strip clubs altogether and she is forced to have sex with anyone who purchases it.

The means of Mia’s trafficking is fraud because the stranger lied about the job that he hired her to do.

Now let’s see if we can identify the purpose of Mia’s trafficking.

We learned in means that Mia’s job to model was not real. Instead of modeling, she was being forced to have sex with those who were paying for it. Therefore, the purpose for which Mia was trafficked was for commercial sex acts.

As you can probably tell, vulnerabilities play a significant role in trafficking.

Understanding these vulnerabilities helps us identify how traffickers can gain and maintain control over others. This in turn allows us to support individuals who may be vulnerable by helping them to recognize and address those vulnerabilities to prevent trafficking in the first place.

In order to understand what makes someone vulnerable or susceptible to human trafficking, it is important to understand something called Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. You may have heard of this in a psychology class before.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs teaches that human needs are arranged in a pyramid. When fulfilling human needs, you have to start at the bottom and then build up, beginning with basic needs such as food and shelter, and then gradually building up to higher levels like feelings of love and confidence.

Traffickers understand this. They will take notice of where an individual is lacking in this hierarchy. They begin their relationship there and continue to build upwards until the victim depends on them for everything.

Those that are most vulnerable to human trafficking are often individuals who are lacking necessities on the bottom tier of the hierarchy.

Click on each level of the hierarchy to learn more about what each level is.

Self actualization. This Level the peak of the pyramid can be achieved by individuals once all of their needs are properly met. This level is a state of being all one can be where the individual pursues creativity and personal growth. This state is unattainable in a trafficking situation due to the fact that the trafficker does not truly fill the needs, instead manipulating them to maintain control over their victims.

Self esteem. Self esteem, a crucial level in Maslow’s hierarchy, encompasses feelings of self worth and confidence. When individuals experience inadequate fulfillment of this need, they may become vulnerable to exploitation. An individual with low self esteem m may be manipulated by a trafficker, providing affirmation of their value or convincing them that their value is tied to doing what the trafficker tells them to.

Love and Belonging. The love and belonging level of Maslow’s hierarchy emphasizes the importance of social connections. It highlights the need for relationships, friendships and a sense of community.

Traffickers may exploit this level by targeting people who are socially isolated by telling them that they are loved and that they belong with the trafficker. Though this is a lie as the trafficker only views them as property to exploit.

Studies have shown people may abandon the previous two levels of needs in search of love and belonging, especially adolescents. This makes it easier for traffickers to manipulate this need as they may be able to leverage it even if they don’t meet the physiological, safety or security needs of their targets.

Safety and Security. Safety and security are fundamental needs in Maslow’s hierarchy encompassing physical safety, financial stability and emotional security. Traffickers exploit these vulnerabilities by creating false promises of safety and stability, manipulating victims into dependency, though in reality the victim is in significant danger at the hands of their trafficker.

Physiological Needs. Physiological needs are the foundation of Maslow’s hierarchy. They encompass basic survival requirements such as food, water, warmth and rest. Meeting these needs is essential for individuals to function effectively and pursue higher level psychological and self fulfillment needs.

This can be exploited in situations where an individual does not have access to basic needs like food, which traffickers may use to manipulate and control their victims, creating a situation where servitude is the only way to access these basic needs.

Vulnerabilities arising from unmet needs can manifest in various ways.

Recognizing observable factors and real life situations that may indicate these vulnerabilities is crucial for identifying potential risks individuals may face.

Look for vulnerabilities from factors such as poverty, running away from home, substance abuse, a, uh, history of sexual abuse, identification as part of the LGBTQ community, age especially for younger people, involvement in the juvenile justice or foster care systems, experiences of child abuse, neglect, or domestic violence, and being an immigrant or member of a minority.

Many of these vulnerabilities correspond to deficiencies in the lower tiers of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.

Once vulnerabilities have been identified, they can be addressed through education, community support, and policy. As individuals, we can foster environments where individuals feel safe to express their needs and seek help without fear of judgment or repercussions, allowing us to prevent trafficking and exploitation in the first place.

In situations where traffickers have exploited the vulnerabilities of their victims to gain control, they will use various tactics to maintain that control.

Some strategies may include making the victim dependent on them for the fulfillment of physical and emotional needs, providing or withholding financial support, preventing the victim from having access to the money needed to live without the trafficker, keeping them in debt bondage by creating situations where the cost of fulfilled needs far exceeds what the victim can pay off, glamorization of the life to make victims feel positively towards what they are subjected to, supporting cultural acceptance of selling youth for sexual services, isolating victims from friends and family who may be able to provide support, threatening death or physical violence to keep victims compliant through fear, creating a fear of authorities like police and social workers to keep victims from reporting, humiliating victims to instill a sense of worthlessness and reinforce dependency.

Traffickers weave these tactics together in a complex web designed to keep victims compliant and dependent.

In order to be able to actually do something about human trafficking, we first have to know what it looks like in the real world.

In this section, we will review some red flags that can indicate human trafficking.

If you observe a situation that you think may be trafficking, you will need to identify action, means, and purpose per the AMMP model. While action and purpose may be fairly straightforward, what are the signs of the three categories of means, force, fraud, and coercion?

You may observe these indicators either by observing potential victims and traffickers or in conversation. If you see a situation where someone is doing any of these things to someone else or is having any of these things done to them, you have a, uh, means.

Remember that for situations where the victim is under 18, you do not need to identify a means.

Force.

The Office on Trafficking in Persons defines force as anything including physical restraint or harm, sexual assault and beatings. Monitoring and confinement is often used to control victims, especially during early stages of victimization, to break down the victim’s resistance.

When determining if the means of the crime is force, asking the following questions may help you to determine if there are any indicators of force present.

Does someone physically force another person to do something they don’t feel comfortable doing? Does someone lock another person up, restrain them or prevent them from leaving? Does someone physically harm another person in any way?

Fraud.

The Office on Trafficking in Persons states that fraud includes false promises regarding employment, working conditions, compensation or debt, agreements or nature of relationship.

When determining if the means of the crime was fraud, the following questions may help determine if there are any indicators of fraud.

Does someone trick them into doing different work than promised? Does someone make them sign documents without understanding what they state? Does someone refuse to pay them or pay less than promised?

Coercion.

The Office on Trafficking in Persons states that coercion includes threats of serious harm or physical restraints against any person, psychological manipulation, document confiscation and fear inducing threats to share information or pictures with others or report to authorities.

Some questions that you may ask to determine if there are any indicators of coercion could include:

Does someone restrict or control where they go or who they talk to? Does someone deprive them of basic necessities? Does someone not let them contact loved ones? Does someone keep their money or ID documents? Does someone threaten to get them deported or harm them or their loved ones?

You can use the force, Fraud and Coercion buttons to review the definitions and questions for each category.

If you haven’t visited the AMP Model section yet or would like a refresher, you can see the basics by clicking the AMP Model button.

The AMP Model is a simple way to help identify if an individual is being trafficked. AMMP stands for Action, Means and Purpose. You need to identify at least one element from each pillar for a situation to be considered trafficking. Unless the situation involves a minor, in which case means does not need to be identified.

If you haven’t already, you will learn more about the AMP model in the AMP Model section of this training.

Red Flags for adults and youth can look slightly different, so let’s start with some red flags for adults.

Indicators of trafficking can include numerous inconsistencies in a person’s story, lack of identification, living with their employer, being uncertain of their location, avoidance of eye contact, letting others speak for them, multiple medical visits for injuries, not being in control of his or her money, being unable to move or leave their job, having multiple STIs, unusual tattoos or brands, exhibition of fear, paranoia or anxiety, an accompanying adult who states that they are, uh, a relative, having had multiple pregnancies and or abortions, and a history of drug use.

For a printable list of red flags for adults, click on the Resources tab in the top right corner of the course window.

Red flags and indicators for youth can look a little bit different than for adults.

Signs for youth may include running away or couch surfing, unexplained absences or truancy, terminology like the game, the life, handler, manager or date, unexplained or suspicious injuries, unexpected large amounts of cash, multiple cell phones or hotel keys, sudden expensive and or revealing clothing, purses or electronics, deprivation of basic necessities, unusual tattoos or branding, gang affiliation especially among girls, and a lack of personal documents or multiple IDs.

While these indicators may be seen in trafficking situations involving adults as well, they can be more telling of human trafficking among youth.

For a printable list of red flags for youth, click on the Resources tab in the top right corner of the course window.

You have reached the end of the Human Trafficking 101.

Before you leave, let’s review.

This lesson tackled the pressing issue of human trafficking, breaking down its definitions, types and the factors that make individuals vulnerable. It also introduced the AMP model, debunked myths and highlighted key warning signs to recognize.

Here are some key takeaways.

• Recognize the signs. Spotting red flags can help protect potential victims. You can download printable lists for youth and adults from the Resources tab.
• If you suspect trafficking, report it to local authorities or a hotline immediately.
• Engage in activism. Support anti trafficking efforts through volunteering or donations.
• Spread the word. Educate others to raise awareness and fight trafficking.

We are one in the fight against human trafficking. By using what you have learned in this course, you can make a difference and together we can put an end to human trafficking.

Thank you.