Black, indigenous, and migrant populations are disproportionately affected by human trafficking. As a result, addressing human trafficking requires acknowledging racial disparities and addressing systemic issues that contribute to vulnerable people.

Trafficking is often a story of poverty and systemic inequalities

Poverty or economic vulnerability can lead people to trafficking. According to the U.S. Census, 24% of Native Americans, 20% Black/African American, and 17% Hispanics live in poverty.¹

Factors that contribute to the increased vulnerability for human trafficking include:

Historical injustices

Systemic racism limiting access to education and employment opportunities

Economic systemic inequalities such as home ownership

Participation in the foster care system

Cultural and linguistic barriers that make it challenging to seek help

In South Dakota, 40% of reported sex trafficking victims were Native women, even though they represent only 8% of the population.²

Trafficking in Native American and indigenous communities

In all Indigenous communities—Native American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander—girls are more likely to be sexually exploited than their non-native peers.³

The impact of colonization and assimilation policies

Native Americans have been exploited since the 1700s. After the government removed them from their ancestral lands, Indigenous people were relocated to remote reservations without schools, jobs, or other opportunities. Their traditional social and economic practices were destroyed.

Government policies aimed at assimilating Native Americans—such as boarding schools and breaking up communal living—were devastating to Native culture. Historical trauma from colonization and assimilation still contributes to substance abuse, mental health issues, poverty and trafficking.

Today, Native American reservations are targets for traffickers

Native lands are often managed by several legal jurisdictions. Tribal, state, and federal authorities all have different responsibilities. Unfortunately, that makes law enforcement and prosecution of crimes on tribal lands challenging. Traffickers take advantage of the loophole, knowing they have a lower risk of being caught or prosecuted.

40% of all victims and survivors of sex trafficking are Black.⁴

Trafficking in Black and African American communities

Similar to Native Americans, Black people are significantly more likely to live in poverty, spend time in foster care, and be criminalized as victims of human trafficking than their white counterparts.

The impact of systemic racism in human trafficking

For many years, Black voices were not part of the anti-trafficking conversation, even though in some jurisdictions Black people represented:

40% of sex trafficking victims (the most of any race).⁵

61.9% of those arrested for prostitution are under 18—despite being categorized as victims of sex trafficking under federal law.⁵

92% of girls in Los Angeles’ juvenile justice system identified as trafficking victims were black.⁶

The over-sexualization and adultification of black women and girls

Studies show that people view Black girls (between the ages of 5-14) are less innocent and act more like adults than white peers. This bias can lead to the perception that Black girls choose sex work instead of being abused.⁷

Black women and girls are often treated like criminals instead of victims:

Black survivors of sex trafficking are more likely to have a criminal record than white survivors.

Black youth are often mislabeled as runaways rather than missing persons, resulting to less media coverage and fewer resources allocated to finding them.

When the Black population in the U.S. was 13.2% of the population, 41.4% of people arrested for prostitution were Black.⁵

In the U.S., an estimated 72% of trafficking victims are immigrants.⁸

Trafficking in migrant populations

Migrants and newly immigrant populations face heightened vulnerability due to factors such as language barriers, unfamiliarity with surroundings, and fear of law enforcement. They often have limited knowledge of local laws and rights and feel isolated from their support networks in their home country.

Labor trafficking is more prevalent that sex trafficking for migrants

Labor trafficking is more common for migrants than sex trafficking because many industries rely on migrant labor. Migrants take jobs because they:

Have limited options for work

Don’t have the correct documentation

May have incurred debts from their journey or visa fees

Some visas are linked to specific employers, so migrants are not allowed to find work elsewhere

Detection and reporting is difficult

Unfortunately, victims often distrust the authorities or fear deportation. As a result, reporting is low, and law enforcement struggles to detect trafficking.

Authorities may recognize signs of trafficking, such as employers that:

Withold wages

Confiscate documentation, such as passports or visas

Isolate employees from the public

Live in substandard conditions

Work excessive hours

Have signs of physical abuse

This holiday season, GIVE THEM HOPE.

Help individuals trapped in trafficking by providing the support they need. OUR Rescue is dedicated to ending sex trafficking and child exploitation, while helping survivors reclaim their lives and thrive on their healing journey. Together, we can make an impact. Donate today.

U.S. Census 2018. American Community Survey Data. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/data.html ↩︎
he Exodus Road. Race and human trafficking: How this crime disproportionately affects ethnic minorities and indigenous persons. https://theexodusroad.com/race-and-human-trafficking/ ↩︎
National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments. Human Trafficking in America’s Schools. https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/human-trafficking-americas-schools/vulnerable-populations ↩︎
U.S. Department of Justice. “Characteristics of Suspected Human Trafficking Incidents, 2008-2010.” https://bjs.ojp.gov/content/pub/pdf/cshti0810.pdf < These ARE the latest public stats, I contacted the DOJ! ↩︎
Shared Hope. “Toward Dignity, Respect, Equality and Equity: A Black History Month Reflection on the Trafficking and Criminalization of Black Women and Girls.” https://sharedhope.org/2022/02/28/toward-dignity-respect-equality-and-equity-a-black-history-month-reflection-on-the-trafficking-and-criminalization-of-black-women-and-girls/ ↩︎
Los Angeles Times; “Campaign to halt sex trafficking launched in L.A. County.” (May 31, 2012) ↩︎
The International Affairs Review. “Along the Borderline: The Critical Links Between Human Trafficking and U.S.-Mexico Immigration.” https://www.iar-gwu.org/print-archive/ikjtfxf3nmqgd0np1ht10mvkfron6n-bykaf-ey3hc-rfbxp-dpte8 ↩︎
The International Affairs Review. “Along the Borderline: The Critical Links Between Human Trafficking and U.S.-Mexico Immigration.” https://www.iar-gwu.org/print-archive/ikjtfxf3nmqgd0np1ht10mvkfron6n-bykaf-ey3hc-rfbxp-dpte8 ↩︎

Exposing Racial Disparities in Human Trafficking