Category

Human Trafficking Demographics

When we think about human trafficking, we often picture traffickers, the recruiters and manipulators; or we focus on rescue and the moment someone reaches safety. Both of these pieces matter deeply.   But there is another part of the story that is harder to talk about, a part that quietly sustains the entire system.  The buyers.  The…

In order to successfully combat human trafficking today, we must understand that everything we thought we knew about who the traffickers are is incomplete. In the past, we were warned about “strange white vans” or being abducted while traveling in foreign countries while on vacation. The modern-day trafficker has become more concealed, while still hiding in plain sight. The reality…

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…

Most of us take a safe and stable home for granted. People with housing insecurity risk of becoming victims of both sex and/or labor trafficking. The odds that an unhoused person will be trafficked are considerably higher than a person with a secure place to live.  The overlap between homelessness…

Discussing the relationship between mental illness and human trafficking can help create an environment of understanding of the experiences of survivors, as well as how different mental conditions can affect one’s risk of being trafficked. 

While human trafficking affects every demographic, studies show that LGBTQ+ youth are at an elevated risk for being trafficked. This risk comes from higher rates of discrimination, less social and economic support, and higher rates of homelessness than the average youth (Polaris Project.) This combination of vulnerabilities culminates in an…

“If people hear my story, then they will know the reality we face. I know this happens to more men, I still know men stuck in the system. I want my story out there so that people will know, people will be angry, and people will fight for change. Then, maybe someday, this will stop happening.”