WUNRN
HUMAN TRAFFICKING AWARENESS DAY -
JANUARY 11 - Although National Human
Trafficking Awareness Day is a US-based effort to recognise, and highlight,
this issue — as a topic of global concern being highlighted through
the United Nations, others around the world continue efforts to
increase public awareness and tackle trafficking.
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Polaris Project
What is human trafficking?
Is human trafficking another term for smuggling?
Is human trafficking a crime that must involve some form of
travel, transportation, or movement across state or national borders?
Does physical violence have to be involved in human trafficking
cases?
Who are the victims?
Under the federal definition, are trafficking victims only
foreign nationals or immigrants?
Do victims always come from a low-income or poor background?
Who is at risk of becoming a victim of human trafficking?
How many human trafficking victims are there in the United
States?
Do victims of human trafficking self-identify as a victim of a
crime and ask for help immediately?
What types of human trafficking can be
found in the United States?
Does human trafficking only occur in illegal underground
industries?
How is pimping a form of sex trafficking?
Are pimps managers who offer protection to women and girls in
the sex industry and split the money earned through commercial sex acts?
How do I get a copy of the State Department’s Trafficking in
Persons (TIP) Report?
How do I order Rescue and Restore materials?
Human trafficking, also known as trafficking in persons (TIP), is a
modern-day form of slavery. It is a crime under federal and international
law. It is also a crime in the majority of U.S. states. Click
here for more information about human trafficking, and click here for more online resources.
No.
There are many fundamental differences between the crimes of human trafficking
and human smuggling. Both are entirely separate federal crimes in the U.S. Most
notably, smuggling is a crime against a country’s borders, whereas human
trafficking is a crime against a person. Also, while smuggling requires illegal
border crossing, human trafficking involves commercial sex acts or labor or
services that are induced through force, fraud, or coercion. Unlike
smuggling, human trafficking does not require transportation. Click
here for more
information about state and federal laws defining human trafficking, or click
here for more
resources.
No. Although the word ‘trafficking’ sounds like movement, the federal
definition of human trafficking in the U.S. does not require transportation. In
other words, transportation may or may not be involved in the crime of human
trafficking, and it is not a required component. Click here for more information about state and federal laws
defining human trafficking, or click here for more resources.
No. Under federal law, an individual who uses physical or psychological
violence to force someone into labor or services or into commercial sex acts is
considered a human trafficker. Therefore, while some victims experience
beatings, rape, and other forms of physical violence, many victims are
controlled by traffickers through psychological means, such as threats of
violence, manipulation, and lies. In many cases, traffickers use a combination
of direct violence and mental abuse. The federal definition of the crime,
as defined in the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) of 2000, was
created to address the wider spectrum of methods of control used by traffickers
beyond "bodily harm."
There is not one consistent face of trafficking victim. Trafficked
persons in the United States can be men or women, adults or children, foreign
nationals or US citizens. Some are well-educated, while others have no
formal education.
While anyone can become a victim of trafficking, certain populations are
especially vulnerable. These may include: undocumented migrants; runaway
and homeless youth; and oppressed, marginalized, and/or impoverished groups and
individuals. Traffickers specifically target individuals in these
populations because they are vulnerable to recruitment tactics and methods of
control.
Undocumented immigrants in the US are highly vulnerable due to a combination of
factors, including: lack of legal status and protections, language barriers,
limited employment options, poverty and immigration-related debts, and social
isolation. They are often victimized by traffickers from a similar ethnic
or national background, on whom they may be dependent for employment or a means
of support. Click here for more resources.
No. The federal definition of human trafficking includes both U.S. citizens
and foreign nationals – both are protected under the federal trafficking law
and have been since the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000.
Human trafficking encompasses both transnational trafficking that crosses
borders and domestic or internal trafficking that occurs within a country.
Statistics about trafficking, estimates of the scope of trafficking, and descriptions
of trafficking should be mindful to include both transnational and internal
trafficking to be most accurate.
No. Human trafficking victims can come from a range of backgrounds and some
may come from middle and upper class families. Poverty is one of many factors
that make individuals vulnerable to exploitation and trafficking.
Since human trafficking victims can be men or women, adults or children, and
foreign nationals or U.S. citizens, trafficking is a crime that cuts across
race, nationality, gender, age, and socio-economic background. However, human
traffickers typically prey on individuals who are vulnerable in some way. Some
examples of high risk populations include undocumented migrants, runaways and
at-risk youth, and oppressed or marginalized groups. Click here to learn about red flags and potential
indicators.
Due to the covert nature of the crime and high levels of under-reporting,
the total number of victims of human trafficking within the United States is
still being researched by the government and academic researchers.
However, a range of estimates have been released by some government agencies
and non-governmental organizations. Click here for statistics about human trafficking in the
U.S.
Often no. Victims of human trafficking often do not seek help immediately,
due to lack of trust, self-blame, or being directly trained by traffickers to
distrust authorities. Click here to learn about red flags and potential indicators
to help you identify human trafficking.
Go to the Resources section to learn more about the scope and scale of
human trafficking in the United States.
While human trafficking does occur in illegal and underground markets, it
can also occur in legal and legitimate settings. For example, common locations
of human trafficking include private homes, hotels, nail salons, restaurants,
bars, strip clubs, and massage parlors.
If certain behaviors and elements of control are present, yes, it can be. In the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, a severe form of sex trafficking is a crime in which a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such an act has not attained 18 years of age. Pimps, who are motivated by the opportunity to make money, sell women and girls in the commercial sex industry by using numerous methods to gain control over their bodies and minds. Many of these behaviors direclty meet the definitions of force, fraud, or coercion that are the central elements of the crime of human trafficking. It is often difficult to identify a pimp who is not using some form of deceit, lies, manipulation, threats, or violence towards the women or girls they are attempting to control. An elaborated list of these controlling behaviors of pimps is provided below:
Force
Fraud
Coercion
Click here for more information about state and federal laws
defining human trafficking, or click here for more resources about sex trafficking and
pimp-controlled prostitution.
No. Contrary to common perceptions, pimps often do not offer protection, and
they are not benevolent managers. These images of a pimp are often romanticized
and glamorized and are far from the actual reality of how pimps behave.
Instead, pimps usually take all of the money and typically establish nightly
monetary quotas that women and children are forced to earn in order to avoid
violent repercussions. Pimps even “brand” those under their control with
tattoos of their name to demonstrate ownership.
The Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report is published annually by the
Department of State’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in
Persons. An electronic archive of previous TIP Reports can be accessed at
http://www.state.gov/g/tip/.
You can also contact the State Department office directly at 202-312-9639 to
request a free hard copy of the report.
Rescue and Restore materials may be ordered for free online at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/trafficking.