Myths about Human Trafficking

Human trafficking only happens in urban areas. 

Human trafficking can happen anywhere. Traffickers also traffic in rural areas because there is not as many resources as urban, and some areas are not as equip to identify human trafficking.

Traffickers don't know their victims. 

Traffickers do know their victims. They will get to know their victims and even can have relationships with them as a tactic to isolate and manipulate them into trafficking.

Human trafficking involves transporting someone across state or national borders.

Victims of human trafficking is not required to move around, they can be trafficked right in their own towns or homes without needing to move. 

What is Human Trafficking?
Human Trafficking is the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act. This crime affects people of all race, gender, socioeconomic background, and educational levels. Human trafficking comes in various forms that are grouped into both sex and labor trafficking. Traffickers usually target their victims through the victims vulnerabilities. They  gain control of their victims through the process of grooming. They will first obtain the victims trust, provide them some sort of need (money, relationship, food, bed, security), then will isolate and force the victim into trafficking. 

Why doesn't the victim leave?
In any controlling situation, it is hard to leave. Each victim has a personal reason why it is hard to leave whether that is financial support or debt, fear, or denial.  Traffickers, like other abusers, groom their victims. They make them afraid of going to reach for help by threatening what they will do, say no one will believe their story, or that the VICTIM will be the one who will get in trouble not the trafficker. Traffickers feed on the vulnerabilities of their victims and will use that against them when they are wanting to leave. Who will financially support them? Who will give them security? A bed? Food? Who will love them like they "love" the victim? When will their debt be paid? These are only a few questions that goes through a victims mind when they are thinking about leaving their trafficker. 

Remember, it is scary and dangerous to leave a trafficking situation. If you know someone in a trafficking situation help them get the resources needed to leave and let them choose their path on how and when they are ready to leave.

What you can do to help?
Be educated! Learn about what human trafficking is and what myths are surrounding human trafficking. Be involved! Help raise awareness of human trafficking by participating in our ambassador program and awareness events in January. If you know someone in a human trafficking situation help them reach out for help. Give them the number to the national human trafficking hotline or our 24/7 crisis line if they are wanting to know what resources they have and can safely leave their situation. If you believe you have witnessed an act of human trafficking call the national human trafficking hotline to report it. 

                                           National Human Trafficking hotline: 1-888-373-7888 or text "Be Free" at 233733
                                                   River City Domestic Violence Center 24/7 crisis hotline: 605-665-1448

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Human Trafficking & Housing
RCDVC, Desiree Johnson, PBS Interview