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Stricter enforcement of labor laws, increase penalties for businesses that use trafficked labor, and promoting ethical consumerism.

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Stricter enforcement of labor laws, increase penalties for businesses that use trafficked labor, and promoting ethical consumerism.

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Human trafficking produces billions of dollars each year.

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Human trafficking produces billions of dollars each year.

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Many people are uniformed of the signs of human trafficking.

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Many people are uniformed of the signs of human trafficking.

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Corruption in law enforcement and government officials can block prevention of human trafficking.

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Corruption in law enforcement and government officials can block prevention of human trafficking.

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Facts About Human Trafficking in the US - DeliverFund.org

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The human trafficking facts in 2024 we will be tracking are largely consistent with what we’ve been carefully observing for years.

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Classes teaching the signs of trafficking and more publicity on cases of trafficking will help to get as many people possible aware.

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Classes teaching the signs of trafficking and more publicity on cases of trafficking will help to get as many people possible aware.

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Increasing transparency and accountability within law enforcement and government officials.

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Increasing transparency and accountability within law enforcement and government officials.

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The Joy Smith Foundation "identifies the signs as: sudden interest in a man several years older; new clothing, jewelry or gifts without having money; frequent sleepovers at a friend's house; a sudden change in style of dress or makeup; a new circle of friends and isolation from an old group; a change in attitude towards school, regular activities and friends; grades dropping; unexplained cuts or bruises; using two cell phones" (Miranda Leybourne).

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The Joy Smith Foundation "identifies the signs as: sudden interest in a man several years older; new clothing, jewelry or gifts without having money; frequent sleepovers at a friend's house; a sudden change in style of dress or makeup; a new circle of friends and isolation from an old group; a change in attitude towards school, regular activities and friends; grades dropping; unexplained cuts or bruises; using two cell phones" (Miranda Leybourne).

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Authors purpose: to spread word about the Joy Smith Foundation and the warning signs of trafficking.

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Authors purpose: to spread word about the Joy Smith Foundation and the warning signs of trafficking.

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The Joy Smith Foundation relates that "many [are] unaware this is happening in their own backyard" (Miranda Leybourne).

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The Joy Smith Foundation relates that "many [are] unaware this is happening in their own backyard" (Miranda Leybourne).

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Leybourne explains that "equipping teens and parents with knowledge empowers them to identify potential victims and thwart predatory behavior" (Miranda Leybourne). 

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Leybourne explains that "equipping teens and parents with knowledge empowers them to identify potential victims and thwart predatory behavior" (Miranda Leybourne). 

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Human trafficking is now the SECOND MOST PROFITABLE CRIMINAL ACTIVITY in the United States! - Monique Burr Foundation

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In the U.S., people, including children, are sold in quantities second only to illegal drugs. They are sold for labor,... Read More »

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Polaris - Polaris works to reshape the systems that allow for sex and labor trafficking in North America and operates the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline.

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Traffickers use violence, threats, deception, debt bondage, and other manipulative tactics to force people to engage in commercial sex or to provide labor or services against their will.

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Initiatives to Reduce Demand for Prostitution and Sex Trafficking in the U.S.

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A number of criminal justice interventions and collaborative programs that combat prostitution and human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation by focusing on reducing demand for commercial sex have emerged. Studies have found that the use of anti-demand approaches in the U.S. is more widespread than previously thought. However, little research or descriptive information is available about most of these interventions. Additionally, many communities attempting to address “demand” have not had access to lessons learned from the experiences of other communities.

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Human trafficking in America among worst in world: report - Segment Six - The Shelter for Abused Women & Children

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Watch the latest video at foxnews.com By Andrew Keiper, Perry Chiaramonte The United States is again ranked as one of the worst countries in the world for human trafficking. According to a recently released report by the State Department, the top three nations of origin for victims of human trafficking in 2018 were the United States, Mexico and the Philippines.

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Know the Signs of Human Trafficking | DeliverFund.org

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Traffickers use any tool available to them to connect with potential victims and groom them. Know the signs of human trafficking.

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As the U.S. anti-trafficking movement has grown in our understanding of this diverse and complex crime, we are learning more about how specific people, such as medical professionals, teachers, truck drivers, and restaurant personnel, in addition to friends and family members, can help identify and report possible trafficking. Everyone can help by learning the types of trafficking and paying attention to the people around us.

Who is Most Vulnerable?

Anyone can experience trafficking in any community, just as anyone can be the victim of any kind of crime. While it can happen to anyone, evidence suggests that people of color and LGBTQ+ people are more likely to experience trafficking than other demographic groups. Generational trauma, historic oppression, discrimination, and other societal factors and inequities create community-wide vulnerabilities. Traffickers recognize and take advantage of people who are vulnerable.
People may be vulnerable to trafficking if they:

Have an unstable living situation

Have previously experienced other forms of violence such as sexual abuse or domestic violence

Have run away or are involved in the juvenile justice or child welfare system

Are undocumented immigrants

Are facing poverty or economic need

Have a caregiver or family member who has a substance use issue

Are addicted to drugs or alcohol

Who Are the Traffickers

There is no evidence that traffickers are more likely to be of a particular race, nationality, gender, or sexual orientation. They may be family members, romantic partners, acquaintances, or strangers.

How Traffickers Lure People In

Stories become weapons in the hands of human traffickers - tales of romantic love everlasting or about good jobs and fair wages just over the horizon. Sometimes, the stories themselves raise red flags. Other times, traffickers or potential traffickers may raise red flags during recruitment.
Here are a few situations that might raise concerns:

A would-be employer refuses to give workers a signed contract or asks them to sign a contract in a language they can't read.

A would-be employer collects fees from a potential worker for the "opportunity" to work in a particular job.

A friend, family member, co-worker, or student is newly showered with gifts or money or otherwise becomes involved in an overwhelming, fast-moving, and asymmetric (e.g., large difference in age or financial status) romantic relationship.

A friend, family member, or student is a frequent runaway and may be staying with someone who is not their parent or guardian.

A family member, friend, co-worker, or student is developing a relationship that seems too close with someone they know solely on social media.

A family member, friend, or student lives with a parent or guardian and shows signs of abuse.

A family member, friend, or co-worker is offered a job opportunity that seems too good to be true.

A family member, friend, or co-worker is recruited for an opportunity that requires them to move far away, but their recruiter or prospective employer avoids answering their questions or is reluctant to provide detailed information about the job.

Recognizing Labor Trafficking

Labor trafficking includes situations where men, women, and children are forced to work because of debt, immigration status, threats and violence. Keeping victims isolated - physically or emotionally - is a key method of control in most labor trafficking situations. But that does not mean you never cross paths with someone who is experiencing trafficking.
Someone may be experiencing labor trafficking or exploitation if they:

Feel pressured by their employer to stay in a job or situation they want to leave

Owe money to an employer or recruiter or are not being paid what they were promised or are owed

Do not have control of their passport or other identity documents

Are living and working in isolated conditions, largely cut off from interaction with others or support systems

Appear to be monitored by another person when talking or interacting with others

Are being threatened by their boss with deportation or other harm

Are working in dangerous conditions without proper safety gear, training, adequate breaks, or other protections

Are living in dangerous, overcrowded, or inhumane conditions provided by an employer

Recognizing Sex Trafficking

Sex trafficking occurs when individuals are made to perform commercial sex through the use of force, fraud, or coercion. Any child under 18 who is involved in commercial sex is legally a victim of trafficking, regardless of whether there is a third party involved.
Someone may be experiencing sex trafficking if they:

Want to stop participating in commercial sex but feel scared or unable to leave the situation.

Disclose that they were reluctant to engage in commercial sex but that someone pressured them into it.

Live where they work or are transported by guards between home and workplace.

Are children who live with or are dependent on a family member with a substance use problem or who is abusive.

Have a "pimp" or "manager" in the commercial sex industry.

Work in an industry where it may be common to be pressured into performing sex acts for money, such as a strip club, illicit cantina, go-go bar, or illicit massage business.

Have a controlling parent, guardian, romantic partner, or "sponsor" who will not allow them to meet or speak with anyone alone or who monitors their movements, spending, or communications.

If you believe you are a victim of human trafficking or may have information about a potential trafficking situation, please contact the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline. If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, please call 911.

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As the U.S. anti-trafficking movement has grown in our understanding of this diverse and complex crime, we are learning more about how specific people, such as medical professionals, teachers, truck drivers, and restaurant personnel, in addition to friends and family members, can help identify and report possible trafficking.