Identifying and Responding to signs of Trafficking
Signs of Trafficking
The following are red flags of trafficking victims. This list is not extensive, nor does the presence of one or several of these points serve to definitively label someone as a trafficking victim. Rather, the purpose of this list is to provide some general ideas of what to be aware of so that you can use your own intuition and reasoning to determine whether further action (questions or conversation with the individual; calls to hotlines) would be beneficial. This list includes a variety of red flags, including physical signs, emotional and psychological indicators, as well as social interactions and structures that could be indicative of an exploitative or trafficking situation.
General Indicators:
-Seems to have a very scripted story/history
-Has a very controlling relationship with a romantic partner/employer/family member
-Unable to provide address
-Seems unaware of the current location, date, or time
-Is not in possession of identification documents
-Is not in control of own money
-Is not being paid or pay is withheld
-Nervousness or avoidance of eye contact
-Unexplained injuries and a reluctance or hesitance to provide any explanation
-Someone who translates/answers questions for individual is always around
-Inability to leave job or residence
-Recent immigrant/does not speak English
-Reluctant/afraid of law enforcement and outside assistance
-Drug or alcohol addiction/dependency
-Under 18 and in prostitution
-Display an emotional numbness in response to trauma
-Display trauma-bonding with trafficker
-Display some symptoms of PTSD (phobias, panic attacks, depression)
-Signs of physical abuse
-Has tattoos or other forms of branding (“Daddy”, “Property of…”, etc)
Responding to Signs of trafficking
Response Recommendations:
Try to speak with the individual alone. Please remember when speaking to the individual that they may be nervous or uncomfortable. If this is the case, it is likely that they won’t want to disclose any information to you. It is good to try to build trust, and if possible, a relationship, with the individual. If you get the opportunity, ask some questions to further identify their status:
-Can you leave your job or house?
-Is anyone hurting you? (Ask about specific injuries if they exist)
-Do you get paid for your employment? How many hours do you work, and are your conditions good?
-Have you or your family been hurt or threatened?
-Do you live with your employer? Is your place of residence provided by your employer?
-Are you in debt to your employer?
-Do you have possession of your passport/identifying documents? If not, who does?
If after speaking to or interacting with the individual you suspect that they are a victim of trafficking, first of all realize that they might not be comfortable disclosing outright their situation, contacting the authorities, or seeking assistance. It is important to acknowledge this and keep your response centered around the individual. Things you can do include:
-Providing the NHTRC (National Human Trafficking Resource Center) Hotline Number and encouraging them to call. These calls can remain anonymous, and if you think that this will make the victim feel more comfortable, let them know this.
Call: 1-888-373-7888
Text: 233733
-Provide the patient (if they are a minor) with the number for the Connecticut DCF program HART (Department of Child and Family Services Human Anti-trafficking Response Team)
1-800-842-2288
If you feel that the individual is in immediate danger, call the NHTRC for advice on how to respond to the situation. They should be able to give you suggestions on how to handle the situation, including who to contact next and any local resources or programs for the individual.
Even if the individual is not willing to seek assistance themselves, if you believe them to be a trafficking victims you can contact the authorities or numbers above with questions and/or tips.
Please never attempt to rescue an individual from trafficking yourself! This presents dangers to both you and the individual you are attempting to help. Authorities in the community are much better equipped to do the job.
For Further Reading...
These links are some of the places where the information and research for this page was found. They are placed here to allow you to dig deeper into the process of identifying and responding to signs of trafficking. This is not a cumulative list of all of the resources available, so after looking though these you may find it beneficial to continue your research elsewhere.
U.S. Department of State
https://www.state.gov/j/tip/id/
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
http://www.usccb.org/about/anti-trafficking-program/identifying-trafficking-victims.cfm
National Human Trafficking Resource Center (further info for a healthcare setting)
https://traffickingresourcecenter.org/sites/default/files/What%20to%20Look%20for%20during%20a%20Medical%20Exam%20-%20FINAL%20-%202-16-16.docx.pdf
Office on Trafficking in Persons
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/endtrafficking/resource/fact-sheet-identifying-victims-of-human-trafficking
Department of Homeland Security
https://www.dhs.gov/blue-campaign/library
Texas School Safety Center (further info for an educational setting)
https://txssc.txstate.edu/topics/school-violence/articles/recognizing-human-trafficking
NSPCC (Specific to child trafficking)
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/child-abuse-and-neglect/child-trafficking/signs-symptoms-effects/