45.8 Million

That is the amount of people currently being effected by human trafficking; women, men and children of all ages.

This is not just a number, these are human beings with a story and name.

This is an issue that is not just happening in other countries, this is an issue that is also happening in our local cities.

I recently attended the conference United Against Human Trafficking and learned that there are three major forms of human slavery; forced labor, debt bondage and sex trafficking.

Sex trafficking is now the third-largest criminal industry in the world and the average age of exploitation is 12-14 years old.

As the conference went on, the speakers answered questions regarding the statistics, terminology (pimp, john, madame, etc.) and how to detect if someone is being trafficked.

Half way through the event, a concerned couple asked about the signs and stated that their 18-year-old granddaughter matched 90 percent of the signs. She suddenly leaves, has erratic behavior and is not the same person she used to be.

I had the chance to talk to them after the conference and they graciously told me more.

The husband and wife wanted to learn more about human trafficking, the signs and if it was possible that their precious granddaughter was coaxed to this horrific chain of events.

As they spoke to me, the look of fear, anxiety and a desperation for answers became embedded in their eyes.

They stated that they were not sure if their granddaughter has been effected by human trafficking, but they came to the conference to learn more and gain knowledge.

The reason I mention this story is to remind people that this is a relevant issue. Human trafficking does not care if the victim is a child or adult, boy or girl; human trafficking can happen at any time.

The Signs

Here are a few tips on how to recognize if someone is being trafficked

1. Signs of physical abuse

2. Unexplained absences

3. Sexualized behavior

4. Withdrawn, depressed, or distracted

5. Brags about making or having lots of money

6. New tattoos (often used as branding by the pimps. Tattoos of a name, symbol, or barcode)

7. Older boyfriend or new friends with a different lifestyle

Taking Action

The exploitation of human beings needs to stop, so what can we do to help?

The first step is to be aware. Knowledge is power and when we gain insight to the situation, we can take action to stop it.

There are different organizations, such as The Exodus Road, that have volunteer opportunities to help derail human trafficking. People can donate, join a search and rescue team, or become apart of the traffic watch team. There are endless ways of how to get involved.

If you see any suspicious behavior and think it might related to human trafficking, calling the local police or the National Hotline can be the difference between a brutal life of exploitation and freedom.