Human Trafficking Awareness
The trafficking of vulnerable Americans is a growing epidemic, and it is happening in our neighborhoods.
While it’s generally believed that children are the prime targets for human trafficking, they make up 25 percent of the 40 million victims across the globe. That leaves 75 percent to adult human trafficking. According to the 2020 Federal Human Trafficking Report published by the Human Trafficking Institute, child victims in active sex trafficking cases in the United States rose to 55% compared to 2019, and 45% for adults
These people are lured in using manipulation. Many times traffickers will make false promises of upward economic mobility, job opportunities, and repayment of debt to make the offer seem enticing. All the while, the individual has no idea what they’re getting themselves into.
In some cases, sheer force and threats are used to traffic victims, giving them no choice but to give into the demands of the trafficker.
By the Numbers:
Statistics of Adult Human Trafficking
Polaris offers some of the most accurate and up-to-date statistics on adult human trafficking. Here are some of the most recent statistics, and some of them may surprise you:
- 1,435 adults were trafficked as an adult for the first time
- Approximately 400+ of these individuals are trafficked for labor
- 62% of these incidents were instigated through text messaging
One of the biggest misconceptions about human trafficking is that it always has to involve sex, and that is far from the truth. In fact, one of the major contributors to adult human trafficking is migration and relocation. 2,364 victims of human trafficking reported that they were trafficked as a result of migration to the United States. This is the type of demographic that traffickers target.
They want to find someone who appears down on their luck, unable to care for themselves, or desperate to provide for their family. They’ll be more inclined to agree to things and take more risks because they’re desperate.
The Human Trafficking Triangle
Human trafficking as a market exists because of the relationship between the Product (the victim), the Demand (the buyer), and the Supplier (the trafficker)
For human traffickers, it’s all about the money. Because the victim acts as both middleman and product, the current market exists with low risk to the buyer and seller.
This is why DeliverFund goes directly after the trafficker–take out the source of evil, raise the risk of operating the “business,” and we can take out the entire network.
Samantha's Story
DeliverFund assisted law enforcement in finding Samantha’s* trafficker and putting him behind bars.
Samantha’s story is the true account of a former victim and her experience with her trafficker. It’s going to take all of us to fight this evil. Will you join us?
Why Does Human Trafficking Happen?
There are many reasons why human trafficking happens. Adults involved in human trafficking often end up there because they were going through difficult times and found themselves in a situation they couldn’t get out of.
Risk factors for human trafficking
Here are the biggest risk factors contributing to adult human trafficking:
When someone abuses substances and cannot get more of what they want, they become desperate and will do anything to get it. Many men and women turn to prostitution to earn money to support their habit. With human trafficking being a multi-billion dollar industry, the traffickers know where to look to find the vulnerable people they want.
Those who recently migrated to the United States are highly susceptible to adult human trafficking because they want to earn money but are unsure about the steps to take. They can easily be tricked into a bad opportunity that leads to labor and sex trafficking.
This applies to both adults and the youth. When someone’s home life is bad enough, they’ll do anything to avoid going back. Traffickers are able to identify this, they know what questions to ask, they’ll find out about your history and why you’re homeless. Once they know that the person is destitute, they’ll manipulate with fake opportunities and false promises.
Mental health is another factor that can lead adults into trafficking. Traffickers will prey on those who aren’t capable of taking care of themselves and trick them into believing that they’re providing a unique opportunity.
*Source: British Medical Association
Human Trafficking in the United States
Media reports related to human trafficking
DeliverFund is compiling all media reports related to human trafficking, but there are many incidences that go unreported.
Click on the map to find articles about human trafficking happening within the United States.
Know the signs
Human traffickers use any tool available to them to connect with potential victims.
Find out how you can recognize the signs, and how you can prevent your loved one from becoming a future victim.
Staying Neutral is Not an Option
Your support of DeliverFund’s mission can protect children from human traffickers who are prowling the internet.
Frequently asked questions about Human Trafficking
According to Polaris, the most likely victims are recent migrants who followed a bad job offer or advertisement. This will likely take a lot of people by surprise. It’s commonly believed that sex trafficking is the biggest issue facing the country but it’s actually labor trafficking.
It’s believed that 12.3 million people are forced into labor and 2.4 million of those are the result of labor trafficking. As many as 17,500 people are brought into the United States through the labor trade to be forced into modern-day slavery.
America is considered one of the worst countries for adult human trafficking, with the top three being Mexico, the United States, and the Philippines.
The good news is, you can get involved. It starts with awareness of human trafficking and the severity of the situation. No matter what age the individual is, trafficking is a serious problem and something we take a lot of pride in working to prevent. You too can join the fight against human trafficking. Learn more today and help us make a difference!
How to Get Involved
The good news is, you can get involved. It starts with awareness of human trafficking and the severity of the situation.
No matter what age the individual is, trafficking is a serious problem and something we take a lot of pride in working to prevent. You too can join the fight against human trafficking.
Learn more today and help us make a difference!
