Enslaved 2024 – Part 2

As discussed in Part 1 of this series, human trafficking is the form slavery takes today [1].

Red Flags

The red flags for trafficking include the following [2]:

A.  In the Workplace, Generally

• A job offer that seems to be too good to be true.
• A job offer that requires a move far from family and friends, where the recruiter or prospective employer declines to provide detailed information about the job.
• A prospective employer who refuses to provide a signed contract, or asks employees to sign a contract in a language they cannot read.
• A prospective employer who collects fees from a potential employee for the mere “opportunity” to work at a particular job.
• Promised pay withheld by a recruiter or employer after work has been done.
• Dangerous work conditions without training, adequate breaks, safety gear, or other protections.
• Inhumane living conditions provided by an employer.
• Monitoring by an employer of all interaction with others.
• Isolation by an employer from support systems.
• Pressure by an employer to stay on the job.
• Control by an employer of a passport and identity documents.
• Threats of deportation or other harm by an employer.

B.  In Sex Trafficking, Specifically

• A history of childhood abuse (particularly physical or sexual abuse) and/or history of domestic violence.
• A child dependent on an adult with a substance abuse problem.
• A runaway living with someone who is not a parent or guardian, especially if food, housing, and/or drugs are provided in exchange for sexual favors.
• A fast-paced romantic relationship where a large difference in age or financial status exists between the parties, particularly where the junior partner is initially showered with money or gifts.
• An increasingly “close” relationship with someone known only on social media, especially if sexually explicit photographs are requested.
• The use of force or coercion to engage in prostitution (often at strip clubs, topless bars, or massage parlors).
• A requirement to live at one’s workplace (or under guard).
• A pimp (often referred to as “Daddy”), madam, or “manager” who monitors all communication, spending, and other actions, frequently inflicting severe punishment for perceived infractions.

Those living and working under such conditions do so in fear.  Their lives are not their own.  Their life expectancy on average is reduced to 7 years [3].

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[1]  Wikipedia, “Human trafficking in the United States”, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_trafficking_in_the_United_States.

[2]  National Human Trafficking Hotline, “Recognizing the Signs”, https://humantraffickinghotline.org/en/human-trafficking/recognizing-signs.

[3]  Phoenix Rising, “What is Human Trafficking”, https://phoenixrisingky.org/about-trafficking.

NATIONAL HUMAN TRAFFICKING HOTLINE 888-373-7888

Part 3 in this series — measures the public can take in regard to human trafficking — will be posted next week.

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