Reports of human trafficking do not necessarily increase during the holiday season, but crowded shopping and transportation hubs can make it easier for traffickers to get away with their criminal activities.
Experts working to combat the global human trafficking crisis say there are several key warning signs of human trafficking that concerned citizens should be aware of if they suspect nefarious activity. Use of force, fraud, or coercion. ”
“Child sex trafficking occurs 24/7 in small towns and large cities across the country, and that certainly includes holidays,” said the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) Analysis Service. The department's deputy director, Staka Shehan, told FOX. News Digital. “Trafficking victims don't have holidays or vacations like many of us do. However, our data shows that reports to the National Child Sex Trafficking Center are more likely to occur on holidays, especially from November to January. It's not an increasing time frame.
But the holidays are the busiest time of the year, and there's a chance that “people will be distracted or distracted” or “very focused on the fact that the holidays should be a happy time.” She pointed out that there is.
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“And that could potentially lead to missed opportunities to identify red flags,” Sheehan said. “We know that human traffickers are taking advantage of all kinds of opportunities. Children and teens, they're usually in school, around this holiday. They're taking advantage of all kinds of opportunities. Long periods of time off. And that's because people who often have the opportunity to be trafficked, teachers, school resource officers, school nurses, etc., don't have that kind of opportunity. maybe [to identify red flags]. ”
While home may be a safe place for some children, for others it may be where the trafficker lives, and when the victim returns home from school and the trafficker While returning home from work, the person may be “accessible” to the victim. holiday. There may also be drug abuse or domestic violence issues occurring in the child's home that may cause the child to run away and become a potential target for traffickers.
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Travelers will transit through Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia. The holiday season is the busiest time of the year because “people get distracted, distracted,” or “very focused on the fact that the holidays are supposed to be a happy time.” “You could miss an opportunity to identify red flags,” Staka-Shehan said. Said. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Former sergeant of the New York City Police Department (NYPD). Paul Grattan Jr., managing director of public safety consulting firm Graypoint Strategies, similarly said that while there isn't much reliable information to show that human trafficking specifically increases during the holiday season, There are several circumstances that facilitate human trafficking.” For traffickers. ”
”[T]Increased travel creates opportunities for human traffickers to relocate individuals and find potential victims traveling alone…”
“Vulnerable individuals are prime targets for traffickers, especially when they have the power to coerce potential victims. “This holiday can be a tough time of the year for many people who have been ostracized or ostracized by loved ones, whether it's alcohol or crime,” Grattan said.
“Similarly, increased travel provides opportunities for traffickers to relocate individuals, travel alone, and locate potential victims seeking to find means of travel and housing. ”
Baggage claim at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on December 22, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Dustin Chambers/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Grattan said the new statistics “demonstrate a significant increase in human trafficking over the past decade, including calls to human trafficking hotlines and cases prosecuted by U.S. attorneys.”
“The surge in migrants crossing the border is a big part of the problem, because people seeking a better life in the United States are in extremely vulnerable situations,” said a former NYPD officer. “Evidence supports that much of human trafficking is rooted in forced labor. Migrants cross the border and seek refuge in the United States, seeking to earn money, help other families, and travel to be closer to their families. The criminals are trying to take advantage of the people who are already here.
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Immigrants walking in Tapachula, Mexico. (AP Photo/Edgar H. Clemente)
Hurricanes Helen and Milton are also crises that may exaggerate human trafficking in certain areas of the country.
Human trafficking is a multi-billion dollar industry that preys on vulnerable people, both children and adults. According to the Department of Homeland Security, global profits from human trafficking are estimated at $150 billion annually, with an estimated 25 million victims worldwide, with approximately 80% of victims forced into labor and 20% are forced into sex trafficking.
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Homes seen in the aftermath of Hurricane Helen, Wednesday, October 2, 2024, Chimney Rock Village, North Carolina (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
Children often know their trafficker, whether the trafficker is a member of their own family or a close family friend. However, traffickers can also be strangers looking for victims if they are alone in a public place.
“This includes businesses in general, so hotels, motels, shopping centers, convenience stores, truck stops, etc.,” Sheehan said. “But that also includes where the family goes, so they could be doing some holiday shopping and someone could be watching or overhearing that interaction…those risks. The unfortunate situation is that in almost every area, venue, physical location, there is a chance that there will be some. ”
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Shoppers weave their way through the crowd to find Black Friday deals at South Coast Plaza on November 25, 2022 in Costa Mesa, California. (Gina Ferrazzi/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Another place where human trafficking occurs, or at least begins, is online. Predators often use social media apps or gaming systems to contact children and groom them from behind a screen before finally convincing them to meet them in person.
“We know that the internet is heavily used by teenagers. It's a place where vulnerabilities can be more exposed, and we know that kids are struggling there. And some of the challenges that they face may be discussed. It could be housing instability,” the family being in a situation of poverty, domestic abuse. It could be a shared situation of neglect,” Sheehan explained. “And traffickers are well-versed in using that as a point of manipulation to target that child and lull them into a false sense of security, care, and well-being.”
A rally and resource fair was held at a San Antonio park following the National Human Trafficking Awareness Month march. (Jane Tiska/Digital First Media/East Bay Times)
Shehan said there are certain signs to look out for if you suspect someone is being trafficked.
“There are some things people should look out for, including signs of physical or sexual abuse, symptoms of neglect or malnutrition, a child unwilling or unable to answer questions and asking others to speak for them. “Or maybe they're a missing child who ran away and they have items that are inconsistent with access to money,” Sheehan said. .
On June 29, 2023 in Florida, tattoo artist Charity Pinegar, who works with the anti-human trafficking organization Sera Freedom, tattoos Emily on her ankle to cover up the brand's tattoo. (Chandan Khanna/AFP)
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If a child “doesn't want to go to school, can't go to school, or is too reluctant to go to school,” has frequent “unexcused absences,” or is “known to sleep in class,” these are all personal It may be a sign of possible trafficking or other abuse. , according to NCMEC experts.
Sheehan said branding, such as tattoos with symbols of wealth that conflict with what children own, is also symbolic.
If you are being trafficked or suspect that someone you know is being trafficked, please contact the National Center on Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST or CYBERTIPLINE.ORG.
