What is Human Trafficking?

In recent years, we’ve seen increasing coverage on human trafficking in the public sphere from news to pop culture. Whether it’s social media coverage of the current case involving Sean “Diddy” Combs, news on nationwide operations, or feature-length films this coverage speaks to greater interest and curiosity about  the reality trafficking and exploitation. Our hope is to provide you, as partners with us in this effort to support survivors, opportunities to deepen your understanding of what human trafficking is (and isn’t!), and how you can make a difference for survivors in your everyday life. And we hope to do just that in this email, answering the question, “What is human trafficking?” 

Sexual exploitation and human trafficking are complex topics, and we believe having an accurate understanding of the issue is one of our best tools to prevent and combat exploitation, identify victims, and create robust programs to support survivors as they heal.

Simply put, human trafficking is a crime. Individuals who have been trafficked are victims of a crime, and traffickers should be held accountable by the criminal justice system. Human Trafficking is the exploitation of men, women, and children for forced labor or sex for a third party’s profit or gain and thrives in the shadows of our communities every day. Krista Melton, an experienced and dedicated prosecutor, explains, “Human trafficking is the crime of reducing people to things.” It happens around the world, in every state, and right here in Central Texas, where we work every day.  

Popular media often portrays trafficking as dramatic abductions, zip-tied car handles, or ominous white vans. While kidnapping may occur in rare cases, this is far from the norm. Did you know that 91% of trafficking victims were trafficked either by a family member, friend, intimate partner, or employer? We believe deeply in the importance of creating an accurate understanding of the realities of trafficking so that we don’t oversimplify or over-sensationalize the issue at the expense of accuracy, making it challenging to identify and understand trafficking as it occurs around us.

We often share that trafficking is the exploitation of vulnerabilities, and this perspective helps us better understand who may be at risk. The following are some examples of vulnerabilities traffickers target and exploit.

Although not everyone who has experienced one or more of these vulnerabilities has been trafficked, almost everyone who has been trafficked has experienced some combination of these vulnerabilities. While we know that victims of trafficking come from all kinds of different places, socioeconomic backgrounds, and family structures, our awareness of these vulnerability factors can help us notice people at risk for potential exploitation. Many of the clients we serve have experienced homelessness, system involvement as minors, childhood sexual abuse, poverty, and have been impacted by disability.

Traffickers use a combination of force, fraud, and coercion to manipulate and control a vulnerable person. Tactics may range from subtle to overt. Common ways individuals might be controlled are through debt, isolation, lack of family support, threats, violence, confiscation of identifying documents, fear of deportation or law enforcement, substance use and addiction, control over children, shame, lack of awareness about rights, and loss of hope. 

Sex trafficking has a devastating impact on victims, affecting their physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Trafficking and exploitation result in complex trauma that impacts every facet of a survivor's life.

But freedom, hope, and restoration are possible! At Red Oak Hope, we aim to come alongside survivors, meet their tangible needs, and provide a safe and supportive environment for healing, so that each person can be safe, independent, and free from re-victimization. We work tirelessly to build communities of belonging, investing in deep relationships, community, and connection, which brings about healing. 

Stay tuned over the next few months as we continue to unpack more about human trafficking and our response. If you don’t already follow us online, be sure to do so, as we share detailed information on some of the topics we touched on in this email. As always, please reach out with any questions you may have about sexual exploitation and human trafficking.