​Who Are Victims of Human Trafficking?

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Anyone can be victimized through force, fraud, or coercion to perform any kind of work or commercial sex act by another person and any minor engaged in a commercial sex act is a human trafficking victim.  Regardless of their walk of life, a victim can be anyone, however traffickers commonly prey on individuals who are vulnerable such as teen run a ways or LGBTQ, who are poor, needing money, or looking for a better life.  They deceived them with false promises of love or a good job, and lure them into situations where they are forced to work under conditions that are deplorable with little or no pay. 

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What are some of the Red Flags?

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Knowing what to look for in trafficked victims can possibly help them with the assistance they need.  

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Common Work and Living Conditions:

• Is the person free to leave or come and go as he/she wishes

• Is He/ SHE under 18 and is providing commercial sex acts

• Is in the commercial sex industry and has a pimp / manager

• Is unpaid, paid very little, or paid only through tips

• Works excessively long and/or unusual hours

• Is not allowed breaks or suffers under unusual restrictions at work

• Owes a large debt and is unable to pay it off

• Was recruited through false promises concerning the nature and conditions of his/her work

• High security measures exist in the work and/or living locations (e.g. opaque windows, boarded up windows, bars on windows, barbed wire, security cameras, etc.)

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Poor Mental Health or Abnormal Behavior

• Is fearful, anxious, depressed, submissive, tense, or nervous/paranoid

• Exhibits unusually fearful or anxious behavior after bringing up law enforcement

• Avoids eye contact

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Poor Physical Health

• Lacks health care

• Appears malnourished

• Shows signs of physical and/or sexual abuse, physical restraint, confinement, or torture

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Lack of Control

• Has few or no personal possessions

• Is not in control of his/her own money, no financial records, or bank account

• Is not in control of his/her own identification documents (ID or passport)

• Is not allowed or able to speak for themselves (a third party may insist on being present and/or translating)

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Other

• Claims of just visiting and inability to clarify where he/she is staying/address

• Lack of knowledge of whereabouts and/or do not know what city he/she is in

• Loss of sense of time

• Has numerous inconsistencies in his/her story

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This list is not exhaustive and represents only a selection of possible indicators. Also, the red flags in this list may not be present in all trafficking cases and are not cumulative. Learn more at www.humantraffickinghotline.org.

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