Human trafficking is a global issue that won’t seem to go away. It is one of the most heinous crimes that affect the lives of millions and millions of people all around the world. People are completely robbed of their dignity and forced into exploitative situations on a daily basis. This is basically modern slavery, and the worst part is that there are places in which laws aren’t properly enforced, which allows for the issue to continue. Read more about this issue.
When you start doing more research on this topic, and when you realize just how big of a problem this is, you are bound to start feeling sorry for all the victims. That is when you will start wondering if there is anything you can do to help prevent the problem. While an individual cannot solve the issue all on his or her own, we cannot deny the fact that we should all be more aware of this, and that we should do anything we can to help.
Our contributions may seem small on a global level, but if we manage to identify at least one victim of this crime and do something to save them, that will certainly have a huge impact on their lives. While it is up to the authorities to deal with the problem on a more serious level, we should all feel more socially responsible when it comes to it. In other words, we should all feel obligated to act if we notice this crime.
Noticing it is the tricky part, though. The problem is that this crime is almost always hidden in plain sight, so to speak. The victims aren’t constantly locked away somewhere and hidden from the world. Instead, they are forced into doing certain jobs, most often sex work, meaning that they do have contact with other people. Yet, fear and hopelessness are so instilled in them that they rarely find the courage to speak up and ask for help.
Get even more information on this crime here: https://www.unodc.org/toc/en/crimes/human-trafficking.html
Given that the victims are discouraged from speaking up, it is crucial for people like you and me to be able to notice the signs of human trafficking. That way, we could potentially report the crime and do something to save the life of a person. As mentioned, noticing the crime can be fairly difficult, but when you become really attentive, and when you are aware of the indicators, you may be able to spot some victims.
Signs Of Human Trafficking
Since it is clear that human trafficking is not easy to notice, you can expect the signs to be quite subtle. This is why you should train yourself to be attentive to the smallest details. I am now going to tell you about some of the signs that you should be on the lookout for, and then we will proceed towards explaining what to do if you notice those.
Here are some human trafficking indicators:
- Malnourishment
- Signs of abuse and physical injuries
- Reluctance against social interactions
- Avoidance of eye contact
- Avoidance of law enforcement and authority figures
- Lack of IDs
- Long working hours
- Living at the place of employment
- Poor health
- Neck and lower back tattoos
- Not being allowed to go out alone or speak for themselves
- Security measures on living facilities, such as barred windows and barbed wire in the fences
- Untreated STDs
What To Do If You Suspect Trafficking
The above are some of the human trafficking indicators that you should be aware of, and that should immediately be a red flag. If you notice more of those signs in one person, then the possibility of them being the victim will increase. Since you are now probably wondering what to do if you notice those signs, let me make that clear.
To put it as simply as possible, you should call the authorities, and you should never play the hero and try to rescue someone on your own. That is practically impossible. Report the issue to local law enforcement and have the National Human Trafficking Resource Center informed as well. Explain what you have noticed and try to remember anything that can help them identify the people you are mentioning. From there on, it is up to the authorities to handle the problem.
