Every year, millions of men, women and children are trafficked and forced into slavery. It is estimated that human trafficking generates billions of dollars per year, this is second to drug trafficking. Most cases go unnoticed because victims rarely come forward due to language barriers, fear of traffickers and/or fear of law enforcement.
Human trafficking is a ‘hidden’ crime with most cases going unreported. Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery and a federal crime. Most people taken are used for sexual slavery, forced labor or commercial sexual exploitation by force, fraud or coercion.
Human trafficking can happen to anyone and anywhere.
Recognize the signs and watch for behavior that looks out of place or abnormal. Not all indicators are present in every human trafficking situation, however, if you feel someone is in danger, always report it.
For help or to report suspected human trafficking, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline: 1.888.373.7888 or submit a tip online at www.ice.gov/tips.
If you or someone you know is suffering, contact our COPES crisis hotline: 918.744.4800. Family & Children’s Services provides 24/7 crisis support and stabilization services customized to individual needs.
If you are interested in learning more, Tulsa Tech is hosting a two-day conference sponsored Oklahoma Human Trafficking Task Force. This conference is open to the public on February 13-14, 2018. If you are in the industry, the conference offers CEU’s. Learn more at Bringing Human Trafficking Out of the Shadows.
Resources:
http://lilypad-haven.org/
