How Does Human Trafficking Happen?
Human trafficking is a serious crime that greatly impacts those who have been victimized. However, it is still widely misunderstood how trafficking occurs and what tactics a trafficker may use. The misconception that abduction is the most common trafficking tactic is one of the most harmful misconceptions about human trafficking. In reality, at least 68% of people know or have some prior relationship to the perpetrator (Davy, D., 2022) and are coerced or deceived into agreeing to forced labor or commercial sex. This misconception makes it significantly harder for the majority of people to recognize human trafficking in their community.
So, what are some ways that human trafficking occurs?
Romance/Seduction
Traffickers engage in a deceptive romantic relationship with the intention to use the victim-survivor’s loyalty and attachment to manipulate them into forced labor or commercial sex that the trafficker benefits from. This form of trafficking is also known as the “Loverboy” or “Romeo Pimp” tactic. The relationship may start off with intense love-bombing, gifts, and affection to earn the trust and admiration of the victim-survivor. The trafficker may begin to paint a picture of a better life together or promise that they can provide new opportunities for them.
Once the victim-survivor is attached to the trafficker, they will use that relationship to coerce them into forced labor or commercial sex. This type of trafficking can be difficult to detect as the victim-survivors may not realize they have been trafficked. If they do begin to question the relationship, the trafficker will often gaslight them into questioning their perception of the relationship. These perpetrators often target individuals who are vulnerable in a variety of ways, such as people who lack social support, family, or are in need of resources. When the trafficker “fills that void,” they often simultaneously isolate the victim-survivor, which makes it harder for the victim-survivor to leave as they have become reliant on the trafficker.
False Job Advertisements
Traffickers create false job advertisements, typically targeting people in countries/communities experiencing economic crises and often asking them to relocate for the position. Once they arrive, their essential documents are often confiscated and essentially held for ransom. These false jobs can be offered to the victim-survivor in a variety of ways, such as an online ad, in-person recruitment, and even by family and friends. They are often presented to victim-survivors as amazing opportunities with high pay rates.
When the victim-survivor arrives to work, they may unexpectedly be told that they need to pay off a debt for their transportation, housing, or food. This is called debt bondage and is further described below. Their working conditions are often poorer than advertised, such as long work hours, starvation, or physical/sexual abuse. Victim-survivors are often unable to leave due to the control the traffickers have over their lives and may be coerced into recruiting others.
Debt Bondage
Victim-survivors are coerced into paying off an initial debt through labor or commercial sex. Sometimes, the initial debt is one they inherited from or shared with their family. They are paid very little and accrue more debt in the form of shelter, food, and transportation while working. The scam is designed so that victim-survivors will never be able to pay off the debt as it continues to mount. One 2022 report by the International Labor Organization estimates that 1 out of 5 people in forced labor positions are experiencing debt bondage. As with false job advertisements, the working conditions are inhumane and put the victim-survivors well-being at risk.
Familial Trafficking
Victim-survivors are either trafficked by a family member directly and sold to other family or friends, or sold off to a third-party trafficker. Oftentimes, these children are groomed from a young age to accept and view the abuse as normal. Children are told that members of their family are trusted adults who care for their well-being, making it hard for them to recognize when that is not the case. They are also reliant on their family for food, shelter, and their other basic needs, making it difficult for them to stand up for themselves if they do recognize that what is happening to them is not okay. Other forms of abuse are also usually happening alongside the trafficking, which also plays a role in the child’s compliance with the abuse.
If other members of the family recognize that the child is being trafficked, they often do not intervene in order to protect the family. This is especially true if the trafficking has spanned generations, which is also not uncommon, as it has been normalized within the family. Traffickers are also often intentional about building a positive relationship with their community. This way, those outside of the family are unlikely to become suspicious or believe the child if they ask for help.
Abduction
Victim-survivors are kidnapped/abducted from a location and forcibly transported and put to work and/or used for commercial sex. Contrary to popular belief, human trafficking via abduction is much less common than human trafficking by coercion. Victim-survivors who have been abducted are more likely to fight back or try to escape than those who have been manipulated into compliance. Traffickers who abduct are less likely to be family members, friends, or a romantic interest than those who employ manipulative tactics (CTDC 2023). Most traffickers try to ensure that they will not be caught, therefore, they target victim-survivors often based on what they already know about their lives, such as how much familial support they have or what their financial situation is. When human trafficking is represented in the media, it is often portrayed as an abduction. The pervasive myth that human trafficking via abduction is the most common form of human trafficking has greatly skewed what people perceive human trafficking to be, making it harder for people to recognize when it happens around them.
Religious Abuse
Victim-survivors are coerced into compliance by being told that the acts are "God's Will" or that they are performing a religious act. Spiritual abuse is the act of manipulating shared spiritual beliefs, religious text, and/or one’s position of power in the church to control someone else. Traffickers may threaten the victim-survivors, stating that they will be punished by God, or whatever higher power they believe in, if they do not comply with their orders. Traffickers in a religious context often hold positions of power in the church, or may be very active in their church community. Religious leaders are admired by the members of their church and viewed as a moral compass, making it less likely for victim-survivors to be believed, as the community cannot imagine those individuals committing such crimes. Close relationships, such as a teen and a youth group leader, may be overlooked and viewed as mentorships. If the abuse is exposed, the concepts of forgiveness and repentance may be abused to justify sweeping the abuse under the rug. This lack of accountability may allow the abuse to continue down the line.
Forced Pregnancy
Women are forcibly impregnated or coerced into selling their newborn babies, also referred to as “baby farming” or “child harvesting.” Oftentimes, this form of trafficking happens in seemingly innocuous locations. Traffickers hide behind fake maternity homes, hospitals, or orphanages to trick both victim-survivors as well as the authorities. Young women who do not have the means to care for the baby or did not intend to get pregnant are often targeted, as they may be desperate for resources or to find someone to adopt the baby.
National Human Trafficking Hotline
If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, we're here to provide the support you need.
Phone: 1.888.373.7888
Chat: click here to start a chat
Text: text INFO to 233733