Human Trafficking

Human trafficking is forced servitude in which one person, or a group of persons uses a combination of deception, fraud, violence or even threats of death to force agricultural, domestic or sexual labor. Victims are recruited, abducted, transported or received for the express purpose of their continued exploitation. They are not free to leave, plan, or secure fair payment for their labor, and attempts to do so are often met with threats, violence, and other physical, emotional and sexual abuse. Learn more about how our mass tort attorney can help with a human trafficking lawsuit.

sad young girl

Is Human Trafficking a State or Federal Crime?

Human trafficking is considered a crime by both the federal government, and in the state where the alleged crime took place. The United States will take jurisdiction over cases that occur on federal property, across state lines, or on tribal land.

Map created by The Dunken Law Firm.

What Are the Top States for Human Trafficking?

As the map above and the table below show, California is the top state for human trafficking in the U.S. In 2018, there were 1,656 reported cases of human trafficking in California. Texas was second, with 1,000 reported cases, followed by Florida with 767 reported cases.

State	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018
Alabama	27	48	37	55	48	69	89
Alaska	7	9	4	9	11	9	19
Arizona	60	64	85	123	152	185	231
Arkansas	17	27	23	36	47	46	85
California	492	781	936	1,015	1,351	1,336	1,656
Colorado	46	73	68	83	129	116	178
Connecticut	27	28	37	40	56	59	55
Delaware	5	9	7	8	23	24	42
D.C.	73	81	62	71	83	66	84
Florida	236	374	373	418	562	622	767
Georgia	98	172	149	204	261	284	375
Hawaii	19	28	16	25	31	28	48
Idaho	6	14	11	8	15	14	26
Illinois	104	149	142	129	208	203	296
Indiana	50	57	56	57	86	96	142
Iowa	20	22	23	36	74	78	102
Kansas	27	36	52	42	54	68	95
Kentucky	34	48	58	64	89	82	141
Louisiana	41	114	96	80	113	110	149
Maine	7	10	13	10	18	20	32
Maryland	85	140	145	122	167	121	165
Massassachusetts	64	71	59	65	91	99	120
Michigan	68	115	133	155	253	313	383
Minnesota	34	60	37	55	69	77	120
Mississippi	27	33	29	39	55	42	86
Missouri	48	79	59	70	140	146	178
Montana	10	10	13	21	16	27	22
Nebraska	11	19	12	23	46	69	82
Nevada	55	92	124	144	174	213	313
New Hampshire	1	4	6	15	13	5	11
New Jersey	73	113	160	181	197	167	224
New Mexico	18	26	31	30	41	41	70
New York	166	200	285	299	333	341	492
North Carolina	103	100	121	120	187	228	287
North Dakota	7	16	18	20	19	24	14
Ohio	81	138	164	301	376	377	443
Oklahoma	42	66	65	47	91	81	121
Oregon	45	51	59	62	79	83	135
Pennsylvania	91	126	114	113	162	210	275
Rhode Island	13	17	12	10	8	11	18
South Carolina	32	48	54	61	79	122	156
South Dakota	2	10	6	15	19	18	62
Tennessee	50	63	76	72	109	115	165
Texas	377	437	477	455	681	811	1000
Utah	13	11	23	22	42	34	76
Vermont	3	4	6	4	5	14	13
Virginia	93	130	177	151	157	158	198
Washington	88	137	133	135	170	167	229
West Virginia	6	14	10	10	21	16	40
Wisconsin	27	46	42	52	66	94	134
Wyoming	5	9	3	6	13	13	12

Increase in Reported Cases of Human Trafficking Across the U.S.

As the data in the table above clearly shows, the number of reported human trafficking cases has increased in every state in America in the last 7 years, as reported to the Human Trafficking Hotline. The chart below shows the percentage increase or decrease for states in the U.S. from 2017 to 2018. The national average was an increase of 32.3% and 29 states had a rate increase higher than that. Only 5 states (Connecticut, Vermont, Wyoming, Montana and North Dakota) had less reported cases in 2018 than the previous year. South Dakota had the highest percentage increase of 244% as their cases increased from 18 to 62.

Change in Human Trafficking

As of 2017, the National Human Trafficking Resource Center-NHTRC documented 40.3 million victims of human trafficking globally, including men, women, and children. The two major Human Trafficking categories are Labor Trafficking and Sex Trafficking. Key venues for Labor Trafficking include Domestic, Traveling, Agriculture, Restaurant, and Begging Rings. Key venues for Sex Trafficking include Illegal Massage/Spa, Hotel/Motel Based, Pornography, and Online Ads/Venue Unknown.

Causes of Human Trafficking

The desire for money, although a major motivation, is not necessarily the only cause of human trafficking. It is typically complex, and rooted in the demand for cheap labor, services, and commercial sex. There may also be a combination of factors that leads to it, such as civil unrest, corruption, lack of human rights, family dysfunction, lack of jobs or access to education, or a weak government. However, human trafficking does continue to grow due to the fact that it is a lucrative industry. According to a report by the International Labor Organization (ILO), each year, approximately $150 billion is generated in illegal profits from forced labor.

Have You or Has Someone You Know Experienced Human Trafficking?

Experts who work with human trafficking survivors have documented the following scenarios common to many trafficking rings.

Owing to a huge debt that you cannot repay
Using debts to force you into different types of labor: sexual, agricultural, and domestic
Being sexually abused, and/or forced to make pornographic video and other content against your will
Having your passport, i.d. or other official documents held in order to force free labor against your consent
Having a sizable portion of your earnings seized to repay an ongoing debt that changes frequently
Being threatened with violence or death if you leave
Being recruited for one job, and finding early on that the work is both extensive and exploitative/unpaid labor
Excessive monitoring, restrictions on personal schedules, and interactions with others

Who Is Most At Risk for Human Trafficking?

A single profile for individuals most at risk for human trafficking does not exist, but the victims are typically already vulnerable. For example:

Undocumented workers and participants in visa programs for temporary workers
Runaway and homeless youth
Children in the child welfare, foster care, and juvenile justice systems
Those with substance abuse or addiction issues
Low-income individuals
Unaccompanied children
Foreign nationals
People with limited English proficiency or low literacy
People with disabilities
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex people

Any person under the age of 18 who engages in commercial sex acts is considered a victim of human trafficking, regardless of if it seems that they have given their consent.

What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Someone Being Trafficked?

Warning signs commonly displayed by human trafficking victims include poor mental and physical health, and a noticeable lack of control over their personal lives, such as having few personal possessions, and not being able to interact on their own (a third party may insist on speaking for them, translating for them, or being present when they speak to others).

Other Signs

Other signs involve both working and living conditions, including working excessive hours, living and working in the same location, severely restricted movement, non-control of money earned or owing a large debt that can never be repaid, visible physical abuse, being paid solely on tips, being forced to meet a daily quota, and noticeable opaque or boarded windows on the living quarters/building or worksite.

What Should You Do If Someone You Know is Being Trafficked?

If you, or someone close to you has experienced any of the above scenarios, immediately contact the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at 1-888-373-7888. You can call the hotline anonymously 24 hours and seven days a week on behalf of someone you suspect is being trafficked.

What Are the Effects of Human Trafficking on Victims?

Human trafficking robs both children and adults of the life they once led; and instead, throws them into dreadful conditions and situations that involve torment, humiliation, and horror. Victims often suffer:

Diseases obtained during transportation.
Health complications from starvation.
Untreated injuries from physical or sexual trauma (broken bones, burns, bruises, traumatic brain injury).
Sexually-transmitted diseases (STDs) and other physical issues with or injuries to genitalia.
Unplanned pregnancies.
Physical and emotional trauma from forced abortions.
Psychological trauma: including depression, PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), anxiety disorders (such as social anxiety), Stockholm Syndrome (a condition that causes hostages to develop “feelings” for their captor), and substance abuse.

Unfortunately, the effects of being held captive often plague victims, even after they’ve been rescued.

How are Human Traffickers Prosecuted?

Both state and federal laws have been enacted to hold traffickers responsible. The Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) of 2000 is the first comprehensive federal law to address and combat human trafficking. The TVPA has been reauthorized over the years through the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act, and most recently in 2017. Additionally, all 50 states and Washington D.C. have a law criminalizing sex trafficking.

Penalties

Penalties for human trafficking are severe if a person is convicted in federal court. Child sex trafficking as a federal offense is punished depending on the age of the victim(s). Sex trafficking carries a sentence of 15 years to life in prison if the victim is a child under the age of 14. If the victim is aged 14 to 17, the defendant faces a sentence of 10 years to life in prison. In general, labor trafficking carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; however, under certain circumstances, the penalty can result in a life sentence. If the trafficking involves kidnapping, sexual assault, attempted murder, or homicide, the offense brings the possibility of a life sentence.

How Our Human Trafficking Lawyers Can Help

If you or someone you love is a victim of human trafficking, please contact our office right away. While money cannot compensate for the tragic effects of human trafficking, it can provide the help needed to rebuild you or your loved one’s life. There are laws in place, allowing victims to pursue civil action against any defendant who partook in the crime, including the traffickers and any other individual or business that knowingly profited from it. We can advocate for you and assist you in obtaining criminal restitution awards for your losses and civil damages.

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