Story: Carla forms a new connection

Carla forms a connectionOn her social media app, Carla found the perfect guy. He is older, has a great job and makes good money. He says she is beautiful and his dream girl. She quickly gives him her phone number. For two months, she texts with Eddie. She tells him all about her life. He cares and responds quickly. Carla …

Story: Carla searches

Carla searches for something…Lately, Carla’s father has started to take out his stress and anger about not having work on Carla’s mother—verbally and physically lashing out at her. Worried and upset, Carla decides to join a social media app hoping to connect with someone who will support and be there for her. She is immediately contacted on the app by …

Are there ways to protect vulnerable populations from exploitation?

Yes.We have the ability as individuals and whole communities to wrap around every vulnerable individual or population, meeting needs and filling gaps that traffickers would otherwise exploit. By recognizing and proactively engaging vulnerabilities, you and your community can create a culture of care and take specific steps that will strengthen and protect vulnerable populations. In the following courses in this …

Why are some people more vulnerable to human trafficking?

No community is immune to the crime of human trafficking, as we have learned, and there isn’t one single face of a human trafficking victim. And yet—we also know that those with more severe or compounded vulnerabilities are more likely to be exploitedPeople who might face these severe or compounding vulnerabilities include:Runaway and homeless youth, especially those identifying as LGBTQ …

How does it all begin for a human trafficking victim?

The journey of a human trafficking victim doesn’t typically begin the moment the victim was first exploited by a trafficker. In almost every case, there’s far more to the story than we might at first realize. Human trafficking is often a result of compounding vulnerabilities. Compounding vulnerabilities can include:AbuseTraumaNeglectPovertyViolenceFamily breakdown HomelessnessDisabilityHuman trafficking can also be the result of years—sometimes generations—of …

Story: Carla is missing something

Carla wishes…Lately, Carla finds it very hard to concentrate in her classes. She has had several big fights with her father in the last few months. She does not feel happy. She does not feel accepted by her family or the other students in her class. She wishes that someone would understand and care about her. Follow Carla’s story throughout …

Checking in

Self-Care Check: Connecting to What You’ve Learned Defining human trafficking in technical terms is not enough to truly comprehend the issues. There is more to learn, and it’s important that you understand the way human trafficking affects individuals in your own community and how you can impact it personally. We also want you to know right now: there is hope. …

Who are the perpetrators of human trafficking?

Two main types of people contribute to human trafficking: those who create a demand for these crimes, and those who profit from them. TraffickersThis is often the most commonly thought of criminal. A trafficker is a person who exploits others for profit. Using force, fraud, or coercion (or through commercial exploitation of a minor by any means), traffickers control both …