Debunking Myths About Human Trafficking
Debunking Myths About Human Trafficking
The popularized idea that human trafficking is exclusively poor females in Indian subcontinents is misleading and glosses over many hard truths about trafficking. This blog post attempts to inform the conversation surrounding trafficking by debunking common misconceptions about the human trafficking industry.
Fact: Sex trafficking is a type of human trafficking.
Sex trafficking exists, but it is not the only type of human trafficking: human trafficking is the use of force, fraud or coercion to get another person to provide labor or commercial sex. Forced labor is another type of human trafficking, where victims are found in legitimate and illegitimate labor industries, including sweatshops, massage parlors, agriculture, restaurants, hotels, and domestic service.
Fact: Human trafficking exists in every country, including the United States.
It exists nationwide—in cities, suburbs, and rural towns—and possibly in your own community. Survivors can be any nationality, race, gender, socioeconomic class or age. While many believe that just females are trafficked, as many as half of sex trafficking victims and survivors are male. Male victims are far less likely to be identified, and LGBTQ boys and young men are particularly vulnerable to trafficking.
Fact: Most human traffickers use coercion to attract their workers.
While it is sometimes true that trafficked persons are physically unable to leave their situations, victims often stay in trafficking situations for complicated reasons, such as lack of transportation or a safe place to live. Survivors often fear for their safety and have been manipulated to a point where they do not think they can leave their situation. Since human trafficking is often a hidden crime, victims may be afraid to come forward and get help due to fear of violence, danger to their families, and lack of identification documents.