Frequently Asked Questions
A trafficker may work alone, in a small criminal group, or in a large-scale organized crime network. Their scale of operation can range from victimizing one individual to large groups. Frequently a trafficker is someone whom the victim knows on a personal basis, such as a family member, friend, romantic partner, or community member. Traffickers often have the same nationality as their victims. Women also pay a prominent role in sex trafficking. Often, former victims become perpetrators as a means of escaping their own enslavement, or because women are more successful as recruiters and traffickers, as they are more likely to be trusted and less likely to be suspected of the crime.
Each case of human trafficking is unique. Whether the human trafficker is an individual acting alone or part of a larger organization, they reap financial gain from their victim through force, fraud, or coercion. While it is true that traffickers sometimes forcibly kidnap their victims, this is not the most common way in which an individual becomes a victim of human trafficking. More frequently, traffickers manipulate and take advantage of an individual’s position of vulnerability in order to establish coercive control. For example, they may influence their victim with the false incentive of a job or better living conditions. In manipulating individuals’ vulnerabilities, traffickers will often also use physical force to establish dominance and control. Traffickers use a variety of tactics to intimidate and control their victims, including: • Physical violence, torture, and starvation • Rape and other sexual abuse • Psychological abuse, coercion, and blackmail • Drug addiction • Threats of violence against their family or loved ones • Confiscation of ID’s, Passports or other important documentation • Prospects of opportunity • Romance • Debt bondage
Sex trafficking can happen anywhere, both domestically and across international borders. Countries are commonly categorized as origin, transit, and destination countries, and a specific country can fall into one, two, or all three of these categories. India, for example, is an origin, transit, and destination country. For more detailed country profiles, check out the U.S. State Department’s Trafficking in Persons Report.
Most of the time, no. In addition, those that are being trafficked for sex are often arrested for prostitution, and not considered a victim of child sex trafficking.
There were over 800,000 missing children in the U.S. in 2021. It is difficult to determine the actual number since roughly 1% of the child sex trafficking crimes are reported. Untrafficked aims to change this statistic.
Untrafficked works with a network of over 100 care facilities in the United States. Most of the children survivors are taken to one of these facilities. Also, in many states, the children are eligible for social services. In some cases, the children go home to be with family.
Become a Guardian, study this handbook and obtain the training needed so you can make a difference.
They get arrested and tried for child sex crimes. The laws are different in each state. Untrafficked is building an advocacy division to support the criminal justice system in their plight to increase sentences for child sex trafficking.
Call 911 Contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733.
Human trafficking is an exploitation-based crime where the deprivation of a person’s liberty, usually under conditions of force, fraud or coercion is exercised in order to carry out acts of labor or commercial sex to the benefit of the trafficker. In situations where the victim is a minor, under the age of 18, and involved in commercial sex, it is automatically considered sex trafficking and exploitation. Victims of human trafficking rarely self-identify or understand themselves in such terms legally, academically, or culturally. However, that does not mean they do not know what their personal experience feels like as it relates to control, violence and fear. The impact of trauma and how a victim perceives or remembers the violent acts against them need to be understood in the context their history, relationship with the perpetrator, emotional and cognitive development, and support system.
Yes. However, working directly with victims through the victim services program is a multi-step process that require volunteers to go through training and background checks. Please take into consideration commitment, dedication, and flexibility before considering volunteering with direct victim services and the impact it may have on a victim’s road to healthy healing. The volunteer program is designed around a strength-based approach and using volunteers as helpers not saviors.
Yes, we do.
There are different ways for you to get involved with Untrafficked. You can do something on your own or work in collaboration with efforts already in place with Untrafficked. Whether you are interested in just learning about the issue, volunteering, donating, increasing awareness or creating projects, there’s a little bit of something for everyone.
Yes. Depending on personnel availability we can provide prevention presentations at schools or connect you with a community partner who is already providing presentations for schools. Most of the time, we guide faculty and students to become Untrafficked Guardians to obtain the training they need.
Job opportunities available and are posted on our website. If you don’t see a listing posted, feel free to email employment@untrafficked.org.
Yes, on occasion we do have survivors, as well as Untrafficked spokespersons. We do ask for advanced notice for scheduling purposes and the ability to offer a speaking fee for their time. If it is for a fundraising event for your organization, there may be additional questions to make sure we are following ethical policies concerning financial transactions.