Suppressed and alone, yet effective in hiding their suffering, vulnerability and humiliation, human trafficking victims are in the greatest need of our attention and vigilance to act.

Individuals often begin their usurpation into human trafficking being deceived by fake promises and false hopes of financial stability, an education or decent-paying job, or even being kidnapped and violently abused into subservience and exploitation.

By the injustice’s very nature of using force, fraud and coercion for exploitative purposes, human trafficking naturally remains in the shadows, leaving its victims unable to seek help, making the practice fester as it is largely unreported and undetected.

Knowing the signs and learning to identify them thus becomes vital to the global anti-slavery movement.

Regardless of the purpose for which a victim is trafficked (for labor, sexual exploitation, domestic work, soldiering or otherwise), all trafficking victims share in their loss of an essential human right: that of freedom.

This is best demonstrated through the inherent lack of control victims tend to experience. With little to no personal belongings, no control of his/her own money, finances, or identification documents, victims are not allowed to speak for themselves, frequently found with a third party individual insistent to speak on their behalf or translate due to an actual (or falsified) language barrier.

The exploitative purposes of human trafficking (for labor, sexual exploitation, domestic servitude, etc.) and constant threat of force and coercion by the trafficker for the continuation of these services often blur the lines between work and home for victims, as they work, sleep and live in the same place and have restricted mobility, unable to come and go as they please.

Their “working” conditions are simply heinous. Victims typically have little to no pay and are sometimes only compensated through tips. High security measures, such as boarded up windows and security cameras, can characterize the physical nature of a victim’s work or home surroundings. Laboring excessively long hours and denied breaks among other unusual work restrictions, victims are unable to leave their job, in spite of being promised a different nature of work prior to trafficking.

The identification of victims trapped by debt bondage is indicated by a large debt that is owed but unable to be paid off. Those with a pimp or manager can be victims exploited in the commercial sex industry in exchange for money, food or shelter. Overly-rehearsed communication in hotels or bars, with individuals lurking and monitoring guests or children assuming more adult-like roles such as paying for the bill, may be indicative of sexual exploitation.

Under such abhorrent conditions and treatment, victims suffer health wise, lacking proper health care, appearing malnourished, abused or physically tortured. These conditions too hold understandable ramifications over victims’ mental health. Victims are often known to avoid eye contact and act fearful or anxious, as many tend to experience extreme paranoia, depression, anxiety and apprehension as a result of their experiences. These mental health conditions become particularly inflamed after bringing up the idea law enforcement, as victims can become more apprehensive and frantic at the thought of potential deportation or harm to their families if their trafficker is reported. Trafficking victims can also exhibit ambiguous behavior and disorientation, losing a sense of time or direction, telling contradictory stories, or claiming to be “just visiting the area,” sharing as few details as possible.

In light of the aforementioned signs of trafficking victimization, acting upon potential incidences of trafficking in your community is equally important. I strongly implore you to save and share the National Human Trafficking Hotline (1-888-373-7888) operated by Polaris as a nongovernmental, confidential and 24/7-available resource that can help determine if you have encountered trafficking victims and the necessary steps to take. Available in over 200 languages, this hotline identifies local resources for victims and coordinates with social service organizations to free victims and serve them as they begin paths to restoration.

Last Saturday July 30 was the third annual World Day against Trafficking in Persons, a United Nations effort to reflect upon victims of this grave injustice and spread its awareness to better ease the global initiative to fight for every individual's human right to freedom. Thus, being cognizant of human trafficking’s existence in our community and its identifiable signs is an essential step in advancing this mission.