What is Human Trafficking?

The illegal movement of people, typically for the purposes of forced labor or commercial sexual exploitation.

 

What is Sex Trafficking?

Sex Trafficking is the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for the purpose of commercial sex.

 

Research indicates that many victims of sexual exploitation have previously experienced one or more of the following:

• Childhood sexual abuse

• Physical abuse

• Emotional abuse

• Alcohol and drug use by primary caregiver

• Domestic violence, neglect or abandonment

• Homelessness

• Economic need/poverty

• Survivors of sex trafficking are at risk for a number of negative consequences as a result of experiencing forced prostitution. These consequences may include:

  • Physical health isues (injuries, STDs, drug addiction, stress-related pain, malnutrition)

  • Relationship issues (fear, abandonment, trust issues, codependency)

  • Mental health issues (PTSD, disassociation, suicidal ideations)

 

What is DMST?

       Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking is defined as “The recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for the purpose of a commercial sex act,” as defined by the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000. DMST occurs when minors are forced, coerced, or involved in the commercial sex industry. For a minor to be classified as DMST they do not need to be moved, they can be classified even if the commercial sex acts are committed in their own home.

       Any child under 18 years of age that is involved in a sex act where something of value is exchanged is considered sex trafficking (does not have to be money). Services such as exotic dancing, escort services, massage services, phone sex, and pornography of any kind can also be constituted as DMST.

 

What is Labor Trafficking?

       Labor trafficking is the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage or slavery.

Labor traffickers use violence, threats, lies, and other forms of coercion to force people to work against their will in many different industries. It is divided into three categories: bonded labor, forced labor, and child labor.

       Bonded labor is the result of labor being demanded as repayment for loans or services when the terms of these loans or services have not been clearly defined, or when the value of the labor is not reasonable applied to the amount owed.

       Forced labor occurs when victims are forced to work against their will. Victims are denied freedom, and ownership is exerted over them. This forced servitude is enforced by threat of violence or other types of punishment. Forced labor is present in many ways, including domestic servitude, agricultural labor, sweatshop factory labor, janitorial, food service, and other service industry labor or begging.

       Child labor is work that may be hazardous to a child’s health, or his/her development physically, mentally, spiritually, morally, or socially, or that could interfere with his/her education. Child labor is present in many ways, including debt bondage, forced recruitment for armed conflict, prostitution, pornography, illegal drug trade, and other illicit activities around the world.