Human Trafficking Red Flags
For the General Public
If you come in contact with anyone exhibiting one or more of the following indicators , they may be a victim of human trafficking :
▪ A potential victim typically has someone with them at all times . This person seems very controlling and tries to speak for the victim .
▪ Victims may refer to their trafficker as their “ boyfriend ”.
▪ Victims may exhibit signs of physical abuse such as :
bruises , broken bones , cuts , burns , scars , and / or malnourishment .
▪ Victims may have signs of psychological trauma such as : severe anxiety , depression , suicidal thoughts , Stockholm ’ s Syndrome , panic attacks , submissiveness , and / or no emotion at all ( flat effect ).
▪ Victims may lie about their age or have a false ID .
▪ Victims may be forced to sell drugs , magazines , etc . on the street .
▪ Victims typically do not have control over personal identification documents . These documents may be in the control of the trafficker .
▪ Victims may appear afraid / nervous and may not make eye contact .
▪ Conversations with victims may seem very scripted , inconsistent , or vague .
▪ Victims may have signs of “ branding ” by their
traffickers , such as tattoos of the trafficker ’ s name , dollar signs ($’ s ), or “ Daddy ’ s Girl ”.
▪ Victims may have a lack of knowledge about where they are or why .
▪ Victims may not admit they are victims and may not ask for help .
Questions to ask yourself to determine if someone might be a victim :
▪ Are they being forced to do something they don ’ t want to do ?
▪ Is the person allowed to be alone ?
▪ Has the person been physically and / or sexually abused ?
▪ Does the person appear to have been threatened ?
▪ Do they have to ask permission to eat , sleep , or go to the bathroom ?
▪ Is the victim dressed inappropriately for their age ? ( i . e ., sexy or suggestive clothing on a young person ).
▪ Where does the victim sleep and eat ?
▪ Are there inconsistencies in the victim ’ s story ?
Source : www . polarisproject . org , www . hhs . gov , and New Jersey Human Trafficking Task Force .
Alabama Human Trafficking Task Force www-ENDITALABAMA . org If you need help , call 1-888-373-7888 or 1-800-991-0948 .
Junior League of Montgomery ~ League Logs ~ Summer 2021
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