In 2018, 492 cases of human trafficking were reported in New
York State, possibly the tip of an iceberg. Women represented 68.9 percent of
this number, while 27.4 percent were under 18. In 73 percent of the cases,
prostitution was involved.
The Orange County Safe Homes program distributes flyers
explaining the mechanisms of trafficking and signs that suggest a young person
is being trafficked. At the end of this article are several ways to offer
confidential reports to agencies that can help rescue people from trafficking
situations.
Among the influences that prevent victims from leaving their
abusers are fear, trauma, drug addiction, threats against families, and a lack
of options due to poverty and homelessness.
Some traffickers use more subtle methods of trapping and
controlling people, such as isolation, confiscating identification documents,
threatening to shame the victim by exposing humiliating circumstances to their
family, threatening imprisonment or deportation if the victim contacts
authorities, debt bondage, and controlling the victim's money.
Someone may be a victim of sex trafficking if they:
- Check into hotels/motels with older males and refers to
those males as boyfriend or “daddy,” which is often street slang for a pimp
- Has a history of multiple runaways or homelessness
- Does not attend school or is frequently absent
- Suddenly has large amounts of cash
- Has visible signs of physical abuse, such as bruising,
scars, or hearing loss.
- Shows shame, humiliation, anxiety
- submissiveness, or disorientation.
- Appears malnourished, fatigued, or exhausted.
- Avoids eye contact, social interaction, and authority
figures/law enforcement
- Seems to adhere to scripted or rehearsed responses in social
interactions
- Appears destitute/lacking personal possessions
- Has poor physical or dental health
- Has tattoos/branding on the neck and/or lower back.
- Is not allowed to go into public alone or speak for
her/himself.
The presence or absence of any of these indicators is not
necessarily proof of human trafficking but may alert you to a potential human
trafficking situation. Also see our article, “Human trafficking happens even in upstate New York.”
If you need help or suspect someone of being trafficked contact:
Safe Homes Orange County Confidential 24/7 Crisis Hotline,
845-562-5340
National Human Trafficking Hotline, 888-373-7888
Ulster County Safe Harbor,
https://ulstercountyny.gov/social-services/safe-harbour-program
Other articles by HVP News Reporters