January is Human Trafficking Prevention Month. Human trafficking is when someone is forced, coerced or tricked into providing labor services (labor trafficking) or commercial sex acts (sex trafficking) against their will. Essentially, it is the exploitation and control of an individual or group by another individual or group. Trafficking can impact any community, regardless of race, nationality, gender, religion, immigration status, or socio-economic background. 

Misconceptions

Like other violent crimes, human trafficking can feel like a difficult subject to talk about. However, increasing education and awareness are important preventative tools. Many of us have pre-constructed ideas about what traffickers and trafficking victims look like, where they are from, what their relationship is like, etc. But these assumptions may not be true. Below are some facts about human trafficking:   

• Traffickers are not always strangers to the trafficking victims. Often, they are acquaintances or family members. 
• Traffickers can be any age, gender, race, or nationality.  
• Human trafficking doesn’t require that someone is transported to another place or across borders. 
• Trafficking doesn’t always include kidnapping or being held hostage. It often includes psychological manipulation.  
• Traffickers use abusive cycles of power and control over the victim.  
• Anyone of any gender can be a victim of sex trafficking, though most victims are female. 
• Individuals, especially youth, who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning (LGBTQ+) can be vulnerable to become victims of sex trafficking if they lack strong support networks and resources. 
• Minors cannot legally consent to commercial sex acts, even if it doesn’t involve force, fraud, or coercion. If someone below the age of 18 is asked to perform a commercial sex act, they are automatically considered victims of human trafficking. 
• Labor trafficking doesn’t just happen in illegal or underground industries, it can happen at restaurants, construction, farms, factories, etc. 

For more facts about human trafficking, visit the National Human Trafficking hotline’s website.  

Risk factors

While there isn’t one definition of what a trafficker or human trafficking victim looks like, traffickers often look for vulnerabilities that they can exploit or utilize such as:  

• Having unstable housing  
• Facing poverty or economic need 
• Experience of previous forms of violence or abuse  
• Involvement in the child welfare system or juvenile justice system 
• Struggles with substance use 
• Undocumented or not a US citizen 

Sex and labor trafficking is never okay, no matter what the relationship is between the trafficker and trafficking victim. An individual’s circumstances or history should never lead to a loss of freedom. If you are a victim or want to help someone who might be a victim, call the Salvation Army’s New Day to Stop Trafficking Hotline at 267-838-5866 or the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-88-373-7888 to get connected to help.  

What you can do:

If you or someone you know might be a victim or survivor of human trafficking, there are local resources that can help, including:  

• The Salvation Army’s New Day to Stop Trafficking Program  is a multi-faceted program that serves survivors of sex and labor trafficking. For more information call the New Day Hotline at 267-838-5866. 
• WOAR Philadelphia Sexual Violence Hotline has a 24/7 confidential hotline (215) 985-3333 for information and connection to counseling for survivors. 
• Use this Provider Guide for Serving Survivors of Human Trafficking to learn more about how to identify and support your clients/patients. 
• Attend the “Health Centers and Patient Violence Prevention” webinar on January 18 to learn how health centers can support survivors of intimate partner violence and human trafficking. 

Donate items for trafficking survivors:

Throughout the month of January, the Philadelphia Commission for Women in collaboration with WOAR Philadelphia Center Against Sexual Violence will be collecting personal care items to be distributed to survivors of human trafficking.  

The donation drive is accepting full sized items from the following list: 

Donations can be dropped off to the Office of Public Engagement
City Hall Room 115
Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Accepting donations through January 31, 2023. 

For additional information contact Jovida.Hill@phila.gov