Former President Barak Obama first declared January as National Human Trafficking Prevention Month in 2010. According to the U.S. Department of State, every year since, the president follows the tradition of proclaiming the month as such.
It is estimated that 27.6 million people are exposed to and forced into human trafficking around the world. This includes the trafficking of both adults and children, which happens in all areas, including the U.S.
Internet Safety 101 published a guide titled Sex Trafficking 101, which informs that the internet and social media has created more ways for traffickers to find victims. Along with finding children who are susceptible to others and vulnerable in their current situation, traffickers look for children who are easily accessible through different means, and internet access is the biggest one. In fact, more than half of the victims were lured online.
Because of this, Kathy Hatem, the senior communications adviser to Enough is Enough, says that there are signs that people can look for.
"Some of the things that people can be on the lookout for would be things like looking withdrawn. Maybe they're feeling or acting very secretive about their activities, whether it's their phone or internet use," informs Hatem.
She says that these signs could be found in someone’s own child or someone they see out on the street or in a restaurant.
"They may have signs including – especially if you're talking about your own child – weight changes, they look overly tired or sleepy, or even evidence of actual, physical abuse," states Hatem.
At home, Hatem recommends that parents see whether their children are isolating themselves more from family or showing signs of psychological stress.
"These are all some initial indicators, and we list a lot more things on our website at InternetSafety101.org," says Hatem.
Human trafficking may be something that people think happens in urban areas, but Hatem says human trafficking is happening in all 50 states, even in rural areas.
"It's happening to people of all ages, backgrounds, and locations," says Hatem. "That's why it's critical that we all have our eyes open to this issue and are willing to be able to educate ourselves about the topic so that we cannot only be aware but also be in a position to respond if need be."
