is modern-day slavery. It involves the use of force, fraud or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act. Human trafficking is a discreet crime, as victims rarely come forward due to language barriers and fear. Traffickers use force, fraud, or coercion to lure their victims and force them into labor or commercial sexual exploitation. They prey on victims who are in vulnerable situations, such as economic, immigration status, and little or no social safety net.
Sex Trafficking is the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, obtaining, patronizing, or soliciting of a person for the purposes of a commercial sex act, in which the commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such an act has not attained 18 years of age, (22 USC § 7102).
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 purposes of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery, (22 USC § 7102).
- The victim acts fearful, anxious, depressed, submissive, tense or nervous/paranoid.
- The victim defers to another person to speak for him/her.
- The victim has few or no personal possessions.
- The victim shows signs of abuse (physical & sexual).
- The victim can’t freely contact friends or family.
- The victim has limited freedom to socialize, has unreasonable security measures.
- The victim is working excessively long and/or unusual hours.
- The victim’s salary is being garnished to pay off a “fee.”
- The victim has been forced to perform sexual acts.
- The victim is a juvenile engaged in commercial sex.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
- Take Action! Visit Freedom Cry, which provides many resources and ways to educate yourself and others about human trafficking. Also check out their resources on how to monitor your children (think cell phone and the internet).
- 15 Ways to Help Fight Human Trafficking
- How To Talk To Your Children
- Sex Trafficking Tool For Parents and Teens
If you suspect a person may be a victim of human trafficking, please contact;
- Local Law Enforcement- Sheboygan Police Department: (920) 459-3334
- Local Law Enforcement- Sheboygan County Sheriff’s Department: (920) 459-3112
- Homeland Security Investigations Tip Line: 1-(866) 347-2423, or www.ice.gov/tips
If you are a victim, there IS HELP! Contact,
- Emergency? DIAL 9-1-1
- Sheboygan Police Department: (920) 459-3334
- Freedom Cry, 3120 S Business Drive, #209: (920) 395-4110
- SOLACE Hotline: (414) 797-3047. Local help in Sheboygan. You can call or text this number.
- SOLACE Support Group: (414) 393-1325
- National Human Trafficking Hotline: 1-(888) 373-7888
- Safe Harbor, 929 Niagara Avenue: (920) 452-7640
- Lotus Legal Clinic
2018 UNTOLD STORIES MAGAZINE-Organized by LOTUS Legal Clinic, the Untold Stories Program, brings awareness and healing to survivors of sexual or domestic violence or human trafficking.