

The State of Trafficking Today
Through education, awareness, and action, we aim to empower communities to be able to spot the signs and act.

What is Human Trafficking?
Human trafficking involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act. It is a multifaceted problem that affects millions of individuals worldwide, with its roots deeply entrenched even in the fabric of contemporary American society.

Spotting the Signs
Recognizing the signs of human trafficking is a crucial step in prevention.
High-risk factors include recent migration, substance use, mental health issues, involvement with the child welfare system, or being a runaway or homeless youth. Traffickers skillfully manipulate these vulnerabilities to foster dependency among their victims. Human trafficking can occur in plain sight, yet remains concealed in everyday locations such as construction sites, restaurants, elder care centers, nail salons, agricultural fields, and hotels.
Coercion tactics used by traffickers, including threats of deportation or harm to the victims or their families, can be so overpowering that victims may fear accepting help even when offered. Being aware of the indicators of human trafficking and understanding how to respond can empower you to trust your instincts and take action. Reporting these situations can initiate the help these victims desperately need.
Human Trafficking Indicators
Physical Signs
- Signs of physical abuse, malnourishment, or exhaustion
- Evidence of repeated substance abuse
- Unpaid or receiving very little for work done, excessive work hours, or doing dangerous tasks
- Lack of access to personal documents, such as ID or Passport
- Lives in poor conditions with employer
- Multiple people living in a cramped space
- Restricted freedom, unable to leave home or workplace as desired
Behavioral Signs
- Answers appear to be scripted or rehearsed
- Sudden changes in behavior: frequent absences, running away, or untruthfulness
- Avoids eye contact, unwilling or discouraged from speaking independently
- Submissive or fearful

Contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888

If you believe someone is in immediate danger, call 911
Human Trafficking Defined
Human trafficking is defined by the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) from 2000. It comprehends “severe forms of trafficking in persons” across two main dimensions:
Sex Trafficking
Sex trafficking covers situations where an individual is coerced, deceived, or forced into performing commercial sex acts. Sex trafficking also accounts for circumstances where the person engaged in such acts is a minor, emphasizing the egregious exploitation of those under 18, regardless of the presence of force, fraud, or coercion.
Labor Trafficking:
Labor trafficking involves recruiting, harboring, transporting, providing, or obtaining a person for labor or services, utilizing force, fraud, or coercion. The intended outcome of such illicit activities is to subject victims to conditions akin to involuntary servitude, peonage (a type of debt bondage), debt bondage more broadly, or outright slavery.
A critical insight from the TVPA is that the movement of the victim isn’t a requirement for an act to be recognized as trafficking. The crime encompasses both the physical and psychological means of exploitation that result in individuals performing acts against their will.
Fact Check
Did You Know:
82% Female Cases
Trafficking In the United States
Trafficking In New Hampshire

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