Stop 1: Human Trafficking

What Is Human Trafficking?

We define human trafficking as moving someone into slavery. Evidence of trafficking exists when a person does not have the power to refuse work. Trafficking victims are subjected to the worst forms of exploitation, and they are robbed not only of the fruit of their labor but also of all the rights and freedoms that human beings are endowed with by nature. The inhumanity of the abuse, the violent and destructive nature of the crime, and the sheer volume of the problem lead us to believe that human trafficking is one of the greatest injustices in the world today. Clearly, human trafficking is a stark violation of human rights. It is illegal everywhere. However, there are pockets of the world where people trade in slaves with impunity, where the financial incentives are greater than the risks. It is estimated that approximately 1,000,000 people are trafficked each year globally and that between 20,000 and 50,000 are trafficked into the United States, which is one of the largest destinations for victims of the sex-trafficking trade. Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery in which traffickers use force, fraud, or coercion to control victims for the purpose of engaging in commercial sex acts or labor services against a person's will. It affects every community in the United States across age, gender, ethnicity, and socio-economic backgrounds. Simply put, anyone can be a victim of human trafficking. Not only are victims trafficked in other countries, they are also our children, our teenagers, and our young adults. Knowledge is power and together we can raise awareness of the crime of human trafficking to help victims and stop traffickers. Did you know that Florida ranks #3 out of all states in the Country for incidents of Human Trafficking? Not only that but Palm Beach County ranks #3 out of all Counties in the State for suspected cases of Human Trafficking. In fact, Human Trafficking cases in Palm Beach County have included both sex and labor trafficking, both child and adult victims, and both foreign and domestic born.