There is no way we can effectively summarize this problem on one page on the internet. We will seek to highlight certain areas that you may or may not have know are avenues the Traffickers are using and signs to look for expanded.

How are Trafficking Victims obtained in the first place?

There are so many methods really. It is hard to cover them all. It can be as simple as an Uncle or family member having the right criminal ties and selling their family member.

Here in the U.S. there are numerous instances of drug addicted parents selling their children for drugs and money to support their drug habit. There was a case in a Florida high school where a trafficking team had a female member that looked young for her age and their goal was to insert her as a student and find/befriend a pretty but social outcast as a victim. They succeeded in inviting her to a fake sleepover. But by the grace of God, she was rescued before the could sell her in Mexico.

There was another case where a girl who was talked out of proceeding to her boarding school and going to party beachside in Miami instead. She did what a lot of teenage girls did and accepted the plane ticket to Miami. After the party, her Trafficker put her to work. She tricked for her trafficker and was even sold to another trafficker and moved to New York before she was rescued six months after that.

Another case involves a young minor girl who's mother and boyfriend would charge people in cash and drugs to use her. She reached out online to a so called pastor who helps abuse victims. He used others to transport her to where he lived out of state. He then coerced the mother into signing guardianship over to him. Shouldn't have been too hard with possible threat of what they had done to their daughter. And then began her new nightmare with him as he coerced her into posing for gothic porn, stripping at two local clubs and into a sexual relationship with him. At 18, she finally reached out to Julie Shematz from Beauty from Ashes and Dottie Laster of Laster Global consulting. This was actually the first rescue that The Defender Foundation was involved in.

These two cases of course were Domestic minors. Overseas victims are obtained in many ways. The various mafias and organized crime syndicates are very involved in Human Trafficking overseas. Latest intelligence reports have Russian Organized Crime controlling a minimum of 70% of the banking systems in Eastern Europe and Russia. Trafficking victims are obtained for both Labor and Sex Trafficking. Fake employment agencies with actual storefronts, flashy video presentations, brochures, the works, present employment opportunities abroad and education opportunities for your children. With the worldwide economic crisis making some families choose who eats or who leaves, these education opportunities abroad seem like a godsend.

These different methods of obtaining victims will meet the same results. At some point in their journey, they will be drugged, beaten, broken in and sold.

They come in by air and by boat. The Defender Foundation investigates both Labor and Sex Trafficking cases. We have sources that tell us how girls come in by cargo container in our southern ports.  They are drugged for the journey and placed on wooden racks inside. Then resold to organized crime syndicates and 1%er Motorcycle clubs for transport and further sales.

We have heard people say that it couldn't happen here and the numbers surely must be inflated. The thing is, the number are if anything very conservative. It is happening here and at a frightening rate. U.S. Law Enforcement knows that runaways, misfits, outcast and foster care system runaways are at risk here domestically. Now, they are starting to suspect that many of these are sold through Human Trafficking clearing houses in Mexico for shipment abroad. It is time to wake up and do something about this plague.

Hotel workers should be on the lookout for both sex and labor trafficking victims. Now, many cases the signs are similar to smuggling participants. Human smuggling is different as it always involves a violation of a nation's sovereignty and the participants are willing. However, many times what starts out as a willing participant, ends up as an unwilling trafficking victim as they find themselves in massive engineered debt, designed to hold them captive, they are not free to go, or they will just be outright sold. The things to look for in this area are panel type vans backed into their parking spots to obscure tags. Young girls or workers who are absolutely escorted everywhere they go. The victims will not make eye contact usually and if so, only very briefly. You may also notice that young girls may be dressed inappropriately or provocatively. While this is noticed in social and fashion trends lately, the submissive nature of the girls will be an immediate indicator. Their trafficker will also hold all ID and will speak for the victim if they are spoken to by someone else. We know there are rolling brothels where 4-8 victims will be transported in secrecy and set up in a hotel, trailer or house for a day or two, then move on.

Some of what you though were drug trafficking, may be sex trafficking instead. Things to look for are Johns (People who use prostitutes or Trafficking Victims) lined up. Girls transported in or out in the middle of the night, locks on the outside of windows or plywood windows on a bedroom. The Johns are typically notified of when they will be in the area and also have cards that are from everything from fake restaurants to fake beauty salons to call when girls will be available, We are finding the average age reported in our area of operations is around 15-16. We know it is younger overseas but we think many of these are purchased first before they get this far.

If you are a service provider that enters people's homes, such as public and private utilities, paramedics, etc. there are other sign to look for inside. Waiting areas set up with chairs. In the bedrooms there will be few things in the closet. Most everything a trafficking victim has can fit in a small backpack usually, at least for the mobile ones. Other things will be tokens at bedside. Trafficking victims are not allowed to keep money. So the Johns purchase a token and gives this to the girls (or young boys). This is how the victim keeps track of their customers. They can also have tote sheets and other tokens include items such as marbles, poker chips, etc. You will also notice that many times the bed is just a mattress on the floor and you will notice locks or reinforced locks on the outside of the bedroom doors. You will also notice a lot of fast food remnants.

Medical care providers, you should know that it is estimated that around 25% of trafficking victims are bought for care in our medical system. Most sex trafficking victims have about a 3-5 year shelf life until they are dead from abuse, untreated illness or suicide. Signs to look for include some of those mentioned before, such as the trafficker speaking for the victim, the victim not making eye contact. Refer to the Victim Help page for questions to ask a suspected trafficking victim. Also looks for brandings and tattoos of men's names on the neck or shoulders. Tattoo Artist, you can look for these signs as well and become a major stop to this. Usually though they will use a trusted tattoo artist.

One of things you have to remember is that these are not prostitutes. Prostitution implies some sort of willingness and participation in the decision. Now, we understand that life is sometimes hard and leads to some to decide this is what they have to do, and we are not talking about that. Also, saying that a girl is free as soon as she pays off some large unrealistic debt is just ludicrous. The deck is stacked against her ever paying the debt off through further debt and company store strategy . Grow up, she is not free to go, the debt is a tool and it is used to manipulate the victim into thinking if they just work hard enough, they will get out of this.

We also know that strings of 4-8 girls will tour through strip clubs in the state. They will have a handler who they give their money to. They will not speak to other girls and if a customer ask them about their accent, they will usually deny even having one. Most of the actual managers of the clubs do not realize these girls may be trafficking victims and generally look upon their role as a protector of the girls in their clubs. Many also do not know that the actual owners are Organized crime or gang or motorcycle club affiliated. This ignorance is useful in maintaining a legitimate facade for the business.

The last part of the problem we want to address for now is the Demand. There of course would not be a problem if there was not a demand for it. A majority of this demand is from men. Men, we have a natural duty to be protectors. As we have been given on average, more strength and the role of protectors in our family, we need you to embrace the role given to you. We want to give you a cold hard reality check. that young 10 year old to 15 year old, has no great desire to be a playtoy for you and endless others. Isn't it much more likely she has been coerced into this and that you are contributing to her hell? And your use of the victims, encourages more victims to be captured and sold, on behalf of you and your actions. Human trafficking victims are in great demand at our major sporting events and activities. We want you to understand when you go on that convention, or your Superbowl trip, overseas trip, Olympics, etc., that you need to take a stand as a protector, as a man, and that you will not support in anyway, an industry that leads to the victimization of captives and raping of children. We are telling you right now, no more lame justifications, listen to that inner voice that tells you that you know this is wrong, wake up and be a man.