The Stakes in Wisconsin's Supreme Court Race Are High. Here's Why.
Anti-Gunner Organization Just Made the Case for Trans-Identified People to Own Firearms
Here's What's at Stake for Republicans in Wisconsin's Supreme Court Elections
Iran Loads Up Missiles After Trump Issues Threat
Pam Bondi Dismisses Biden-Era 'Jim Crow 2.0' Lawsuit
Colorado Far From Finished Infringing on Gun Rights
How the Left Downplays Politically-Motivated Crime As Just Protests
More 'Extremely Dangerous Criminals' Have Been Sent to El Salvador
Dems Say Wisconsin Is Not for Sale. Walker Hits Them With the Facts.
The High Cost of Coastal Litigation: A Threat to Louisiana’s Economy and Trump’s...
DOGE Will Look Into Lawmakers Who Became 'Strangely Wealthy'
Another Poll Shows Democrats in Disarray Over How the Party Is Handling Trump
Trump's Answer to a Question About a Third-Term Is Sure to Trigger the...
Here’s Why the LA Times Is Suing Mayor Karen Bass
Scott Jennings Goes Up Against Former Pentagon Spokesperson on 'Signalgate'
OPINION

On World Day Against Trafficking In Persons, Can You Spot Signs of Trafficking?

The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Townhall.com.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Interpol via AP

Does the movie "Taken: come to mind when you think of human trafficking with a well-organized global syndicate of criminals snatching teens from high-class apartments in broad daylight? The reality is that a trafficker is online at this very moment grooming a teen to enter a life of servitude unwittingly. 

Advertisement

Traffickers do not fit a specific mold; they can be organized groups to sole individuals, from family members to massage parlor owners, not one trafficker is exactly like the other.  I have been interviewing those in the trafficking field for several months. There is a shared thread among their view of traffickers; the traffickers look at victims as commodities to sell, essentially dehumanizing them. 

Can you spot a trafficking victim? The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) provides key warning signs of potential trafficking victims.  Some characteristics they talk about are; multiple cellphones, hotel keys, the presence of a controlling male/female, a history of running away, and tattoos or branding.  No, a hotel key and tattoos do not mean a person is trafficked. Instead, it means each potential case needs to be looked at individually. 

Kara Smith, a targeting analyst with the non-profit counter trafficking organization DeliverFund, recently discussed trafficking victims.  Smith said, “They didn’t believe they were the victim. They thought it was their fault because the traffickers make it seem that way.”  

The COVID-19 pandemic did not stop human traffickers from exploiting their victims for profit. On the contrary, it likely put more potential victims at risk. Traffickers prey on the vulnerable.  Scouring the internet from Snapchat to TikTok to Instagram and elsewhere, looking for a way to find a way into the victim’s life.  Once they find an opening, they exploit it any way they can; through sympathy, gifting, support, etc. 

Advertisement

Yes, human sex trafficking is rape for sale; it is industrialized rape.  Does the fact that traffickers sell children and teens for rape make you mad? Does it make you want to take a stand? It should.  It is World Day Against Trafficking in Persons Day, and we must do more to recognize trafficking that could be happening next door.  We must end human trafficking while also demanding resources for victims to help them become survivors and beyond. 

To find out more about human trafficking, go to the NCMEC site at www.missingkids.org. To report information about a missing or exploited child, call our 24-Hour Call Center: 1-800-THE-LOST  (1-800-843-5678)

Dr. Jason Piccolo (@DRJasonPiccolo) is a former Border Patrol agent, ICE special agent, and DHS supervisor. He is a former U.S. Army Captain (Operation Iraqi Freedom) and host of The Protectors Podcast.  

Join the conversation as a VIP Member

Recommended

Trending on Townhall Videos