The Truth About 5 Human Trafficking Myths

The Truth About 5 Human Trafficking Myths

Amanda Rodriguez, a member at Chesapeake Conference’s Spencerville church in Silver Spring, Md., recently became the advisor on human trafficking policy for the Maryland Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention. She sets the record straight on this heinous industry:

Myth: Human trafficking requires crossing country or state borders. Truth: It occurs whenever someone is forced to perform a service or sexual act through force, fraud or coercion. Trafficking can occur in someone’s own home; it does not require movement at all.

Myth: Human trafficking occurs to those in other countries or to foreign-born people. Truth: A large portion of it actually occurs to domestically born victims. In fact, domestic children are especially at risk.

Myth: Human trafficking occurs only in urban areas. Truth: Trafficking occurs in all types of locations. It is truly the crime next door and could occur everywhere. It has been called the “invisible” crime because victims are often not hidden from the public, but it is difficult to identify.

Myth: Sex trafficking is the most prevalent type of slave trade. Truth: Sex trafficking investigations get a lot of press but the majority of slavery is labor trafficking. See how your decisions affect slavery around the world at slaveryfootprint.org.

Myth: Human trafficking is not a problem. Truth: Due to its underground nature, it is hard to quantify. However, trafficking has been classified as an emerging crime trend on the East Coast and is more prevalent than earlier estimated. For information about your state, visit polarisproject.org.

Read more articles from the December issue

December Feature: Laughing Out Loud
The Truth About 5 Human Trafficking Myths
Underscore: Have Adventist Vegetarians Turned Into Carbotarians?
Making a Better Bread
December Sunset Calendar
Read the December Bulletin Board