Human Trafficking Where We Live?
January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month in the United States. There are many misconceptions about what human trafficking is. So, let's get a clear definition: human trafficking is a crime where a person is exploited and/or forced to work a job or perform a sex act. The person being trafficked is not allowed to make choices for themselves. There is a misconception that prostitution, which is legal in some places, is the same as human trafficking. When sex work is a personal choice, it is not classified as human trafficking. When a person is being sexually exploited, this is a crime. Prostitution of a person is always illegal when the victim does not have freedom about what is being done to them. Human trafficking robs millions of women, children and men of their dignity and freedom.
When a child under 18 is forced or coerced into sexual exploitation, it is always a criminal act which is also considered child abuse. Traffickers are master manipulators and prey on weaknesses using vulnerabilities to their advantage. This is especially true with children. Psychological pressure, lies and promises - which may be interpreted as love or support - are used to control, intimidate and sexually exploit children and adults for their benefit. A predator’s relationship to their victim may even be parent, lover, friend, relative, making the issue more complex.
The nature of this crime is covert and often connected with other criminal activities like drug trafficking and gang activity. Worldwide, the estimated number of people enslaved is between 27 and 40 million people - adults and children - subjected to human trafficking around the world, including in the United States. Traffickers often take advantage of instability, financial and other vulnerabilities in order to exploit someone for financial gain.
Most nations around the world have agreed to the UN’s protocol to “Prevent, Suppress and Punish” acts of Trafficking in Persons. Only ten nations in the UN have yet to comply to the international standard taking steps toward prevention of human trafficking, protecting victims and cooperating internationally to fight this crime which is global. With these worldwide efforts, trafficking continues, even in the United States. January’s National Human Trafficking Prevention Month is a call to action, for all Americans, to recognize the vital role everyone can play in combating all forms of human trafficking.
In 2024, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children reported that 1 in 7 of the more than 29,000 cases of children reported missing to NCMEC in 2024 were likely victims of child sex trafficking. The average age of child sex trafficking victims reported to NCMEC was 15 years old.
Las Vegas has ranked in the top 10 cities for human trafficking cases for many years. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department focuses on the criminal activity surrounding human trafficking keeping watch for victims and partnering with anti-human trafficking groups across the valley. In 2023, LVMPD identified 124 child sex trafficking victims: 119 female and 5 male.In the same year, LCMPD investigated cases with 148 adult victims of sex trafficking: 144 female, 4 male. More than one third of victims were between 18 – 24 years old.
The factors that make children and young adults most vulnerable to traffickers are being homeless or runaway and being part of the foster care system or a broken home. Other situations that create vulnerabilities are disabilities affecting mental capacity or ones that impair social skills. Children that are abused, lonely, and outcast are also vulnerable to their tactics. Traffickers will exploit innocence and any weakness. One of the best defenses for our children is to raise them in a loving and supportive home.
Research done by Arizona State University on sexual exploitation in Las Vegas, from 2011 to 2021 are informative. They reported that the LVMPD Vice unit investigated 902 sex trafficking cases. These investigations resulted in the identification of 966 adult victims of sex trafficking and 26 who were under the age of 18.
Join us in standing against the crime of human trafficking. You can help survivors transition into new full lives when you buy products made by survivors at Hope Co., support the non-profit work at HopeCo. Global, and other trusted organizations in the fight against exploitation. Link
LINKS to LEARN MORE:
2025 Human Trafficking Prevention Toolkit
Learn more about preventing Human Trafficking, download this free report published by the Department of Health and Human Services.
National Human Trafficking Prevention Month
Department of Health and Human services information about January Human Trafficking Prevention Month and the Presidential Proclamations since it’s beginnings in 2010
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
Polaris Project
Founded in 2002, Polaris is named for the North Star, which people held in slavery in the United States used as a guide to navigate their way to freedom. Today we are filling in the roadmap for that journey and lighting the path ahead.
National Human Trafficking Hotline
1-888-373-7888 TTY: 711 Text 233733