Common Misconceptions
Human trafficking does not happen in the U.S.
Human trafficking happens worldwide – every country, including the U.S. It happens in cities, suburbs, rural communities. It could be happening in your own community.
Human trafficking has to include movement across state lines or borders.
Transportation is not required for human trafficking. There are many times when trafficking of victims happens close to home.
Traffickers are just like the movies – they’re crime leaders and other people like that.
There isn’t one type of trafficker. While they can be part of organized crime, there are others you might not expect. They could be parents, other relatives, a boyfriend or girlfriend – traffickers could be anyone.
Victims are always foreign born and/or poor.
Victims can be any age, race, gender or nationality. They can come from any socioeconomic group too.
Human trafficking only refers to sex trafficking.
Sex trafficking is a big part of human trafficking, but it’s also not the only form. Forced labor is another form. It can be found in both legitimate and illegitimate businesses. Some industries that have had labor trafficking include sweatshops, massage parlors, agriculture, hotels, domestic servitude and more.
Victims of trafficking will ask for help.
We like to think that victims will automatically seek help. But this is not the reality for a number of reasons. Sometimes the coercion is so strong that people don’t identify as “victims”. Fear and self-blame can also be barriers for someone to seek help, often the result of continuous threats and manipulation by the trafficker.