Renewal House

What is Human Trafficking?

Human trafficking is the modern-day form of slavery. Traffickers use force, fraud, or coercion to trap women, children, and men into the trafficking world. Victims commonly find themselves in situations like agricultural work, domestic servitude, and prostitution. These are some of the more common industries but trafficking can be found in any line of work.

Key dynamics

There are three key elements to human trafficking. The first is the process. This being how the trafficker was able to obtain the victim. Next is the means. This is where the trafficker will use force, fraud, or coercion to lead the victim into trafficking. Finally it is the end. This is the reasoning for trafficking the victim. To send them into slavery, debt bondage, sex trade, etc.

Trafficking Victim Protection Act (TVPA) 2000, defines labor and sex trafficking as:

Labor trafficking

• Labor trafficking is the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purposes of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery, (22 USC § 7102).

        Sex trafficking

• Sex trafficking is the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for the purposes of a commercial sex act, in which the commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such an act has not attained 18 years of age, (22 USC § 7102; 8 CFR § 214.11(a)).

Common Indicators

• Has no control of their own money
• Shows signs of battering. Bruises/marks
• Lacks personal identification
• Is not allowed to be out on their own
• Non-English speaking
• When you do talk to them their answers seem coached
• Their boss provides them with drugs, or alcohol, or a place to live.
• Does not know work or home address
• Owes a significant debt to the employer
• Works under surveillance
• If foreign-born and they do not know their date of immigration to the US.

If you suspect you or someone you know may be a victim to human trafficking, or if you would like more information, please call Renewal House at 315-379-9845. We are here to provide the support you need.

Renewal House is participating member of the New York State Labor Trafficking Program along with the St. Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office, Erie County Sheriff’s Office, Erie County District Attorney’s Office, International Institute of Buffalo (IIB), and the Western NY Coalition of Migrant Serving Agencies.  Funding for this 3-year (2022-2025) program is possible through the Howard G. Buffett Foundation