Global Phenomenon, Local Impact
by Amy Snodgrass
This could be a photograph of a home in DuPage County. It’s not, but it could be. This home is located in a suburban community on the east coast. In this home, a young woman was enslaved as a domestic servant for years. A major misconception of human trafficking is that many people think it doesn’t happen where they live or where they work. However, what we’ve learned through our anti-trafficking efforts over the past couple of years is that if you open your eyes and look beneath the surface, you will find it.
Much of our anti-trafficking work has consisted of educating community members, human services providers, health department staff, hospital personnel, and law enforcement officials on the basics of human trafficking, identifying victims, and the resources that are available. And it never failed that after presentations, attendees would approach me and tell me about a particular client or situation they had encountered and now after having hearing our information, they truly believe it was trafficking – modern-day slavery right here in our backyards. People had situations in their professional lives as providers or staff members, but very often also in their personal lives. For example, they had eaten at this restaurant and thought it strange that there were cameras pointing towards the kitchen, or they had noticed that landscapers in their neighborhood were picked up and dropped off by a white van each and every day.
Of course, vague scenarios might or might not be human trafficking situations, but it is helpful to consider that in every case of trafficking that has been identified, it began with someone thinking to look beneath the surface. Victims of trafficking can be found in commercial sex, domestic situations, factories, construction, farming, landscaping, hotel or tourist industries, janitorial services, and restaurant services – all industries right here in DuPage County. Also, it is important to remember that victims are not just from other countries, but can be born and raised right here in the United States. Keep in mind, indicators of a potential human trafficking victim include evidence of being controlled, evidence of inability to move or leave job, bruises or other signs of physical abuse, fear or depression, not speaking on own behalf and/or non-English speaking, no passport or other forms of identification or documentation (http://www.acf.hhs.gov/trafficking/). If at any point you do suspect you have encountered a human trafficking situation, call 1.888.3737.888 – if the victim is in immediate danger, please call 911 (http://www.polarisproject.org/what-we-do/national-human-trafficking-hotline/the-nhtrc/overview).
On a global scale, the work against trafficking may seem overwhelming. But if you start to look at the issue on a local level, there are real opportunities for you to fight human trafficking. You can start by learning about human trafficking. Learn the basics from sites like ours and the Polaris Project (www.polarisproject.org). Explore what everyday items you consume that might be tied to human trafficking by consulting a new website funded by the State Department, http://www.slaveryfootprint.org/. Support businesses that refuse to use forced labor, slavery, human trafficking, and child labor (http://www.free2work.org/). Share this important information with your friends, family, co-workers, faith community, etc.
We’ve included some basic information about trafficking as well as tips for identifying victims in the Emerging Projects portion of this website. Keep your eye on the site for updates regarding new resources, legislative acts, local cases, and more. Remember that you are critical in the fight against human trafficking, and continue to look beneath the surface!
- Tags: Emerging Projects
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