Can You Spot the Signs of Human Trafficking?

Anyone can help report human trafficking.  Contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline (NHTH), call 1-888-373-7888 or text HELP or INFO to BeFree (233733).  (Photo sourced from Department of Homeland Security)

Anyone can help report human trafficking. Contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline (NHTH), call 1-888-373-7888 or text HELP or INFO to BeFree (233733). (Photo sourced from Department of Homeland Security)

Youth for Human Rights National Office Director, Erica Rodgers explaining how human trafficking is a violation of Article 4 in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Youth for Human Rights Ambassador, Erica Rodgers, explaining how human trafficking is a violation of Article 4 in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

“What Are Human Rights?” educational booklet provided free of charge by Youth for Human Rights International

“What Are Human Rights?” educational booklet provided free of charge by Youth for Human Rights International

January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month. During the pandemic trafficking has increased. By knowing the signs, more can be done to stop trafficking.

By ensuring youth are confident and know how to protect their rights, we help prevent them from being the target of traffickers.”
— Erica Rodgers, Youth for Human Rights Ambassador
WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, UNITED STATES, January 12, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Police and government agencies say that human trafficking has increased during the pandemic. Now, more than ever, everyone has a role to play in combating human trafficking. Recognizing the signs of human trafficking is the first step to identifying a victim.

Youth for Human Rights International’s DC Chapter has continued to deliver training sessions online on how to spot the signs of human trafficking and increase awareness on the issue. This includes special training on how to be aware as a citizen, or even a parent, on how to spot key indicators of sex trafficking. Many victims of human trafficking are minors.

Signs of sex trafficking might include:

• Changes in school attendance, habits, friend groups, vocabulary, demeanor, and attitude
• Sudden appearance of luxury items, e.g., manicures, designer clothes, purses
• Sexually provocative clothing
• Tattoos or branding
• Refillable gift cards
• Multiple phones or social media accounts
• Lying about the existence of social media accounts
• Provocative pictures posted online or stored on the phone
• Unexplained injuries
• Social interaction and schedule being strictly controlled by someone else
• Isolation from family, friends, and community

Anyone can help report human trafficking by paying attention to the red flags listed above and reporting them in a timely manner. Individuals are cautioned not to approach traffickers themselves because they could put themselves in danger and jeopardize any future prosecution of the buyers or pimps. It is recommended to call the human trafficking hotline and report any suspected instances of human trafficking. It is better to call, and report suspected trafficking than not to report at all. By identifying victims and reporting tips, you are doing your part to help law enforcement rescue victims, and you might save a life.

National Human Trafficking Hotline (NHTH), call 1-888-373-7888 or text HELP or INFO to BeFree (233733).

You can learn more about the signs of human trafficking by reading other free resources provided by organizations such as Polaris Project.

Parents should know how to strengthen their child’s confidence and reduce their susceptibility to becoming trafficked. At a recent training session, Youth for Human Rights Ambassador Erica Rodgers stated, “A solid understanding of human rights breeds confidence in youth. Pimps and recruiters don’t target confident youth. They look for the shy and insecure youth. The ones they can manipulate and control. By ensuring youth are confident and know how to protect their rights, we help prevent them from being the target of traffickers.”

Youth for Human Rights International has been working to prevent human trafficking on a national and international level for well over a decade. Raising awareness of human rights is the necessary undercut to this and so many other human rights issues. Article 4 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states: “No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.” To read all of the human rights as listed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights go to: http://www.un.org/en/universal-declaration-human-rights

Online training and events on trafficking done by Youth for Human Rights has included speakers from Airline Ambassadors, the Mexico Coalition against Trafficking, Karana Rising, and other anti-trafficking organizations. For more on the signs of trafficking go to: https://www.youthforhumanrights.org/voices-for-human-rights/human-rights-abuses/human-rights-trafficking-awareness.html


About Youth for Human Rights:
Youth for Human Rights International (YHRI) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to teach youth about human rights, specifically the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and to inspire them to become valuable advocates for tolerance and peace. YHRI advocates for human rights both in the classroom and in nontraditional educational settings such as through art series, concerts, and other interactive community events, including regional and international human rights summits which bring youth together from across whole sectors of the world. Their most recent campaign has included #KnowYour30 with the deliberate purpose of increasing awareness of the 30 human rights every person has -- and how they are a part of everyday life. To learn more about human rights go to https://www.youthforhumanrights.org. For a documentary on Youth for Human Rights and its founder, go to https://www.scientology.tv/series/voices-for-humanity/mary-shuttleworth.html.

Press Office
Youth for Human Rights International - National Office
+1 202-667-6404
email us here
Visit us on social media:
Facebook

No Slavery

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.