Who is at risk of being trafficked?
Human trafficking is “fueled by a demand for cheap labor, services and for commercial sex. Human traffickers are those who employ force, fraud, or coercion to victimize others in their desire to profit from the existing demand” (NHTRC).
Although there are certain people who are at a higher risk of being victimized, human trafficking is fueled by the demand for commercial sex. Two of the biggest reasons human trafficking persists is the low risk and high profits that accompany it.
THOSE WHO ARE AT RISK OF BEING TRAFFICKED ARE:
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Poor or homeless youth (a study found that 56% of women trafficked were runaway youth initially); there are 1.7 million runaway cases in the United States.
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Individuals who have experienced abuse or trauma in the past (Traffickers can recognize vulnerability left behind by these experiences)
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Foreign nationals (32% of trafficking-related calls involved foreign nationals)
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Children who have been in foster care: The Child Welfare Information Gateway found that 60% of runaway youth had been under the care of social services or foster care.
This is by no means an exhaustive report of the characteristics of those who have been trafficked. Survivors of human trafficking have come from all socio-economic backgrounds, races, ethnicities, nationalities, etc.