Identifying the signs of Human Trafficking

On 30 July we commemorate World Day against Trafficking in Persons. This year’s theme focuses on the role of technology as a tool that can both enable and impede human trafficking, namely ‘Use and abuse of technology’. Cooperation with the private sector is important to harness innovation and expertise for the development of sustainable, technology-based solutions to support the prevention and combatting of human trafficking. Everyone can help with the fight against Human Trafficking by learning the types of trafficking and paying attention to the people around us.

Ways you can help fight Human Trafficking

· Learn the indicators of human trafficking. Human trafficking awareness training is available for individuals, businesses, first responders, law enforcement, and federal employees, among others.

· Call the South African National Human Trafficking Hotline. If you believe someone may be a victim of human trafficking, call the 24-hour Hotline at 0800 222 777.

· Be a conscientious and informed consumer. Encourage companies to take steps to prevent human trafficking in their supply chains and publish the information, including supplier or factory lists, for consumer awareness.

· Volunteer and support anti-trafficking efforts in your community.

· Meet with and/or write to the leaders in your community to let them know you care about combating human trafficking and ask what they are doing to address it.

· Be well-informed. Set up a web alert to receive current human trafficking news.

· Host an awareness-raising event to watch and discuss films about human trafficking. For example, learn how modern slavery exists today; discover how forced labour can affect global food supply chains.

Control methods in trafficking in persons

Success for traffickers only comes if they can control their victims, as by definition, a victim of trafficking does not consent to what is happening to them. In some cases, it may appear that the victim consents, but closer investigation shows that the consent was rendered irrelevant using coercion, fraud, deception, or other improper means.

Control is maintained in several ways. The methods include:

· Violence and threats of violence

· Deception

· Imprisonment

· Collusion

· Debt bondage

· Isolation

Traffickers will frequently use a blend of control measures. This blend will vary according to the individual victim, the type of trafficking, the stage of the trafficking process, the nature of the location, and opportunities presented by circumstances. It is important to remember that just because a victim has not been assaulted it does not mean that they are not being controlled.

Together we can work toward the end of modern slavery.