Human Trafficking
The Child Advocacy Center began leading the Gainesville community response to commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) in 2009 with a program encompassing collaboration, prevention and treatment.
We currently provide outreach and services to children exploited in sex trafficking to help them escape dangerous lives at the hands of traffickers and predators.
We are members of the Alachua County Coalition Against Human Trafficking
What is Human Trafficking?
Human trafficking is a form of modern slavery — that denies freedom to 20.9 million people globally. And it’s happening in Florida right here in Gainesville. All trafficking victims share one essential experience: the loss of freedom.
In 2016, the Human Trafficking Hotline reported the following statistics for Florida:
- 1,623 calls received
- 550 cases reported
- 401 cases were related to sex trafficking
- 169 cases involving a minor
Get Help for Victims of Human Trafficking
Are you or someone you know being trafficked? Is human trafficking happening in your community?
Recognizing potential red flags and knowing the indicators of human trafficking is a key step in identifying more victims and helping them find the assistance they need.
To request help or report suspected human trafficking,
call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text HELP to: BeFree (233733)
Common Living and Working Conditions:
The Individual(s) in Question
- Is not free to leave or come and go as he/she wishes
- Is under 18 and is providing commercial sex acts
- Is in the commercial sex industry and has a pimp/manager
- Is unpaid, paid very little, or paid only through tips
- Works excessively long and/or unusual hours
- Is not allowed breaks or suffers under unusual restrictions at work
- Owes a large debt and is unable to pay it off
- Was recruited through false promises concerning the nature and conditions of his/her work
- High security measures exist in the work and/or living locations (e.g. opaque windows, boarded up windows, bars on windows, barbed wire, security cameras, etc.)
Poor Mental Health or Abnormal Behavior
- Is fearful, anxious, depressed, submissive, tense, or nervous/paranoid
- Exhibits unusually fearful or anxious behavior after bringing up law enforcement
- Avoids eye contact
Poor Physical Health
- Lacks health care
- Appears malnourished
- Shows signs of physical and/or sexual abuse, physical restraint, confinement, or torture
Lack of Control
- Has few or no personal possessions
- Is not in control of his/her own money, no financial records, or bank account
- Is not in control of his/her own identification documents (ID or passport)
- Is not allowed or able to speak for themselves (a third party may insist on being present and/or translating)
Other
- Claims of just visiting and inability to clarify where he/she is staying/address
- Lack of knowledge of whereabouts and/or do not know what city he/she is in
- Loss of sense of time
- Has numerous inconsistencies in his/her story
This list is not exhaustive and represents only a selection of possible indicators.
Learn more at http://www.traffickingresourcecenter.org.
Provided by the Polaris Project