Hancock County Prosecutor Brent Eaton
HANCOCK COUNTY — In observance of National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, Prosecutor Brent Eaton wanted to bring awareness to an issue he said sadly affects county residents, but is rarely discussed.
Eaton said human trafficking is a crime rarely making headlines, especially on the local level, and is a misunderstood issue seldom discussed. However, human trafficking affects millions of men, women and children worldwide, including those in the United States, Indiana and even in Hancock County.
“I just want to remind our county residents human trafficking is real, and if they are involved or suspect someone of being involved they should contact authorities immediately,” Eaton said.
Human trafficking is defined as the use of force, fraud or coercion to obtain labor or commercial sex.
“Human trafficking is a crime that is not on the radar of most people in our community,” Eaton. “While it is difficult to identify and stop, those factors also make it a prevalent issue all across the United States.”
Human trafficking can occur in any community and victims can be any age, race, gender or nationality. The latest statistics show Indiana ranks 23rd in the nation for human trafficking reports and is considered a real health and human rights issue.
Indiana reported 123 human trafficking cases, with 176 victims last year. Among these cases, 99 are related to sex trafficking, while 15 cases involve labor trafficking. The state’s central location and major interstate highways make it susceptible to trafficking, officials say.
The International Labor Organization estimates human trafficking is an illicit industry generating $150 billion annually, with about $99 billion coming from commercial sexual exploitation. An estimated 25 million people fall victim to forced labor globally, with 4.8 million trapped in forced sexual exploitation. The Global Slavery Index reveals that over 40 million individuals live in some form of modern slavery, including human trafficking.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, traffickers often use the following methods to lure victims, including violence, manipulation, false promises of well-paying jobs and even the promise of romantic relationships.
Lured by false promises, victims can become trapped in a situation from which they cannot escape. They are typically isolated and controlled by their traffickers. Eaton noted victims have great difficulty seeking help even in public settings due to language barriers as well as fear of both traffickers and the police.
Human trafficking affects all populations, including adults, children, men, women, foreign nationals and U.S. citizens and crosses all economic classes. However, women and children suffer disproportionately from trafficking, representing an estimated 80% of victims worldwide.
“Human trafficking is a problem that isn’t getting better with time – in fact, crimes involving human trafficking are increasing annually,” Eaton said. “I urge residents to educate themselves about this crime and to alert authorities if you suspect someone may be a victim.”
Effective public awareness and outreach efforts can lead to the detection of human trafficking cases, build public support for governments and communities to act, and ultimately help prevent human trafficking, Eaton said.
Anyone can join in the fight against human trafficking, Eaton said. That includes knowing the indicators of human trafficking through training. Eaton noted people can learn how human traffickers often target and recruit youth and who to turn to for help in potentially dangerous situations.
Some human trafficking indicators include: living with an employer, poor living conditions, multiple people in cramped space, inability to speak to individual alone, answers appear to be scripted and rehearsed, employer is holding identity documents, signs of physical abuse and submissive or fearful.
Report human trafficking to local law enforcement or the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-800-373-7888. For more information, visit the website http://humantraffickinghotline.org.
