wise words
human trafficking
MODERN DAY
SLAVERY
IN OUR OWN BACK YARD
“Kathy was a smart college student, receiving
a scholarship to Tufts University. She had lots of
friends and enjoyed school. Some of those she
befriended, she assumed were students. They were
at the cafeteria, library—everywhere students
would go. They asked Kathy one day if she wanted
to go with them to a jazz festival in Chicago. Kathy
agreed; sounded like fun! They traveled to Chicago,
and that’s where her life changed. They entered
a hotel room where she was beaten, tied up and
pumped full of drugs. Her whole life changed that
day.”
Human trafficking, or modern day slavery by force or coercion
for labor or sex, is the fastest growing criminal industry in the
world, currently ranking between weapons sales and drug sales.
ACCORDING TO CNN, PIMPS WILL
TATOO THEIR VICIMS WITH A
LOGO LIKE BRANDING
You may assume that sex trafficking is not a big problem in our
corner of the world, but the truth is that the southeast is a key
area for human trafficking; 40 percent of the major hubs in the
United States are in the southeast. In many cases, victims are in
plain view.
SOBERING NUMBERS
14,500-17,500 people are trafficked in the U.S.
each year.
80% of them are trafficked for sexual exploitation.
80% of those are female.
50% percent are children.
40% OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING
IS IN THE SOUTHEAST.
12-14 YEARS OLD is the average age of entry into
sex trafficking
40% of those sold in the sex industry are
UNDER THE AGE OF 18.
Sources: www.the-wellhouse.org, www.dosomething.org
16 |
Summer 2017
www.potentialmagazine.com