Help BCA stop human trafficking: Learn the signs and how to report it
Jan. 5, 2023
Imagine this: Your friend gets offered a job that sounds too good to be true. They take it, but when you see them again, you learn their new employer isn't paying them while also making threats to their safety.
Are they being trafficked for their labor? Do you know how to report it if they were?
Throughout January – Human Trafficking Awareness Month – our Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) is working to make sure Minnesotans know the warning signs and
how to report suspected human trafficking.
Human trafficking can
take many forms, but it is defined in Minnesota state law as the sale of a person for the purpose of sexual acts or forced labor.
The federal Department of Justice estimates that 14,000 to 17,500 people are trafficked in the U.S. every year. Exact trafficking numbers are challenging because you can have a single victim and a single trafficker associated with hundreds of buyers, but experts say the incidents we're aware of may be just the tip of the iceberg.
“We are working every day with local and federal partners to end human trafficking in Minnesota. Educating people about the signs and how to report suspected trafficking can help stop this terrible practice that preys upon some of the most vulnerable Minnesotans," said BCA Superintendent Drew Evans.
The fight against human trafficking is one we can win, but only if we all work together. The Human Trafficking Investigators Task Force is led by the BCA and includes investigators from St. Paul and Minneapolis police departments, Anoka and Hennepin County sheriff's offices, Homeland Security Investigations and the Ramsey County Attorney's Office.
Task force members work in partnership with more than two dozen affiliate agencies to assist local, state and federal criminal justice organizations to identify incidents of human trafficking and apprehend and aid in the prosecution of those who commit these crimes. We also partner up with
The Polaris Project, which operates the National Human Trafficking Hotline.
While the work these groups do is important, we can't stop trafficking without help from the public.
You can help stop trafficking by knowing the warning signs and risk factors. Trafficking situations can be difficult to recognize because it is most often a combination of indicators, but warning signs include:
-
Withdrawn, afraid to talk, communication is censored
- Not attending school on a regular basis
- Unexplained new clothing, money, jewelry
- Branding (tattoos of a crown, the word “daddy," etc.)
- Explicitly sexual social media profile image
- Involved in a relationship with an older man or woman
- History of running away or homelessness
- Little/no eye contact
- Inconsistent story
- Drug addiction
Risk factors for labor trafficking include:
- Recent relocation
- Economic hardship
- Unstable housing
- Criminal history
- Substance abuse
No single sign can definitively identify human trafficking. The most important thing to look for is a pattern of control by a trafficker over one or more people. Remember, it's better to report suspected trafficking and be wrong than to ignore it and be right.
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger of being trafficked, call 911. To report a suspected trafficking situation, call the BCA at 877-996-6222 or email bca.tips@state.mn.us.
Survivors of human trafficking can find support through Safe Harbor Minnesota and the Day One Crisis Line at 866-223-1111.
