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Experts say many people still have misconceptions about what trafficking looks like and who can become a victim.
The Houston Area Women’s Center says Houston ranks number one for human trafficking, a distinction no city wants to claim.
According to advocates, human trafficking does not always involve someone being physically restrained or held against their will. Instead, victims may experience isolation, abuse, coercion, labor exploitation, or manipulation within relationships.
Samantha Ledezma, director of the Trafficked Persons Assistance Program at the YMCA of Greater Houston, says one warning sign can be labor exploitation.
“Maybe it starts off as labor exploitation with wage theft. Maybe they’re not getting breaks at work. Maybe they live where they work. If there are unhealthy relationship dynamics, control, or coercion happening in that relationship, those are things we pay attention to,” Ledezma said.
The YMCA of Greater Houston created the Trafficked Persons Assistance Program to help identify and support victims. Ledezma says trafficking often develops through vulnerability and exploitation, making it difficult for many people to recognize.
She also warns people to be cautious of job offers that seem too good to be true.
“If you’re meeting someone who says, ‘Hey, I have this great job,’ but then you show up to the job and it’s not paying what they said, or it’s not looking like what they said, and maybe the conditions aren’t looking anything close to being safe, that’s a great way to sound off those red alarm systems that we have internally to say, ‘Okay, something’s not right here,’” Ledezma said.
As Houston prepares for an influx of visitors during the World Cup, city leaders have launched awareness efforts aimed at helping people identify potential trafficking situations and victims.
Advocates say another common myth is that victims are always locked away or completely cut off from society.
In reality, many continue to participate in everyday activities while experiencing trafficking behind the scenes.
“What I’ve actually seen is that folks who are being trafficked are engaging in the community. Sometimes they’re going to medical appointments, sometimes they’re going to a food pantry. Sometimes they’re still actively going to school, and if it’s someone who’s an adult, they’re still engaged in their routine with their kids,” Ledezma said.
Experts say that reality can make trafficking much harder to identify.
They encourage community members to pay attention to warning signs such as isolation from family and friends, sudden behavioral changes, signs of physical or emotional abuse, controlling relationships, and unsafe or exploitative working conditions.
If you suspect someone may be a victim of human trafficking, help is available through the City of Houston Human Trafficking Hotline at 832-393-1010.