Our Humans of the Anti-Trafficking Movement Campaign Returns on a Monthly Basis!
In January, we brought you the #HumansOfTheAntiTraffickingMovement campaign. Inspired by Humans of New York, we canvassed the Chicagoland area to find out how people's lives might impact and be impacted by human trafficking. Starting now, we'll be bringing this back on a monthly basis.
"I have worked with one youth who was a victim of trafficking. I know homeless youth are more likely to trust a stranger offering them food and shelter. They essentially have nothing to lose and perhaps fall into it due to broken promises made by their perpetrators. If someone discloses to us, for starters, we believe them. We don't question them and we make that individual feel safe. We have emergency hotline resources we’ve been recommended to use. I would personally pass along those resources if ever needed."
- Isis, Community Wellness Advocate
The facts: In a recent survivor survey conducted by Polaris, 64% of people reported being homeless or experiencing unstable housing at the time they were recruited. Traffickers are able to exploit potential victims’ fear of sleeping on the street by offering them safe shelter to recruit them into trafficking. The National Hotline has also documented cases of traffickers targeting homeless shelters as recruitment grounds. Believing a survivor, validating their experience, and giving them a safe space are all critical steps in their journey to healing.