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What are signs of human trafficking that police often notice?

Jul 9, 2020 | Sex Offenses

Human trafficking can either be sex or labor-oriented and affect both adults and children. Victims can be any age or gender and have any citizenship, residency or immigration status.

A person may be a victim of sex trafficking if someone brings them into the commercial sex act trade by coercion, force, fraud or while they’re a minor. Commercial sex acts take the form of prostitution or pornography.

Labor trafficking involves the recruitment, harboring or coerced transportation of an individual for the explicit purpose of work. If someone forces or defrauds another individual into debt bondage, involuntary servitude or slavery, then they may face human trafficking charges.

There are many instances in which domestic servitude victims work in isolated places such as homes and private compounds.

Human traffickers often single out individuals that hail from areas where there is high unemployment, poverty and rampant crime as their victims. They also target those who come from areas with political unrest or corruption and those who experience discrimination, a lack of cultural acceptance and issues with their citizenship status.

It may be difficult to spot signs of human trafficking in a general public setting. However, in some industries, the signs may be more noticeable.

Health care providers might notice that a person has significant injuries. They may also recognize that a patient fears communication with them in a hospital setting.

Hotel workers may see a high number of different individuals coming in and out of the same hotel room.

Truckers may become aware of individuals dressed suggestively. It may raise red flags that they’re victims of human trafficking if they appear to offer sexual services along heavily congested truck routes.

Both Florida and federal officials have begun cracking down on human trafficking in recent years. The penalties associated with a conviction of the sort are quite stiff. You owe it to yourself to find an experienced attorney to represent you here in Tampa if you’re facing human trafficking charges. Your lawyer can advise you of defense strategies that you can pursue in your case for the best results.

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