Trafficked: Slavery and exploitation by another name

ADOBE STOCK

North Carolina is ranked ninth in the United States for reported human trafficking activity according the state Department of Administration.

North Carolina is a top state for human trafficking and Charlotte is its hub, according to the state Department of Administration.

North Carolina is ninth in the United States for human trafficking, which is defined as the control, exploitation, or transportation of people for commercial sex acts, labor or services. The state was previously No. 11 on the list.

January is National Human Trafficking Awareness Month.

Sexual and labor exploitation happens in all parts of North Carolina and state officials point to its expansive interstate highways, large and transient military population, agricultural areas with a high demand for cheap labor, and growing gang activity as conduits.

“North Carolina does consistently rank in the top 10 states for reports of human trafficking,” said Kayla Leonard, a community outreach and training specialist with Hope for Justice in Charlotte. “Now, that doesn’t necessarily mean that more trafficking is happening here – it is just being reported. But there are factors that lead to that increased trafficking activity, mostly our large highway system. It creates a lot of easy and inconspicuous access from Miami up to New York, as well as highways across the states. That just give you easy transport to other regions within the nation.”

In 2021, 223 suspected cases of trafficking in North Carolina were reported to the National Human Trafficking Hotline. State-funded victim service agencies in reported serving 392 survivors in fiscal year 2021-22. Because human trafficking often goes unreported, the true number of cases is likely much higher.  

In the U.S., human trafficking typically falls into two categories: forced labor and sexual exploitation. Children are especially susceptible to becoming victims of both, whether in sweatshops or the agriculture industry or the sex trade where teenagers are more likely to have already been physically and/or sexually abused by a trafficker.

According to a report by the Charlotte Metro Human Trafficking Task Force covering 2020-22, 61% of identified cases involving minors were confirmed cases of sex trafficking while 38% were suspected sex trafficking. According to the task force, on average children were 14.5 years of age when trafficked for the first time.  

The ZIP codes with the most cases reported during that span were in north and west Charlotte: 28269 (17), 28208 (16), 28213 (12), 28216 (11) and 28212 (10). Those areas – part of the city’s crescent – have more economically-distressed communities than the wedge of more affluent southeast Charlotte neighborhoods.

“The thing about human trafficking is that people who face oppression systemically are more vulnerable to being victimized as well,” Leonard said. “I think that’s why it is important to understand that the vulnerabilities we look at in trafficking are experienced by populations across the globe.”

Accurate statistics, anti-trafficking advocates contend, is far from complete, primarily because of underreporting. According to the Charlotte Metro Task Force: “Even with the passing of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act in 2000, reliable and timely data about cases of trafficking in the United States is still difficult to solidify due to the lack of cross-communication among stakeholders and the ability to share data.”
Exploitation can occur in plain sight, which anti-trafficking advocates warn often happens from out of the way spaces such as rural farms or industrial factories to urban streets and the internet.  

“Also, another big draw for sex trafficking is large sporting events,” Leonard said, “and Charlotte has most of the professional sports teams here and with that draws in big sporting events as well. I think that would definitely contribute to Charlotte ranking as the number one city for human trafficking reports in the state.”

Warning signs of trafficking, according to Shared Hope International:

• Indication of physical abuse such as burn marks, bruises or cuts

• Unexplained absences from class

• Less appropriately dressed than before

• Sexualized behavior

• Overly tired in class

• Withdrawn, depressed, or distracted  

• Brags about making or having lots of money

• Display of expensive clothes, accessories or shoes

• New tattoos, which are often used by pimps as a way of branding victims. Tattoos of a name, symbol of money or barcode could indicate trafficking.

• An older boyfriend, girlfriend or new friends with a different lifestyle

• Talks about wild parties or invites other students to attend parties • Signs of gang affiliation, such as a preference for specific colors or notebook doodles of gang symbols.

If you suspect human trafficking, call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1 (888) 373-7888.

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