The boom of the Jeffery Epstein sex scandal shed unwanted light on the state of Florida throughout 2019. Thanks to diligent reporting from the Miami Herald, the once prominent multimillionaire was shown to be in fact a malicious sex offender. Epstein was alleged to have sexually assaulted, raped, and even trafficked young girls within the sunshine state. (1)
However, a story from the Palm Beach Post in 2017 shows Epstein was not the only one within the state of Florida to engage in sex trafficking. In fact, experts fear that rates of human trafficking are increasing statewide. In 2016 alone, reports of human trafficking in Florida from the Florida Department of Children and Families increased by 54% from the year before (approximately 1,900 reports). (2)
What Is Human Trafficking?
Shelia Gomez, a director of one of the largest family service non-profits in Palm Beach, Florida, told local media outlets, “Human trafficking is something that can go on right before your eyes and you might not recognize it.” (2) But what are the true characteristics of human trafficking? Are there any telltale signs a person is being trafficked?
Under United States federal law, human trafficking is defined as soliciting, recruiting, harboring, transporting, or otherwise obtaining another person to exploit him or her for labor, domestic servitude, or sexual exploitation. Some advocates even discuss human trafficking in terms of modern slavery and see classified ‘buy-and-sell websites’ as vehicles for exploiters.
The majority of people who are trafficked are typically young and often down on their luck, leaving them vulnerable to would-be traffickers. But in truth, a victim of human trafficking can be really any age, gender, or race. Signs that someone may be trafficked include an inability to leave when he or she wants, lack of control over their identity, and no access to finances. (2)
The Statistics
In 2018, the National Human Trafficking Hotline and the Polaris Project shed a light on the work they have done in the state of Florida with regards to human trafficking. In the span of a year, they identified, received 1538 calls, identified 1771 victims, and managed 767 cases of human trafficking in the states of Florida. The most affected areas by human trafficking were Miami, Tampa, Palm Beach, and Fort Lauderdale. Sex trafficking was by far the most common type of trafficking statewide too. (3)
The reason for the uptake of human trafficking cases is currently unknown, but many suspect the full scope of the issue has yet to be uncovered. Human trafficking is significantly underreported, especially in the case of labor and among certain racial groups.
What To Do
Don’t underestimate your power as an observer. More often than not, a community member who has observed something out of the ordinary is the first to report cases of human trafficking. Tanya Meade, president of the Human Trafficking Coalition of the Palm Beaches, shared that, “The biggest thing we always encourage people to do is just educate themselves about the issue…If they see something that doesn’t look right or feel right, call the hotline.” The National Human Trafficking Hotline provides survivors of human trafficking with vital support and a variety of options to get help and stay safe. To report trafficking, either as an observer or victim, you can reach the hotline by calling 1-888-373-7888, texting HELP to BEFREE (233733), emailing help@humantraffickinghotline.org, or chatting online. (2, 3)
