Human trafficking is all around, here are things to look for
Despite being a crime that includes numerous warning signs — human trafficking hides in plain sight.
With January being National Human Trafficking Prevention & Awareness Month various organizations and events intend to shine a light on this crime against humanity. The N.J. Office of the Attorney General and Division of Criminal Justice will hold its annual Human Trafficking Awareness event on Thursday, Jan. 25th, 2024 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the War Memorial in Trenton.
A “Truths about Human Trafficking” message intends to inform participants about ways to identify and take on this issue.
— A total of 2,027 persons were referred to U.S. attorneys for human trafficking offenses in fiscal year 2021, a 49% increase from the 1,360 persons referred in 2011.
— The number of persons prosecuted for human trafficking more than doubled from 2011 to 2021 (from 729 persons to 1,672 persons, respectively).
— Of the 1,197 defendants charged in federal court for human trafficking offenses in fiscal year 2021, 92% were male and 60% were white. Of the 201 defendants charged with peonage, slavery, forced labor, and sex trafficking in fiscal year 2021, 77% were male and 58% were black.
— At yearend 2021, 1,657 persons were in the custody of a state prison serving a sentence for a human trafficking offense.
According to the Polaris Project and its National Human Trafficking Resource Center and Innocents at Risk, warning signs exist for human trafficking. Some indications that a person may be a victim of human trafficking include (especially in the case of women and children):
— Appearing malnourished — Showing signs of physical injuries and abuse
— Avoiding eye contact, social interaction, and authority figures/law enforcement
— Seeming to adhere to scripted or rehearsed responses in social interaction
— Lacking official identification documents
— Appearing destitute/lacking personal possessions
— Working excessively long hours
— Living at place of employment
— Checking into hotels/motels with older males, and referring to those males as boyfriend or “daddy,” which is often street slang for pimp
— Poor physical or dental health
— Tattoos/ branding on the neck and/or lower back
— Untreated sexually transmitted diseases
— Small children serving in a family restaurant
— Security measures that appear to keep people inside an establishment — barbed wire inside of a fence, bars covering the insides of windows
— Not allowing people to go into public alone, or speak for themselves.
In September 2016, Polaris released a report that revealed how human trafficking at bars, nightclubs, and cantinas represented a widespread problem in the United States — and particularly among Hispanic and Latino communities.
Despite knowing this reality, Trenton officials press for more bars and various changes to expand liquor license availability. On Jan. 21, 2022, detectives from the State Police Missing Persons & Human Trafficking Unit obtained information that a juvenile was being trafficked out of a residence on Hudson St. in Trenton.
Later in the day, detectives along with members of the State Police T.E.A.M.S. Unit, K-9 Unit, Crime Suppression Central Unit, Trenton Police Department, and United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) executed a search warrant at the residence. As a result, detectives located two female victims inside the residence and arrested Daniel Bonito Camara, 55, of Trenton and Edy Villeda Estrada, 39, of Trenton.
In May, numerous law enforcement agencies executed warrants at several other Trenton residents and found nine additional female victims. Detectives found evidence that they were smuggled into the United States under the pretense they would be provided legitimate employment. In totality, eight men were arrested and charged with various crimes connected to human trafficking, including prostitution.
“The trafficking of human beings is horrific, particularly when it involves the sexual exploitation of vulnerable women and girls lured to this country under the promise of a better life,” said then Acting Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin. “We are committed to working with the State Police and our law enforcement partners to arrest human traffickers and rescue their victims from the shadows, where these crimes occur.”
Residents can learn how they can impact positive change on this issue by attending this conference. Find registration and additional information for this human trafficking event at www. njoag.gov/ht-day.