The murmurs of sex trafficking stories and paranoia have been polluting the air of college life, and for a legitimate reason. This issue has become more prevalent now than ever before, with the statistics for these cases on the rise. Sex trafficking involves the sexual exploitation and coercion of humans, and is essentially a form of modern day slavery. There are currently an estimated 40.3 million victims across the world, and this industry is only growing more and more every day. It could happen to anyone, including you.

There are 313,000 victims in Texas.

The plague of human trafficking has even breached the small town of College Station. This act of crime is a detriment to our society’s safety and a corruption of our human rights. The side kick to this atrocity in our town, the “Texas Triangle”, allows the traffickers to travel along the interstate to cross through Texas and throughout the country. The “Texas Triangle” is the most highly trafficked area in the nation, with College Station located right in the heart of it. This convenient location gives traffickers the opportunity to move victims across state lines or across the border at a rapid rate. An approximated 20% of all human trafficking victims cross through Texas, making it a hot spot for this crime. These statistics are alarming and enact a fear so deep rooted that it is only natural to ask the question: “What do I do?”.

Sex trafficking can go unnoticed to the untrained eye, the traffickers have a way of deception to get their way. While trafficking is most commonly associated with kidnappings, the other methods used are not always as obvious. Traffickers use grooming techniques to make victims perform their desired actions. Victims of trafficking often do not know they are the victim. These traffickers have a wide range of tactics that they employ to obtain their target; physical violence, emotional abuse, and financial manipulation are just a few methods. The AMP Model is used to determine if the situation is a form of human trafficking. Action, Means, and Purpose are the three columns of the model, and at least one aspect of each column must be present for the situation to be classified as human trafficking . The main target of sex trafficking are marginalized members of society, the vulnerable, and unnoticed. However, this does not mean that they are the only victims: in order to be safe, all precautions are necessary.

I have heard countless anecdotes and warnings of how sex traffickers can “get you” within the past year and it is still hard to believe. Stories of zip ties on car door handles and people hiding under cars are seemingly brushed off, but the key to being safe is being aware. Sex trafficking is rarely clearly visible; being cautious of your surroundings and the people you interact with is a necessity. This article on sexual assualt includes ways to protect yourself and others while out and about.

If you or someone you know has a suspicion about trafficking, do not be afraid to reach out. The National Human Trafficking Hotline can be reached 24/7 in over 200 languages at 1-888-373-7888. This resource can provide the support needed to deal with trafficking situations or the potential of one.

For more information on human trafficking, the Blue Campaign is a national public awareness resource that is designed to educate the public on indicators of human trafficking and what actions you can take. The ultimate key is to trust your instincts; if a situation makes you uncomfortable, trust your gut and act accordingly.

Written by Chloe Pham, Photography: Cullen Powitzky, Social Media: Sudiksha Pai

Behind the Curtains