Signs You’re Being Trafficked (And What to Do)
If you’re reading this post because something doesn’t feel right about your situation, I need you to know this: you’re not crazy. That uneasy feeling in your gut? Trust it. You might be noticing signs of human trafficking. If someone told you about a “great opportunity” that now feels like a trap, you’re not alone. If you thought you were in love but now you realize you’re being controlled, you’re not the first person this has happened to. If you came here for work but the job is nothing like what was promised, you’re not imagining things. What you’re experiencing might be human trafficking. And if it is, there is a way out. There is help. There is hope. This post could save your life or the life of someone you love. Please read every word. What Human Trafficking Actually Looks Like Let’s start by destroying the biggest myth about trafficking: it’s not always dramatic kidnappings by strangers. In fact, that’s rarely how it happens. Most trafficking victims know their trafficker before the exploitation begins. It might be a romantic partner who seemed perfect at first. It might be a family member. It might be someone who offered you a job. It might be a friend who said they could help you. (See research on coercive control in trafficking relationships.) Traffickers are experts at manipulation. They know how to identify vulnerable people and they know exactly what to say to gain your trust. By the time you realize what’s happening, you’re already trapped. (Read more about grooming and control tactics.) Here’s what trafficking actually looks like in South Africa and around the world: it’s the domestic worker who isn’t allowed to leave the house. It’s the young woman who thought she was getting a waitressing job but ended up in a brothel. It’s the teenager whose “boyfriend” is now forcing her to have sex with other men. It’s the farm worker who hasn’t been paid in months and can’t leave because his employer has his documents. Trafficking is about control, coercion, and exploitation. It’s about someone taking away your freedom and using you for their profit. And it can happen to anyone. Are You Being Trafficked? The Warning Signs I’m going to walk through the indicators of trafficking based on information from A21, one of the world’s leading anti-trafficking organizations. As you read these, pay attention to your gut. If multiple signs apply to your situation, you need to reach out for help immediately. (See full indicators from UNODC and survivor-informed research from OSCE.) Someone Else Controls Your Life This is the foundation of almost all trafficking situations. Ask yourself these questions: Does someone else have your identification documents? Your passport, ID book, birth certificate, or other papers? Are they “keeping them safe” for you? This is a massive red flag. Traffickers take documents to prevent victims from leaving or seeking help. Does someone speak for you or translate on your behalf, even when you could speak for yourself? Do they answer questions directed at you? Do they insist on being present for all your conversations? This is about control. Are you in constant communication with someone who monitors you? Does your phone ring constantly when you’re away from a certain person? Do you have to check in multiple times a day? Do they track your location? Do they get angry if you don’t respond immediately? Are you financially, emotionally, or chemically dependent on someone? Do they provide your food, housing, drugs, or emotional validation? Have they made you completely reliant on them so leaving feels impossible? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you’re experiencing controlling behavior that could be trafficking. Your Living and Working Situation Doesn’t Add Up Do you live and work in the same place? Are you sleeping where you work? In the back of the restaurant, the room behind the massage parlor, the farm where you labor? This often indicates exploitation because it makes it nearly impossible to leave or have any life outside of work. Are your living conditions overcrowded, dirty, or unsafe? Are you sharing a small space with many people? Do you lack basic necessities like clean water, proper food, or a safe place to sleep? Are you not free to come and go as you please? Do you need permission to leave? Are you threatened if you try to go somewhere? Are you locked in? Do you have to ask for basic things like using the bathroom? Are you underpaid or not paid at all? Has your employer told you that you owe them money for housing, food, or transportation? Are deductions being taken from your pay that weren’t part of your original agreement? Are you working without receiving any compensation? Are you working excessively long hours without breaks? Fifteen-hour days with no rest? Quotas you must meet before you can stop? Threats if you slow down or ask for time off? Is the work different from what you agreed to? Did you think you were coming to be a nanny but you’re being forced to do something else? Did the job description completely change once you arrived? Were you promised one thing and given another? Have you been told you’re working to pay off a debt? This is called debt bondage and it’s a form of slavery. You do not owe your trafficker anything, no matter what they’ve told you. If multiple items on this list describe your situation, you are likely being exploited. How You Feel and How You’re Treated Sometimes the signs of trafficking aren’t about external circumstances. They’re about how you feel and how others treat you. Are you fearful, anxious, or constantly on edge? Do you feel like something terrible will happen if you disobey or try to leave? Have you been threatened? Has your family been threatened? Do you feel hopeless, trapped, or desperate? Have you lost all sense of a future? Do you feel like there’s no way out? Have you
