Intro and disclaimer-
Having any of these factors does not necessarily mean a person is being trafficked. These are simply some *possible* indicators, ones that can also be caused by other challenges in life. Also, it’s important to note that not all victims of trafficking will appear to be young, submissive or scared. Trafficking victims can be male, female or transgender, and can be from the US or from another country.
Possible Indicators-
- signs of abuse– physical, sexual or psychological
- submissive body language
- avoids direct eye contact
- high anxiety, or extreme depression
- Injuries/bruising/signs of restraint. May not be in visible areas-covered by clothing, costumes
- dissociative/not present during sexual acts
- lack of control over money
- Not being paid directly, or is working to pay off a debt (wages possibly being withheld to pay off debt)
- Not allowed to keep any of earnings from work, all money handed over to someone else
- seems disoriented or isolated from “the outside world”
- not allowed to contact family, friends or other support network freely
- not allowed to attend religious services
- always accompanied by another person who seems controlling
- always dropped off/picked up from work
- may not be allowed to speak for self
- needs to check in with frequently with this other person
- has had family threatened if victim doesn’t cooperate/comply with demands
- had been threatened with deportation or arrest
- deprived, or limited access to basic necessities-food, water, sleep, medical care
- no identification – documents taken away or being held by someone else
- migrated voluntarily for other reasons, then tricked, forced, threatened, intimidated into prostitution
- has done prostitution before voluntarily, but now in coercive/dangerous situation
- limited understanding of English, only knows terms for sexually related conversation
- negotiations may be controlled by others
- coached on responses to authority figures (will always give exact same answers to certain questions)
- may have tattoos or branding to show ownership to trafficker
- moves around frequently, never stays in same city for long-or staff at club frequently rotated
- may work unusually long, or odd, hours
- may work in locations with unusually strict security measures (ie: bars on windows, barbed wire fences, security cameras, boarded up windows, etc.)
- states they are “just visiting” is unable to clarify where he/she is staying, or provide an address
- lack of understanding regarding where they are at, or what city/state they are currently in
- numerous inconsistencies in personal story
- for brothel workers: appears to live and sleep in the same location as s/he has sex with customers, or on the premises
The above list was developed by AIT Research with assistance from SexWorkersProject.org, xxxx, and xxxx.