January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month

Human trafficking can be defined as the force, fraud, or coercion used to exploit a person into slave labor. The more information we gather on human trafficking, the more we realize the myths that are out there that can be harmful in bringing awareness to this important topic. Let’s examine 3 common myths about human trafficking:

Myth #1: Human trafficking only targets female victims and survivors

-          FALSE. Human trafficking targets ALL genders, males, females, and LGBTQ individuals.

Myth #2: Human trafficking and domestic violence are the same

-          FALSE. The difference between human trafficking and domestic violence are that human trafficking requires an exchange of something valuable (money, shelter, food, protection, etc.) in exchange for sexual exploitation. Domestic violence does not.

Myth #3: Victims of human trafficking are unable to leave due to physically being locked in or held against their will.

-          TRUE AND FALSE. While this is true in some situations, many trafficking victims can leave but may stay for multiple reasons such as having nowhere to go and no money to get there, lack of basic necessities/transportation, and fear for their own safety.

All year around, Friend to Friend provides human trafficking trainings in Moore County and across the state. There’s no better time than Human Trafficking Awareness month than to get started on educating yourself and those around you! To schedule a training or get some more information, you can email our Community Educator Darilyn at darilynf2f@gmail.com or call (910) 947-1703.