Defining Human Trafficking
Under the Palermo Protocol, “trafficking in persons” is defined as the exploitation of an individual via a serious crime occurring both across borders and within a country. The exploitation of an individual is a grave violation of human rights, and has three components:
The act of:
- Recruitment
- Transportation
- Harboring or receiving a person
By means of:
- Threat
- Use of force, including violence and abduction
- Coercion through fraud, deception, or blackmail
- Giving or receiving payments to receive control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation
With the Purpose of:
- Having control over another person through:
- Prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation
- Forced labor or services
- Slavery or other practices of servitude
- Removal of organs
Victims of Human Trafficking
Anyone can become a victim of human trafficking. However, Polaris notes that some circumstances are considered to make an individual at higher risk for becoming victims of trafficking within the United States:
- Recent migration or relocation
- Runaway or homeless youth
- Children involved in the foster care system
- Substance use
- Mental health concerns
