How Texans can Aid in Human Traffic Prevention

If you didn't know, January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month. Texas Health and Human Services says that the Lone Star State has the second highest number of human trafficking cases among the 50 states. Dallas is also one of the top cities nationwide in cases of human trafficking.

So, what can Texans do to help in the fight for prevention of such a heinous act? Well, thanks to Texas DPS, we have tools that can assist us in spotting cases of human trafficking and put an end to them.

Help Fight Human Trafficking

This horrible act of forcing individuals who are often under the age of 18 into commercial sexual acts is happening in every state and often goes unnoticed by communities.

Within the past year, Texas DPS recovered 446 human trafficking victims and arrested 874 suspects as a result.

They stress that public awareness is crucial to combatting human trafficking. In fact, it's common for these criminal organizations to mask themselves in public areas that prey on the homeless, juvenile runaways, drug users, or individuals living in abusive homes.

DPS provides common indicators of human trafficking that all Texans can keep an eye out for:

• Someone is visibly under the physical or psychological control of another (like being unable to have ID or make decisions without approval)
• Someone has no awareness of where they are or where they are travelling to with their companion
• Someone is clearly suffering from an untreated illness, infection, or sleep deprivation
• Someone is not dressed in appropriate clothing for the weather or for their age
• Someone is taken to and from work by their employer, and the workplace has an excessively high amount of security coverage

Obviously, many of these examples could just be coincidental, but it's always a good idea to make a mental note whenever you spot any of these indicators in public.

If you see someone that you believe is involved in human trafficking, either voluntarily or unwillingly, call 911 and report it immediately. Give the dispatch as many identifying details as possible.

Other ways you can help is by making a report on iWatchTexas or calling the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.