Every year thousands of men, women, and children are victims of human trafficking in all countries around the world. These people are abducted, threatened, or forced to perform acts of labor, prostitution and other acts of sexual exploitation. As a nation we need to stop human trafficking by reporting all incidents immediately, spreading public awareness of this disturbing problem and looking for warning signs of it.

In the last eight years more than 21,000 incidents of human trafficking have been reported. The International Labour Organization estimated a staggering 20.9 million victims worldwide. Anytime a person suspects human trafficking going on he/she should report it to the human trafficking hotline immediately. By reporting to the human trafficking hotline, people can help the victim get out of his or her’s situation. If someone reports a human trafficking incident, this act could be saving a person’s life.

To spread more awareness of human trafficking people need to be aware of the facts. The most common type of human trafficking is sex trafficking. Women are the most common victims of sex trafficking. We should inform and educate others about the dangers of human trafficking if they don’t already know. Let others know about the facts of human trafficking. If we do this then people can be more aware of the problem and can help stop it.

Common signs of a human trafficking victim are depression, anxiety, submissive acts and paranoia. This person also avoids eye contact or becomes panicked when law enforcement is a topic of discussion. This person usually lacks healthcare and appears malnourished.

While some may say there is enough awareness about human trafficking, the truth is if there was enough public awareness it wouldn’t be one of the largest illegal crime organizations in the world.

To stop human trafficking citizens need to spread more public awareness by holding a rally or spreading more awareness of the human trafficking hotline. Americans need to let victims know they are not alone and that they can get out of their situation.