Human Trafficking is

a crime wherein someone severely exploits another person for the purposes of compelled labor or commercial sex using force, fraud, or coercion.

severe exploitation

a crime against human rights that occurs when someone prohibits or denies the individual choices, freedoms, and dignity of another for personal gain.

compelled labor

when someone forces, manipulates, or coerces an individual to work or provide a service against their will and/or without pay, under threat of punishment.

commercial sex

any sex act on account of which anything of value is given to or received by any person.

force

includes physical restraint, physical harm, sexual assault, beatings, monitoring and confinement.

fraud

includes false promises about employment, wages, working conditions, love, marriage, or a better life. Unexpected changes in work conditions, compensation, debt agreements, or the nature of a relationship.

coercion

includes psychological manipulation and fear-inducing threats such as shaming, confiscating identification or other documents, causing serious harm to the individual or their family members, or threatening to report to authorities in order to prevent someone from leaving.

Lived Experiences
Human Traffickers

operate in Colorado

Human traffickers operate in every country, state, city, and town. It’s happening right now in Colorado, maybe even in your community. It’s difficult to know, because human trafficking often goes unrecognized, or it’s underreported because victims are afraid, or they don’t understand what is happening.

Human Trafficking

is a crime

We want justice for victims, services and support for survivors, and prosecution of buyers and traffickers. If you suspect labor trafficking or sex trafficking is happening to you, or someone you know or have seen, get help now.

Human Traffickers

can target anyone

Traffickers find vulnerable people and use them. Circumstances like poverty, an unstable living situation, lack of support, social and cultural inequalities, addiction or substance use, or previous trauma or victimization, are a few of the contributors that can put someone at risk.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

Antonio

Came to the U.S. to pursue a promising opportunity.

An account of an organized labor trafficking ring in the restaurant industry.

Brian

Needed a job and a group to belong to.

An account of labor trafficking in the traveling sales industry.

Daniela

Hoped for a better life for her family.

An account of labor trafficking in the hospitality industry.

Elena

Wished for someone to love her.

An account of sex trafficking and organized crime.

James

Wanted to get out of debt.

An account of labor trafficking in the agriculture industry.

Luke

Was looking for a home and people like him.

An account of a large-scale sex trafficking ring.

WHAT YOU CAN DO