January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month
Why now is the time to re-focus on this crime. In 2010, then President Barack Obama made a White House proclamation. In it he said, “During National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, we rededicate ourselves to preventing and ending human trafficking, and we recognize all who continue to fight this serious human rights violation.” President Obama went on to detail the global travesty that is human trafficking, calling on the world to stand firm in defense of freedom, and bear witness for those exploited by human trafficking. He recognized that while every country is making strides, we must [...]
Human Trafficking Campaign Combats Misperceptions of the Crime in Colorado
Learn the truth about human trafficking in Colorado Human trafficking is a crime that happens everywhere. Traffickers are criminals who operate in every country, including in the United States, and in Colorado. Despite its prevalence, it is misunderstood, many people are unaware that it is happening, or they don’t really know what it is. Human Trafficking is a crime involving the severe exploitation of another person for the purposes of compelled labor or a commercial sex act using force, fraud, or coercion, for some kind of benefit, often economic. Human trafficking consists of the denial of a person's human right [...]
Misperceptions About Human Trafficking: James’ Experience
Human trafficking in Colorado is often misunderstood. Many people do not believe that traffickers are operating here, or they don’t know what human trafficking really means. The Colorado Human Trafficking Council (“The Council”) has developed a campaign to raise awareness about all types of human trafficking in Colorado and to set straight many of the misperceptions. The Council’s campaign uses lived experience narratives, told from the perspective of someone who is being trafficked, to illustrate what human trafficking is, and how a trafficker can exploit anyone, often taking advantage of someone who is in a vulnerable situation, promising them something [...]
Misperceptions About Human Trafficking: Elena’s experience
Elena wanted to be loved. Instead, she was trafficked. The Colorado Human Trafficking Council (“The Council”) has developed a campaign to raise awareness about all types of human trafficking in Colorado. The campaign consists of lived experience narratives that are examples of the different types of human trafficking happening in Colorado. Some people may be aware that sex trafficking and labor trafficking exist. However, most people do not understand what human trafficking really is, how or where it occurs, or that traffickers, recruiters, and buyers are criminals who can prosecuted. Let’s look at Elena’s lived experience. Elena’s narrative, like all [...]
Misperceptions About Human Trafficking: Daniela’s Experience
Daniela hoped for a better life for herself and her daughters. Instead, they were trafficked. This is part of series from The Colorado Human Trafficking Council (“The Council”). The intention of The Council’s public awareness campaign is to call attention to all types of human trafficking in Colorado, and to educate our communities about what it is and how traffickers, recruiters, and buyers operate. The goal is, if we all know more, we can stop it, and prosecute the perpetrators. Daniela’s experience is heartbreaking. Her narrative is a composite of several different real cases of sex and labor trafficking and [...]