Wear Blue Day is January 11
January 11th is National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, and the Department of Homeland Security is asking us all to wear blue, the international color of human trafficking awareness. The US Department of State notes that there are an estimated 27.6 million victims worldwide at any given time, with human traffickers preying on people of all ages, backgrounds, and nationalities.
Many victims are children. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received more than 18,400 reports of possible child sex trafficking in the US in 2023. No child is immune to being targeted and not all trafficked children are missing. They could be attending school, returning home, playing sports, or participating in family activities. A trafficker could be a child’s peer, a family member or a counselor, recruiting wherever youth gather, including shopping malls, restaurants, parks, schools, group homes, businesses, public transportation systems, and you can always find them in online platforms.
Remember, Human Trafficking is not just exploited women and children, and it’s not limited to the sex or drug trade. Labor Trafficking is all around us in daycare facilities, salons, restaurants, hotels, farms, and factories. It’s men, women, and even children, forced to work because of debt, immigration status, threats and violence.
Surprised? How well do you understand Human Trafficking? Here are common myths and misunderstandings about Human Trafficking, courtesy of Homeland Security.
Myth: Human Trafficking only exists in foreign countries, not in the US.
Fact: Human trafficking exists in every country, including the United States. It exists nationwide—in cities, suburbs, and rural towns—and possibly in your own community.
Myth: Human trafficking victims are foreign-born and poor.
Fact: Human trafficking victims can be any age, race, gender, or nationality. They may come from any socioeconomic group or class at all levels of education, income, and occupation.
Myth: Human trafficking is only sex trafficking.
Fact: Sex trafficking exists, but it is not the only type of human trafficking. Forced labor is another type of human trafficking; both involve the exploitation of people. Victims are found in legitimate and illegitimate labor industries, including sweatshops, massage parlors, agriculture, restaurants, hotels, and domestic service.
Myth: A person must be forced or coerced to be a victim
Fact: Under U.S. federal law, any minor under the age of 18 who is induced to perform commercial sex acts is a victim of human trafficking, regardless of whether he or she is forced or coerced.
Myth: Human trafficking and human smuggling are the same.
Fact: Human trafficking is not the same as smuggling. “Trafficking” is based on exploitation and does not require movement across borders. “Smuggling” involves consent to be moved across a country’s border in violation of its immigration laws. Human smuggling can turn into trafficking, however, if the smuggler uses force, fraud, or coercion to hold people against their will for the purposes of labor or sexual exploitation.
Myth: Victims will seek help when in public
Fact: Human trafficking is often a hidden crime. Victims may be afraid to come forward and get help; they may be forced or coerced through threats or violence; they may fear retribution from traffickers, including danger to their families; and they may not be in possession of or have control of their identification documents.
Join the fight. Take photos wearing something blue and share them on social media with #WearBlueDay. Follow @DHSBlueCampaign on Facebook, X and Instagram for more information about #WearBlueDay and campaign efforts throughout the year.
Don’t be afraid to report any suspicious behaviors or messages; contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.
