The Human Trafficking Program is charged with the overall direction of the state’s enforcement efforts against human trafficking in Texas. The Human Trafficking Program works with local, state, and federal agencies across the state and nation to identify, investigate, disrupt, and/or dismantle major human trafficking organizations.
Human Trafficking Hotline
People can receive help, report a tip, or request information or training by calling the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or by sending a text to BeFree (233733).
What is Human Trafficking?
Human trafficking is the use of force, fraud, or coercion in any type of labor exploitation or commercial sex act; or when an individual under the age of 18 is involved in commercial sex. It can happen to anyone, anywhere; occurs every day in every state; and often goes unnoticed by communities.
Recognizing the Indicators of Human Trafficking
Public awareness is critical to preventing and combating human trafficking, as these operations are often masked as legitimate businesses in highly visible areas. Traffickers tend to prey on the vulnerabilities of high-risk populations, like those experiencing homelessness, juvenile runaways, historical or active drug users, individuals with difficult or abusive home lives, and individuals with language barriers or a reason to want to avoid law enforcement personnel.
The following are possible indicators of human trafficking:
- A person appears to be under the control of another person either physically (someone else controls the person’s possessions, such as ID, money, or phone) or psychologically (little to no eye contract, unable to speak for themselves, or unable to make simple decisions without approval).
- A person has little to no awareness of their surroundings, including where they are or where they are headed.
- A person has untreated illnesses or infections, has visible injuries, or appears malnourished or sleep-deprived.
- A person’s clothing is inappropriate for the weather or environment or is dressed in a manner that does not appear age-appropriate or makes them appear older.
- A person is being transported to and from work by their employer.
- A person lives where they work or works excessively long or unusual hours.
- A person’s workplace has security measures that are unusual or excessive for the type of business (i.e., boarded or opaque windows, excessive number of security cameras, etc.).
The presence of one of the above indicators does not confirm an occurrence of human trafficking; however, the combination and context of indicators may indicate human trafficking pending law enforcement investigation. Thus, the public is encouraged to report incidents involving the above indicators.
If you see signs of human trafficking, call 911 immediately to report it and be ready to give as many details as possible.
Additional Resources
- National Human Trafficking Hotline
- Office of the Attorney General of Texas: Human Trafficking in Texas
Article source and photo credit: Texas Department of Public Safety
