Victims face significant challenges in escaping trafficking, seeking help and accessing services. Some examples of barriers they face (which their traffickers typically leverage to keep them from leaving):
- Getting away from their traffickers may pose very real physical safety threats;
- They may view their traffickers as their only family;
- They may have very limited options for economic survival;
- They may have a lack of awareness of available help or how to access it;
- They may have limited or no English proficiency, making it difficult to communicate with others, seek help and survive economically;
- They may be isolated from others and/or lack familiarity with the area where they are living; and/or
- They may fear law enforcement or other legal authorities.
Additional barriers may arise at the community level when responders are not fully prepared to help trafficking victims. In addition, some trafficked populations may face institutional barriers or discrimination when seeking help.
The information in this section is drawn from a WVFRIS Sexual Assault Services Training Academy (SASTA) course, Human Trafficking 101 for Advocates.