It is essential that all responders in human trafficking cases employ a victim-centered, trauma-informed approach. See the website section on approach to victims.
Indicators of Human Trafficking
For trafficking victims who come into contact with rape crisis center advocates and other allied professionals but who don’t self-identify as victims, recognizing key indicators of human trafficking is the first step in identifying these individuals as trafficking victims and offering them targeted resources to meet their specific needs.
Key indicators to help recognize human trafficking victims (Blue Campaign):
- Work/living environment: Does the person have freedom of movement? Can the person freely leave where they are living? Is the person living in unsuitable conditions? Has a child/ teen stopped attending school? Is a child/teen engaged in commercial sex acts?
- Mental health/behavior: Has the person had a sudden or dramatic change in behavior? Is the person disoriented or confused or showing signs of mental or physical abuse? Is the person fearful, timid or submissive?
- Physical health: Does the person have bruises in various stages of healing? Does the person show signs of having been denied food, water, sleep or medical care?
- Lack of control: Is the person often in the company of someone to whom they defer, or someone who seems to be in control of the situation (e.g., where they go or who they talk to)? Does the person appear to be coached on what to say? Does the person appear disconnected from family, friends, community organizations or houses of worship? Does the person lack personal possessions and appear to lack a stable living situation? Do they take unreasonable security measures?
Awareness and education initiatives can help community members recognize human trafficking victimization, take a more active role in addressing the problem and help direct trafficking victims to appropriate services.
Addressing Dual Needs
A comprehensive community response to individual sex and labor trafficking cases involves addressing the needs of the victims and working to stop human traffickers.
- A wide scope of assistance is often needed to address the complex needs of a human trafficking victim.
- Stopping human trafficking usually starts with identifying potential human trafficking situations and victims, and then, if and when a case is reported, facilitating justice system interventions.
| Potential Needs of Victims | Potential Needs—Criminal Justice Process |
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To respond to these needs, a variety of stakeholders must be engaged in the effort.
An External Resource: For information on the different types of assistance that human trafficking victims may need and some related resources, see OVC/BJA’s Human Trafficking Task Force e-Guide, Section 4.4. Comprehensive Victim Services.
Two WV Resources for Legal and Immigrant Aid
- Legal Aid of West Virginia (Main office: 304-343-4481, business hours, 922 Quarrier St., Charleston, WV 25301). Individuals seeking civil legal aid generally must meet income guidelines established by the federal government and legal issues must fall into general priority areas such as those affecting safety, livelihood, access to benefits and other basic life needs. To complete an intake application for services: call 1-888-255-4370 during business hours. To listen to the law line, call 1-888-985-2948. Legal Aid’s services can be accessed statewide through its partnership with the state’s rape crisis centers.
- Catholic Charities of West Virginia: Immigration Services (Two offices: (1) 304-343-1036, 1116 Kanawha Boulevard, East Charleston, VW 25301; (2) 304-267-2071, 224 South Queen Street, Charleston, WV 25401.) This agency provides legal assistance to individuals eligible to apply for immigration benefits. In addition, it handles humanitarian relief in cases involving refugees and those seeking political asylum. It offers services for foreign national victims of domestic violence, certain other crimes and human trafficking. Consultations: $50. Eligibility for further services and additional costs is assessed during initial consultations.
Partnering Agencies at the State Level
At the state level, the West Virginia Human Trafficking Task Force is comprised of, among others, federal, state and local law enforcement representatives, service providers, victim advocates from rape crisis centers, WVFRIS, educators and representatives of the state Attorney General’s Office. It is chaired by the United States Attorney Offices from the Northern and Southern Districts of West Virginia.
After Identifying Potential Victims
Once potential human trafficking victims are identified by community professionals and agencies, these professionals and agencies should follow the below broad guidelines (as per the WV Human Trafficking Task Force).
Accessing Services in West Virginia
In cases of immediate danger, call 911.
- Non-law enforcement professionals should not attempt to confront a suspected trafficker directly and should not alert a victim to their suspicions. Safety is paramount. If there is an emergency situation or to report suspicious activity that is happening “right now,” call 911.
To learn about help available, reporting options and for adult victim support/service planning (calls to these hotlines are confidential, with the exception of situations that require mandatory reporting):
- Call the Local Rape Crisis Center: Rape crisis centers in West Virginia offer services to human trafficking victims and help link victims with any additional needed services. The centers are referral sources for the National Human Trafficking Hotline. Being an official referral source enables the National Hotline to refer calls they receive from adult human trafficking victims in West Virginia to the appropriate state/local referral agencies based on victims’ needs and available services.
- The National Human Trafficking Hotline: 1-888-373-7888 or text “BeFree” (233733) will link victims back to local rape crisis center services but there is a delay in that referral process, sometimes of several days. Click here to learn more about this hotline.
Victim Choice to Report and Cooperate with Criminal Justice System
Human trafficking victims generally have the right to choose whether to report their victimization to law enforcement. Exceptions occur in circumstances where a child or vulnerable adult abuse or neglect is suspected or in situations where there is reason to believe there is imminent harm of death or serious bodily injury.
In any case when human trafficking is reported, whether by a victim or another party, victims are not required to cooperate with investigation or prosecution.
Initial Engagement with Victims
Human trafficking is facilitated through force, fraud and/or coercion, ultimately denying victims’ freedom. Thus, it is critical that initial responders show respect for and promote the autonomy of human trafficking victims they serve, by supporting them in making their own choices. (Macias-Konstantopoulos, 2017)
During initial engagement with victims, responders can (in part from International Organization of Adolescents and Courtney’s House):
- Reassure victims that they are in control of the conversation and then follow through. For example, focus on victims-identified concerns, follow the victims’ pace in the conversation, and support victims’ decisions regarding what resources or services they want (if they want any) and how they will access them.
- Avoid alienating victims. Make sure that agency information gathering needs do not dominate intake sessions at the expense of the individual feeling heard and supported.
- Recognize that victims may take an incremental approach to reaching out for help that includes first “testing the waters” to see if their help seeking results in the support that they desire and that is in their best interest. Victims may not be ready to tell you anything or everything at once.
- Ask open-ended questions.
- Reassure victims that there are no right or wrong answers.
- Don’t ask unnecessary or repetitive questions. Don’t press for details if they are not offered. Make it clear that it is OK to decline to answer any questions.
- Do not to ask victims about their experiences unless the questions are related directly to agency service provision or providing a referral. Such questions are more the role of professionals trained in forensic interviewing.
- Convey that you believe them.
Rape Crisis Center Services for Human Trafficking Victims
Human trafficking victims can call rape crisis centers’ 24/7 for support and help. The centers’ goal when any victim calls their hotlines is for the victim to feel listened to, supported and empowered, and welcomed to call back for additional help. Key advocate tasks during hotline calls include helping callers establish their immediate safety and assess their needs; problem-solve with callers to explore options to address their needs; and action-planning with callers around specific steps they will take following the hotline conversation.
The information in this section is drawn from a WVFRIS Sexual Assault Services Training Academy (SASTA) course, Human Trafficking 101 for Advocates.