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What is human trafficking?

Human trafficking is defined as the illegal movement of people, within national or across international borders, for the purposes of exploitation in the form of sex, domestic service or manual labor. Though complete, that definition cannot capture the suffering of modern-day slaves. It is easy for North Americans to feel removed from the pain and think human trafficking is only happening in remote places around the world. However, it is happening here as well.

Consider this true story of sex slavery that occurred north of Chicago:

She was just 17, a high school graduate from Michigan. Rather than go directly to college, she responded to an ad to be a nanny. Arriving at the wealthy home in a north Chicago suburb at the appointed day and time, she was horrified to learn that the ad agency was a front; she was abducted as a sex slave.

Five years later she was able to sneak out a post card of a bar in Cincinnati where she was forcibly detained. The card had only her initial on it, but it was enough to stir the hopes of her family who raced to the address and demanded her release. Two large men walked her outside into the alley but would not let her go. Not to be deterred, the family sought the help of local authorities, but she was gone when they returned. It was another two years before the FBI found her and returned her - addicted to heroin and pregnant.

Could it be happening in your own hometown? Go to this link and click on a state in the map to read about recently recorded cases of slavery and human trafficking in that state.