• There are an estimated 3 million slaves in the world today.  
  
• The International Labor Organization estimates that forced labor and human trafficking is a $150 billion industry worldwide.
  
•   In a 2014 report, the Urban Institute estimated that the underground sex economy ranged from $39.9 million in Denver, Colorado, to $290 million in Atlanta, Georgia.  
  
• Every 30 seconds another person becomes a victim of human trafficking.
  
• It is the fastest growing organized crime in the world.
  
• An estimated 100,000 children are being exploited in the United States today.  
  
• Average age of trafficking victims is 11-14 years old. 
  
• 55% of all child pornography in the world comes out of the United States.
  
• 99% of victims are never rescued.  
  
• It happens here . . . in America . . . in Alabama . . . in our city. 
  
• You can make a difference! Know the facts!
  
• "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." - Jeremiah 29:11
  

Traffickers love silence and secrecy. They love the fact that most people would love to ignore this problem. But millions of victims are praying that you don’t. Sexual slavery is literally all around you at this very moment. Red flags are everywhere, yet most of us don’t realize they are indeed red flags. If you see or suspect anything from this list (even though you might think it is minor), please call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center hotline at 1-888-3737-888 to report what you saw. You can also call your local police department. You could very well save someone’s life.

LIVING CONDITIONS

• Is not free to leave or come and go as they please
  
• Is under 18 and is providing commercial sex acts
  
• Is in the commercial sex industry and has a pimp/manager
  
• Is unpaid, paid very little, or is paid only through tips
  
• Works excessively long and/or unusual hours
  
• Owes a large debt and is unable to pay it off
  
• Was recruited through false promises concerning the nature and conditions of his/her work
  
• High security measures exist in the work and/or living conditions (e.g. opaque windows, boarded up windows. bars on windows, barbed wire, security cameras, etc.
  

BEHAVIOR

• Is fearful, anxious, depressed, submissive, tense, or nervous/paranoid
  
• Exhibits unusually fearful or anxious behavior after bringing up “law enforcement”
  
• Avoids eye contact
  

HEALTH

The individual in question:

• Lacks health care
  
• Appears malnourished
  
• Shows signs of physical and/or sexual abuse, physical restraint
• confinement or torture

LACK OF CONTROL

• Has few or no personal possessions
  
• Is not in control of his/her own identification documents (I.D. or Passport) 
  
• Is not in control of his/her own money, no financial records or bank account
  
• Is not allowed to speak for themselves (a third party may insist on being present and/or translating)
  

OTHER

The individual in question:

• Claims of “just visiting” and inability to clarify where he/she is staying/address
  
• Lack of knowledge of whereabouts and/or do not know which city he/she is in
  
• Loss of sense of time
  
• Has numerous inconsistencies in his/her story
  **This list courtesy of Nita Belles. Author of In Our Backyard