CINCINNATI — Human trafficking is the sale or exchange of people for forced labor or commercial sex work and investigators across Ohio have identified over 100 victims of the crime annually.
"I mean quite prevalent," said Jomel Spurlock, director of victim services for the Ohio Attorney General's Human Trafficking Initiative. "You have traffickers that are preying, looking and searching for people actively."
While traffickers still target victims in person, the reach of social media and the internet has only fueled their efforts, she said.
"When we think about the cornerstone of human trafficking -- it's vulnerabilities," Spurlock said. "What it creates is this crack in the door for a trafficker to become a part of someone's life in some capacity."
Traffickers use several methods to lure victims into trafficking situations including but not limited to violence, manipulation, false promises of well-paying jobs or romantic relationships.
Traffickers look for people who are easy targets for a variety of reasons. Spurlock said those could be psychological or emotional vulnerability, economic hardship, lack of a social safety net, natural disasters, etc.
The most recent Ohio report shows investigators identified 138 potential trafficking victims in 2021.
Victims can be of any age, gender, race or nationality and Spurlock said that's also true for perpetrators.
During a statewide sting in October 2021, authorities arrested 161 people seeking to buy sex. Among the buyers or "johns" were a city council member, a teacher, a professor, a pilot and a firefighter.
Ohio statute requires law enforcement to report trafficking investigations annually to the Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI).
But not every victim alerts police. Some seek help from outside groups like nonprofits and other organizations, while many victims stay silent for fear or retaliation or retribution from their traffickers.
Because of this, Spurlock said the reality is likely worse than anyone knows.
"Oh, 100%," she said. "There's just this huge chunk of numbers that's also just missing."
Throughout the month of January, the color blue is used to shine a light on the issue, known as the Blue Campaign.
Joining in on the effort, among other agencies, are Ohio State Highway Patrol and the Ohio Department of Transportation.
OSHP has partnered with ODOT since January 9 to post portable changeable signs with human trafficking awareness messages at rest areas around the state. Those include "Report Human Trafficking" and "Text BEFREE 233733."
Troopers are also frequently visiting rest areas and passing out information on human trafficking.
Recognizing key indicators of human trafficking is the first step in identifying victims and can help save a life. Here are some common indicators to help recognize human trafficking:
- Does the person appear disconnected from family, friends, community organizations, or houses of worship?
- Has a child stopped attending school?
- Has the person had a sudden or dramatic change in behavior?
- Is a juvenile engaged in commercial sex acts?
- Is the person disoriented or confused, or showing signs of mental or physical abuse?
- Does the person have bruises in various stages of healing?
- Is the person fearful, timid, or submissive?
- Does the person show signs of having been denied food, water, sleep, or medical care?
- Is the person often in the company of someone to whom he or she defers? 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?
- Is the person living in unsuitable conditions?
- Does the person lack personal possessions and appear not to have a stable living situation?
- Does the person have freedom of movement? Can the person freely leave where they live? Are there unreasonable security measures?
With January highlighting awareness of the rampant reality, Spurlock and other state officials hope people take time to listen and learn to help save current victims and prevent new ones.
"Just showing up for people in a healthy way," Spurlock said. "Understanding what healthy relationships look like, what red flags look like."
If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, you can seek help by calling the 24-hour National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.
If you'd like to report suspected human trafficking you can call 1-866-347-2423.
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s 2023 Human Trafficking Summit is officially scheduled for Jan. 26 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. Now in its fourth year, the annual gathering provides education and resources for combating and ending human trafficking, bringing together survivors, social workers and victim advocates, police officers and others to share knowledge, experiences and best practices.
In-person capacity is full, however virtual registration is still open. The deadline to register is January 17.
