Human trafficking, not to be confused with smuggling, is a $32 billion a year industry worldwide, and the United States is an active and profitable venue for sex trafficking and labor trafficking.  Worldwide it also takes the forms of forced labor, child soldiering and involuntary servitude.  There is no one type of victim--men and women, adults and children are all vulnerable.

An August 18 report by the Polaris Project labeled Ohio as one of the "Dirty Dozen" states with weak laws that fail to back up federal human trafficking laws. As of 2009, Toledo is number FOUR in the nation in terms of the number of arrests, investigations, and rescue of domestic minor sex trafficking victims among U.S. cities, according to the Northwest Ohio Innocence Lost Task Force.

Now Ohio and 44 other states have laws in-line with the federal definition of human trafficking. Hawaii, Massachusetts, South Dakota, West Virginia, and Wyoming still do not have adequate laws making trafficking in humans a specific criminal offense.

Where do we go from here?  How do we stop trafficking in Ohio?  The Collaborative Initiative to End Human Trafficking works in Northeast Ohio to raise awareness through outreach programs that educate and inform people.  They offer programs to community groups and schools, in either English or Spanish, and they operate several resource centers across northern Ohio; phone 440-356-2254.

Former Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray convened the Ohio Trafficking in Persons Commission that issued a 2010 Year End Report.  In the report he states, "we know that law enforcement alone cannot solve this problem and there is a need for strong community colaliton to help raise awareness and connect survivors with the services they need."  Read the full report by clicking here. 

Speaking at the January meeting of AAUW-HHL, Sr Anne Victory offered several possibilities in answer to "What can I do about it?"  Here are a few of them:

As a citizen--

• Pay attention to news reports of crimes that may be instances of trafficking.
• Pay attention when you visit restaurants, spas, malls, and hotels. Ask yourself who you are seeing and what are you noticing?
• If you think you have encountered an instance of human trafficking, report it to the national hotline number 1-888-3737-888.  If you suspect someone is in imminent danger, report it to the local police.
• Buy fair trade items when possible.

Watch for a report by a local partnership working to determine the needs of the victims.