Citizen , Business Owner and …. Crime Fighter ?
Recognizing and reporting human trafficking in day-to-day interactions
According to US law Human Trafficking is “ the recruitment , harboring , transportation , provision , or obtaining of a person for labor or services , through the use of force , fraud , or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude , peonage , debt bondage , or slavery .” and , as last year ’ s bust of illicit massage parlors and a child pornography ring ( any exploitation of persons under 18 is automatically classified as trafficking ) show , not even League City is immune . The most common forms are labor or sex trafficking or , not infrequently , a combination of the two .
What does this mean for us as business owners and citizens ? How can we be sure that we are putting our personal and business dollars toward legitimate endeavors and denying funds to those who operate with illegal or exploitive practices ? Do those of us who use personal services such as manicures , massages or maid services need to forgo those to ensure we don ’ t participate in trafficking ?
Fortunately , the answer is “ No ”. There are ways to make an educated guess that you are dealing with a legitimate business as well as warning signs as to which businesses would be good to avoid . I spoke with Kerri Taylor of UnBound Houston , a local group that educates the community on trafficking , and she gave examples of what to look for both before booking an appointment and after . Before booking check the hours the business is open . If they are open at odd times or unusually late it may be a cause for concern . Also check the price .
By : Naomi Marker knitn . kitten @ yahoo . com
As much as we all like a bargain , if the price seems very low it is also a warning sign as it indicates that the profit is made elsewhere . Upon reaching the place of business , if the windows are heavily covered or there is an unusual amount of security equipment that should also be a red flag . Once inside , pay attention to if the employees make eye contact or have any particularly odd tattoos , especially a barcode ( yes , really ). During the appointment try to engage in small talk . If the service provider lives at the shop , is only paid tips or doesn ’ t know what city they are in it is a good chance they are being exploited . The link at the bottom provides a more thorough overview than is possible here and goes to a national antitrafficking organization that works with the Justice Department as well as state and local law enforcement .
Should you find yourself already booked for an appointment someplace you now realize may be involved in trafficking , this is a good chance to call the national hotline ( 1-888-373-7888 ) as well as local law enforcement . They appreciate these tips as the start of investigation into what turns out to be a major trafficking ring is often a tip from a citizen who realized something was wrong in the course of a normal business interaction .
http :// polarisproject . org / recognize-signs
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