In some cases, trafficking involves forcing an older man or woman or a recently arrived immigrant to work for free. Trafficking involves applying psychological pressure or threats to get someone, usually a young woman or boy, to engage in commercial sex.
Smuggling is individuals who pay a fee, it’s consensual. “A lot of people get human smuggling and human trafficking confused. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are following suit as part of National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. The rising online trend is prompting the bureau to promote public awareness of this illegal activity and dispel common misconceptions. They could not see how much control their pimps exerted over them,” she said.Ī locker, a chirp: How tiny clues help solve child sex cases “It was heart-wrenching to see how the victims felt so much shame and felt it was their fault for finding themselves in this situation. citizens, who were coerced into engaging in commercial sex acts by a couple they met online. Reyes said she recently dealt with the case of two underage girls, both U.S. One of the traffickers’ favorite tools is “sextortion.” That involves starting an online conversation with a young boy or girl posing as a peer, daring them to send revealing images and threatening to publicize the photo or video unless the victim engages in further sexual acts. They tend to reveal their vulnerabilities and people exploit those vulnerabilities,” Reyes said. It’s an opportunity for individuals to take advantage of people who’re more isolated. I attribute it to people being more online … kids have gone to online schooling, even adults are online a little bit more. The FBI’s caseload of forced sexual exploitation and slave labor has increased from 604 in the fiscal year 2021 to more than 1,700 now.Ĭhildren at higher risk of online exploitation with schools closed, feds say “With the proximity of Interstate 10, we have information to believe they are sent to larger cities such as Houston or the Chicago area.”Ĭrimes of human trafficking have been rising since 2020 due to people spending more time at home – and in front of their computers – because of the COVID-19 pandemic. “We do see some victims that perhaps are from El Paso or were smuggled from Mexico into El Paso, so they do touch this area, but they don’t stay here,” said Aida Reyes, supervisor for the bureau’s human trafficking and crimes against children squad here. Still, the FBI El Paso Field Office has arrested 19 people in the past two years in connection with forced prostitution and other sexual commercial acts. EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) – When it comes to human trafficking, law enforcement officials often describe the border as a corridor, not a destination.