Caption: Susan McCarty, a member of the Human Trafficking Task Force of Garland County, described the horrors of human trafficking to members of AAUW.

Susan McCarty, a member of the Human Trafficking Task Force of Garland County, recently spoke to the American Association of University Women (AAUW) on the shocking circumstances surrounding human trafficking in our community.

Human trafficking is a $150 billion business worldwide, with $32 billion of that generated through sex trafficking – more than Starbucks, Google, and Nike combined. It is the fastest growing criminal industry in the country, and McCarty said that incidents have increased 70% since the Covid-19 pandemic struck.

Around 40.3 million people are currently being trafficked worldwide, but this statistic only includes reported incidents. The true number is probably much higher, because many victims never report the crime, and many traffickers are never caught.

The United States is one of the worst offenders.
Some victims are trafficked for labor or organs, but sex trafficking is the most common.
McCarty said, “Alcohol and drugs can only be used one time, but trafficked humans can be sold over and over!”

Approximately 80% of trafficking victims are women and girls, and half are under the age of 18. Most requests are for girls aged 10 to 14.

Potential victims are obtained through force, fraud, or coercion. McCarty described a hair-raising incident in which a young professional woman was kidnapped in another state, brought to Hot Springs, and sold online.

Fraudulent ads are used to lure victims through promises of jobs, which can turn out to be forced labor or prostitution. A woman in her early 30s came to Hot Springs from another country for what looked like a valid job offer. Her personal documents were taken from her and held for “safekeeping,” and she was soon forced trafficking.

Some traffickers prey on young victims’ insecurities by offering “love” or friendship. McCarty described another situation in which a young woman, after three months of preparation, was taken out of town for a “fun” weekend; at the end of the weekend, the victim was told there was no money to pay for the hotel and she would have to have sex with someone at the hotel to cover the bill.

Traffickers looking for potential victims know what to look for – vulnerable people, usually young women, who have nowhere to turn. Many are running away from violence or sexual abuse at home, and don’t want to return. When they manage to escape, they often end up in a strange town or city, with no money, no contacts, no place to stay. They generally have low self-esteem and are afraid to ask for help. They are often afraid to report their situation because of fears of being arrested for prostitution or sent back to abusive homes or politically unstable countries.

Some traffickers, including family members, often resort to more subtle forms of coercion. McCarty described a case in Hot Springs in which a woman selling her 13-year-old daughter told her, “If you don’t do this, I’ll force your little sister.” Traffickers use psychological coercion – for instance, telling a potential victim that her family doesn’t want her back.

The Human Trafficking Task Force of Garland County works with local organizations to help obtain funding and raise awareness of the problem in our community. McCarty said the United Way of Garland County is a very good resource, and local schools are starting to develop programs to increase awareness among students.

How can community members identify victims? Certain places are targeted by traffickers – bus stations, hotels, etc. – but victims can be anywhere. Some signs that a person may be a trafficking victim: showing fearful or submissive behavior or signs of physical injuries or poor health; having little privacy; not having identification documents or money; appearing to be under someone else’s control, with contact with others monitored; showing signs of emotional distress.

There are various hot line numbers to call if trafficking is suspected. In Arkansas, call 501-301-4357 or email pathsaves.org; the national hotline number is 1-888-373-7888 or text BeFree to 233733. If a possible victim seems to be in imminent danger, call 911 immediately.

For more information on the Task Force, visit the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/httfgc. The Task Force meets the second Tuesday of the month, 1 p.m., at the Garland County Sheriff’s Office.