January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month, a time to learn and take action. Human trafficking is often talked about as something that happens “somewhere else.” But the truth is that it affects communities across Colorado.
Awareness matters because knowledge is the first step toward action. With greater understanding about what exploitation really looks like, we can better respond to it. Keep reading for five surprising truths about human trafficking in Colorado.
1. Most traffickers are someone the survivor already knows.
One of the biggest myths about human trafficking is that it is committed by strangers. Many people believe it also involves kidnapping. But in reality, more than half of traffickers are someone the survivor knows, loves, and trusts—less than 1% of cases involve kidnapping. This includes family members and intimate partners.
In almost all cases, the trafficker is in a position of power. They could be an employer, teacher, or religious leader. They know the vulnerabilities and unmet needs of the people they target. They use that to exploit them for labor or sex through force, fraud, or coercion.
A partner might slowly gain control. An employer might withhold wages or threaten immigration consequences. Since trafficking often occurs within existing relationships, it can be difficult to identify. It doesn’t always look dramatic or violent from the outside.
That’s why it’s critical for professionals who may encounter survivors, such as healthcare providers, educators, and criminal justice professionals, to be trained. When they can recognize the signs of human trafficking, they can safely intervene.
2. Some of the longest human trafficking sentences in the country are in Colorado.
Colorado has issued some of the longest trafficking-related sentences in the country, reflecting the seriousness with which courts treat these crimes. In June 2024, Robert Hawkins was sentenced to 448 years in prison on 18 counts, five of which involved human trafficking.
In 2017, the convicted child sex trafficker Brock Franklin was found guilty of 30 counts. This case resulted in an even longer sentence of 472 years. It is also one of the longest known trafficking-related criminal sentences in United States history.
At the same time, long sentences alone do not prevent trafficking. Many cases never reach court. Perhaps more importantly, many survivors prefer not to pursue criminal justice. Reasons vary but can include fear, shame, or concern about retaliation.
That’s why prosecution must go hand-in-hand with prevention, training, and survivor services. Harm must be interrupted earlier, not only punished later.
LCHT Hotline Advocates and staff members at our 2025 Carry the Work event in Denver
3. Colorado has a single, statewide human trafficking hotline available 24/7.
Colorado is unique in that it is the only state in the country with a statewide human trafficking hotline operated by a nonprofit. The Colorado Human Trafficking Hotline, run by our team at the Laboratory to Combat Human Trafficking, is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Trained volunteer Hotline Advocates answer calls and texts. They connect survivors and concerned community members with Colorado-specific services. Our resource directory includes more than 260 vetted providers throughout the state. They offer support ranging from legal aid and housing to mental health care and job training.
A listening ear and trusted resource to call for help can make all the difference in connecting survivors to safety.
4. There is an active network of local partnerships responding to human trafficking in Colorado.
Anti-trafficking in Colorado includes a surprising number of formal partnerships. There are at least 18 active anti-trafficking coalitions, task forces, and partnerships in the state. This covers efforts in Metro Denver, Boulder County, the Pikes Peak region, Pueblo, the Western Slope, and beyond.
These groups unite nonprofits, law enforcement, service providers, healthcare professionals, educators, and advocates. Some focus on prevention and training. Others prioritize survivor support or systems change. All exist to respond to trafficking in the local context.
For professionals who want to get involved, these partnerships offer ways to plug into the work right in your own community.
5. Human trafficking in Colorado doesn’t fit a single pattern.
Human trafficking in Colorado can take many different forms, and it can occur in many different settings. It can be exploitation for labor or for sex, occurring in either legal or illegal industries. Industries where it can take place include agriculture, construction, hospitality, domestic work, and commercial sex work.
Human trafficking occurs across all types of Colorado communities, not just big cities. That includes large cities, suburban neighborhoods, mountain towns, and agricultural areas. Each context faces unique challenges to ending exploitation. In rural areas, high housing costs can increase someone’s vulnerability to trafficking. In remote communities, isolation and limited access to services can make it harder for survivors to get help.
While adults and minors of all genders, backgrounds, and identities can be impacted by human trafficking, certain conditions can increase vulnerability to exploitation. These include housing instability, social isolation, lack of legal protections, substance dependency, and limited access to supportive services. These conditions can disproportionately affect people who are undocumented, experiencing homelessness, LGBTQIA+ individuals, minors not living with legal guardians, and people navigating displacement as refugees or asylees.
There is no single “profile” of human trafficking in Colorado. Because this crime does not always look the same, it often goes unnoticed. Shifting away from a narrow view of what trafficking can look like is key to prevention.
▶️ Hear directly from the LCHT team and find out how you can work alongside Colorado communities to end this crime. Video by Chris Barron at Mile High Films.
Now you know some of the surprising truths about human trafficking in Colorado. But awareness is only the beginning. Action needs to happen next in order for us to move the needle towards eliminating this crime in our state.
For more than 20 years, LCHT has focused on survivor support, education and training, research, and leadership development. Each of us has a role to play in the movement to end human trafficking. Here’s how you can get involved in 2026:
- Get trained with your professional team or community group. Learn to recognize and respond to potential signs of human trafficking.
- Volunteer to answer calls and texts to Colorado’s 24/7 Human Trafficking Hotline. You’ll help connect survivors to trauma-informed support.
- Apply to our Leadership Development Program. It will help prepare you for a career in anti-trafficking or parallel human rights movements.
- Become a Lab Catalyst by giving any amount each month. You’ll make a sustained difference for survivors of human trafficking in Colorado.