Human trafficking is a complex crime that is often misconstrued by the media and Hollywood. While many people associate trafficking with distant places or dramatic abductions, the reality is far closer to home. Colorado’s diverse geography and population create unique vulnerabilities that traffickers exploit. Keep reading to learn surprising facts that shed light on the hidden challenges and persistent myths of human trafficking in our state.
1. Both labor and sex trafficking happen in Colorado, in both urban and rural areas.
Many people are shocked to find out that human trafficking happens all across this state—and not just along the Front Range. In truth, it can happen in any community. Our 24/7 Human Trafficking Hotline fields over 100 calls and texts each month. Many are from survivors seeking help or concerned community members reporting a tip. Since 2018, we’ve received more than 4,500 calls and texts. Every year, more and more survivors of human trafficking are reaching out for help.
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Our next training will be held via Zoom on October 19th and 20th from 9 am–5 pm and October 22nd and 24th from 6–8 pm. Learn how to field calls and texts remotely to connect callers with the help they need. No previous experience is necessary. Submit this form to begin your application process.
2. Human trafficking most often goes undetected or unreported.
It’s hard to know exactly the scale of human trafficking in Colorado due to the many reasons survivors may choose not to seek help or self-identify. Many survivors share that they were unaware at the time that what they were going through was human trafficking. Others may not come forward due to fear of law enforcement, fear of deportation, or fear of retaliation from their employer.
Additionally, there is not one single organization or agency within Colorado to report cases of human trafficking to, which can make it confusing for survivors to know who to reach out to and how to do so.
Note: Many people experienced this severe form of exploitation before the law against it was officially passed in 2000. It is unclear what level of exploitation people have experienced over time.
3. Labor trafficking may be more common in Colorado than sex trafficking.
Due to Colorado’s agriculture industry, many migrants from Central and South America head to rural regions for employment opportunities. Some experience exploitation. Forced labor has long been an issue in Colorado. Over the past 20 years, thousands of people have experienced potential or actual labor trafficking in our state. Yet, the majority of labor trafficking cases are not reported.
Survivors often don’t report because they are afraid of arrest or deportation, don’t understand what has happened to them, or don’t know to whom or how to report. Speaking out could result in them being turned over to authorities and having a case mounted against them instead.
Additionally, labor trafficking hasn’t had a dedicated response from various law enforcement agencies or other systems to investigate and prosecute perpetrators. Colorado doesn’t have units dedicated to investigating labor trafficking like those that exist for sex trafficking.
4. Traffickers target marginalized communities and middle and high school youth.
Certain populations, including immigrant and tribal communities, individuals who hold LGBTQ+ identities, and youth experiencing homelessness face higher trafficking rates in Colorado. The racism, exclusion, and oppression that individuals who hold these identities often face is what causes vulnerability, which traffickers target.
Additionally, youth are more vulnerable than adults to human trafficking. Minors who don’t live with legal guardians, are undocumented, identify as LGBTQIA+, or are experiencing homelessness face an even higher risk of being exploited. Traffickers target and groom marginalized youth to create a sense of dependency. In 100% of the presentations our team has given over the past two years to middle and high school students and incarcerated youth, there have been multiple disclosures of violence, including human trafficking.
5. Many survivors of human trafficking had existing relationships with their traffickers.
Because of movies, TV shows, and social media, there’s a perception of a human trafficking victim being kidnapped by a stranger and transported from place to place in a van. However, this is most often not true. Less than 3% of all human trafficking cases involve kidnapping.
70% of traffickers are someone the victim knows and loves—a family member or an intimate partner. Other times, they are employers. These are all people who are in positions of power. They know the victim’s vulnerabilities and how to exploit them. Even if there was initially consent, that consent is meaningless when a trafficker exploits someone for labor, services, or commercial sex. Additionally, trafficking does not require physical force.
6. Housing instability and homelessness are top challenges for survivors of human trafficking.
It is both a cause and a consequence of exploitation. A lack of stable housing creates vulnerability, which traffickers target. In fact, Polaris reported that 64% of respondents to a survivor survey were homeless or experiencing unstable housing when they were recruited into a trafficking situation. It’s harder to get out of a trafficking scenario without a safe place to live. If a survivor does escape, they are more likely to experience trafficking again if they don’t have stable housing. Calls to our 24/7 Hotline, made by both service providers and survivors, consistently emphasize that the most pressing need is for safe shelter and housing.
7. One of the most effective ways to stop human trafficking in Colorado is by training professionals who are likely to encounter survivors in their everyday work.
However, most professionals who are likely to respond to a trafficking situation (such as law enforcement, healthcare providers, or teachers) are not required to receive basic human trafficking training. With more widespread knowledge about what human trafficking can look like and how to intervene, professionals can spot indicators and act appropriately and compassionately.
Multiple studies have found that up to 88% of human trafficking survivors visit healthcare settings while they’re being trafficked. An exam room may be one of the few scenarios where a survivor is not in the same location as their trafficker. A trained doctor or nurse can help.
To date, our team has trained more than 65,000 professionals and community members about human trafficking. Interested in booking a training for your team? Click here to learn more.
We hope that you learned something new about human trafficking in Colorado by reading this blog post! Awareness is the first step toward ending human trafficking. The more community members and professionals who understand the realities of this crime, the better equipped we are to collectively recognize the signs, support survivors, and hold traffickers accountable.
Will you share this article with your network? Share it on LinkedIn, or send it to a colleague or friend. Together, we can move closer to a future where human trafficking is no longer a threat in Colorado (or anywhere else).