What is Human Trafficking?
Human trafficking is a crime in which people profit from the control and exploitation of others.
Here are some risk factors that make people with disabilities more vulnerable to human trafficking:
- Traffickers may seek out victims with disabilities to gain access to their public benefits such as supplemental security income (SSI) or social security disability insurance (SSDI) benefits.
- People with disabilities may require a caregiver to meet their basic needs. This caregiver can take advantage of this dependency and force them into prostitution or labor.
- Even if the caregiver themselves is not the trafficker, people with disabilities may have a learned response to comply with a caregiver’s wishes because they rely on them for care, shelter, transportation, etc.
- Some people with disabilities may have difficulties with communication and/or speech.
- This may affect their ability to get help and report the abuse.
- People with disabilities may be isolated and therefore crave friendships and relationships.
- People with disabilities are often not provided sex education and may be unaware that they have the right to say “no”.
- They may not realize that they have been a victim of a crime.
Other risk factors include:
- Prior abuse in the home, including sex abuse.
- Involvement with county children services.
- One or both parents abusing drugs at home.
- History of running away from home.
- Involvement in illegal activities, such as drug use.
- A mental illness.