INDIANA – Attorney General Todd Rokita welcomes basketball fans visiting Indianapolis this week for the Final Four. While fans enjoy this exciting culmination of March Madness, he said they should also stay alert to the signs of human trafficking — a serious crime often associated with large sporting events.
“The Final Four is a thrilling event that brings tremendous energy and national attention to Indianapolis,” said Attorney General Todd Rokita. “But large crowds like this also create opportunities for human traffickers. We’re asking fans to stay vigilant and help us watch for signs of trafficking — your eyes and ears can help rescue victims and hold these predators accountable.”
People in certain job roles — such as medical professionals, restaurant workers, hotel staff, and truck drivers — are particularly likely to come into contact with trafficking victims.
Human trafficking is a multi-billion-dollar criminal enterprise. It occurs anytime someone uses force, fraud, or coercion to make another individual provide labor, services, or commercial sex acts. If the person performing commercial sex acts is under 18, the crime of human trafficking still occurs, even without the elements of force, fraud, or coercion.
According to the U.S. State Department and other anti-trafficking experts, common signs that someone may be a victim of human trafficking include:
- Living with their employer or in housing provided by their employer;
- Living in overcrowded or poor conditions;
- Being prohibited from speaking to others alone or freely;
- Giving scripted, rehearsed, or inconsistent answers to questions;
- Having their identification documents or passports held by someone else;
- Showing signs of physical abuse, such as bruises or injuries;
- Appearing fearful, submissive, anxious, or overly compliant;
- Working excessively long hours with little or no pay; and
- Being under 18 and involved in the commercial sex industry.
If you have suspicions that someone is being trafficked, you should immediately call local law enforcement. You may also call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text “HELP” to 233733.
In America, human trafficking is propagated in significant part by criminal cartels operating out of Mexico. In addition to persistent strong actions to combat illegal immigration, Attorney General Rokita and his team are engaged in other efforts to combat human trafficking, such as operating the Address Confidentiality Program.
This initiative helps protect victims of certain crimes — including those who have been trafficked — by concealing their residential address from the public and thereby their victimizers.
