Like many crimes, this one has become more prevalent over the past few years, especially considering the pandemic. With more young people dealing with economic and home life hardships, it can become easier to get trapped into being trafficked.

According to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, there were 10,583 reported cases in 2020; the last year data was available. But experts believe the actual number of human trafficking victims and cases is much higher than this metric. This is due, in part, because some human trafficking victims don’t believe they are victims.

Trafficking takes on two primary forms. The vast majority of cases (72 percent) are sex trafficking cases, but labor trafficking also occurs. Those most vulnerable to sex trafficking in the U.S. are youth in the welfare or juvenile justice systems, homeless youth or runaways. These victims are typically trafficked by someone they know. It is rare for trafficking victims to be randomly kidnapped and forced into trafficking.

According to experts, here are some warning signs for potential trafficking when it comes to juveniles and young adults: unexplained absences, skipping school, expensive gifts that would be out of budget like designer handbags, spending a lot of time with an older person who is relatively new in their life, and having more than one phone.

As a prosecutor, Gaumer wants to raise awareness about the signs of trafficking and assure county residents that her office is doing everything in its power to prosecute these cases, if and when they come to light.

“Many times, traffickers approach young people and try to gain their confidence. As a result, victims find themselves being trafficked not by kidnappers, but by con men who pose as friends,” Gaumer said. “They work to make their victims dependent and loyal before the crimes begin. These crimes deprive victims of their self-worth, and I will work with law enforcement to stop it immediately anytime we get word of a case in our community. By raising awareness and watching out for each other, we can make sure the scourge of trafficking doesn’t visit Pulaski County.”

Call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 888-373-7888 or local law enforcement if you see something suspicious.