FBI calls on community to help combat human trafficking
January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Awareness and Prevention Month and the FBI is reminding the public to be an active partner in preventing human trafficking in the community.
Human trafficking is the exploitation of a person for labor, services or commercial sex acts through force, fraud or coercion. A variety of actors commit acts of human trafficking, including individuals, family- based networks and highly structured criminal organizations. Trafficking can involve other forms of criminal conduct, including gang-related offenses, financial crimes, immigration- related crimes and narcotics trafficking. Human trafficking can be sexual or labor-based and occurs in every region of the United States and throughout the world.
“Human trafficking is a crime that often goes undetected and many of its victims are too afraid to speak out,” said Special Agent in Charge Stephen Cyrus. “While the FBI and our law enforcement partners dedicate significant effort to curb…