| Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance (HTRA)
Mission Statement
A collaboration of local, state and federal law enforcement agencies working together with area social service organizations to identify and assist the victims of human trafficking and to effectively identify, apprehend and prosecute those engaged in trafficking offenses.
Differences Between Human Trafficking and Smuggling
| TRAFFICKING |
SMUGGLING |
| Must Contain an element of force, fraud, or coercion (actual, perceived or implied), unless under 18 years of age involved in commercial sex acts. |
The person being smuggled is generally cooperating. |
| Forced Labor and/or Exploitation. |
There is no actual or implied coercion. |
| Persons trafficked are victims. |
Persons smuggled are violating the law. They are not victims. |
| Enslaved, subjected to limited movement or isolation, or had documents confiscated. |
Persons are free to leave, change jobs, etc. |
| Need not involve the actual movement of the victim. |
Facilitates the illegal entry of person(s) from one country into another. |
| No requirement to cross an international border. |
Smuggling always crosses an international border. |
| Person must be involved in labor/services or commercial sex acts, i.e., must be "working". |
Person must only be in the country or attempting entry illegally. |
In some cases it may be difficult to quickly ascertain whether a case is one of human smuggling or trafficking. The distinction between smuggling and trafficking are often very subtle, but key components that will always distinguish trafficking from smuggling are the elements of fraud, force, or coercion. However, under U.S. law, if the person is under 18 and induced to perform a commercial sex act, then it is considered trafficking, regardless of whether or not fraud, force, or coercion is involved
Submit Tips to Human Trafficking
|
|
