There’s more happening under the South Florida sun than what people are often led to believe. The area is full of images of sandy beaches, tasty food and long nights in the city, but many don’t realize that what underlays this is a scene of less-than-forgiving circumstances.
The U.S. Department of Justice stated that South Florida is the third-busiest area for sex trafficking in the U.S., with Miami acting as a major hub for the illegal activity. Trafficking is a form of slavery in which traffickers force adults and children to conduct sexual acts against their will, and, according to the Trafficking Resource Center, 310 of the 4,168 human tracking cases reported in 2015 were from Florida.
Although people of all genders and ages are coerced into the illegal activity, the majority of victims are adult females. What makes this demographic particularly vulnerable, especially in South Florida, is that many college students and young adults move to the area and do not think that participating in South Florida’s night life and activities can pose threats to their safety. NSU, for example, is predominately female, and many of these students spend their weekends venturing to downtown Miami to go to clubs and bars and participate in other activities.
Shane Lam, associate director of Public Safety’s Field Operation, said that young female adults are more likely to be trafficked because criminals often promote false businesses, such as modelling jobs or babysitting, the kinds of jobs young women are likely to look for.
“If an individual or company is making plans for you to travel, it’s important for you to know the address or the telephone number of wherever you’re traveling to,” he said.
Lam also said that young women should be especially careful of overseas jobs, as they may lead to exploitation. He also said that, whenever possible, young adults should call and write their potential employer about the type of work they’ll be doing and the kind of conditions they’ll be living in.
“Criminals are always looking for weak targets,” he said.
One survivor of sex trafficking, Shandra Woworunto, used her experience to help others, as she founded Mentari, a non-profit organization that provides mentorship and job training to other survivors.
In the Department of State’s Trafficking in Persons Report from July 2015, Woworunto explained that after she responded to an advertisement for a job in a Chicago hotel and accepted the position, she traveled to the U.S. and was abducted and forced into sex trafficking.
“I was picked up at the airport, along with five other women, by men we all believed were affiliated with our recruiter,” she said in the report. “Shortly thereafter, however, our passports were forcibly removed, our lives were threatened, and the situation became clear: we were being trafficked into the sex trade.”
Lam said that when going out, students should be aware of their surroundings and trust their senses and instincts, as they will provide clues to a threatening situation.
Trafficking victims tend to end up in cities and tourist locations, where there is typically a high demand for sex. The Florida National Organization for Women reported that South Florida is an in-demand location for human traffickers because it is easier to bring in victims from Latin America and the Caribbean. The organization also reported that Miami International Airport is one of the top entry points for foreign trafficking victims entering the U.S.
The Organization for Women said that the lack of community awareness, comprehensive legislature and resources for victims makes it difficult to find the victims and protect them from abusers. Other than being aware, multiple sources, including blogs and news sites, have suggested that one of the best ways to combat trafficking is to be aware of its significance. Talking to friends and family members about what human trafficking is, identifying dangerous situations and explaining the prominence of the crime in their respective locations can help people at least be aware that it is a local problem.
For questions about human trafficking or to report a suspicion of a case, contact local authorities or the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at 888-373-7888.
