Human Trafficking in South Florida: A Growing Industry?

Over 32 billion dollars is annually garnered by the fastest growing industry in the world. This industry is second only to drug trafficking, but its impact is much more inhumane than drugs—it is human sex trafficking. This industry is occurring all over the world, yet the awareness remains low. Last Thursday, October 11th, Florida Atlantic University and Calvary Church tried to combat the low awareness levels by showing the hard-hitting documentary called Nefarious: Merchant of Souls. Hundreds of students, faculty, and guests gathered in the University theater to watch as a group of film makers travelled from Europe, to Asia, and back to the United States to get answers on the striking and complex industry.

Perhaps the most remarkable fact is that South Florida is one of the top entry points in the U.S. for foreign human trafficking victims. There have been multiple arrests made involving traffickers— including an infamous arrest during the 2010 Super Bowl where two men were arrested for advertising sex with a 14-year-old on Craigslist. While the facts are daunting, they can only do so much. The most important thing that citizens can do is be aware of the signs of human trafficking victims and raise awareness within the local community, because the horrors of this industry are not foreign to South Florida and are quickly spreading.
Ways to help:
1) Get involved with the Broward Human Trafficking Coalition
2) Learn the truth behind the industry – Shared Hope and Polaris Project
3) Spread the word or e-mail and/or write the state and federal legislation to support the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (S. 1301/HR 2830)
This pamphlet by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (pdf) provides an overview of human trafficking, aid for the victims, and how to identify human trafficking victims.