Recently, I was talking with friends about what I have been up to over the past year. I shared with them how I have been working with Kherut, a non-profit committed to providing long-term employment solutions for young women most vulnerable to human trafficking. One of my friends asked, “Is trafficking even a problem here?” I was instantly reminded that although I have learned so much in these past few years about the problem of human trafficking, many people still have no awareness that it even exists in the United States. In addition, when the issue is narrowed down into the arena of sex trafficking, people seem to have even less of an understanding of what it means and where it’s happening in our world.

I believe most people still view human trafficking as a problem that exists in third-world countries, but not in the USA. After all, this is primarily the way the media depicts it on screen. This narrative is how traffickers have created an entire industry in our society while many have been utterly ignorant of it even happening. After many years of traffickers operating in the United States, largely without notice or consequence, we now have a multi-billion dollar industry we must eliminate while at the same time convincing the public it’s even an issue. And the truth is we cannot stop this massive problem without the help of multitudes of everyday people like you and me doing our part to stop the inhumane treatment of literally thousands of innocent people.

While Kherut is on the far side of the trafficking dilemma, helping survivors reclaim their lives, we still need to convince people that human trafficking is a problem in the United States. If you don’t believe it’s an issue, go to https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/human-trafficking-statistics-by-state and see for yourself. Trafficking is happening in every state in our country.

The reality is this problem has grown at such an alarming rate it requires an army of dedicated people to take it down. If this is a battle you are willing to engage in, here are some easy steps to take in that direction:

1. Educate yourself about the issue. You can become a student of the problem by researching informative websites such as polarisproject.org, worldwithoutexploitation.org, and rebeccabender.org.

2. Use your voice to inform others that this is a problem that requires our attention and efforts.

3. Use the skills you already have to make a difference. No matter what field you are in, even if you are unemployed, find a simple way to make a difference. If you make candles, make a candle that raises funds for human trafficking victims; if you sew, find an organization related to trafficking that needs bedding or clothes for survivors. If you are in the legal field, use some time to fight the legal battles surrounding trafficking, of which there are many. Basically, whatever you are already doing, find a way to implement that skill to help the anti-trafficking movement. I enjoy writing, so I am volunteering my time to research and write on the cause. If we all do just a little something, we can climb this mountain together and make the changes that need to happen to free vulnerable people from oppression.

4. Lastly, become part of the Kherut team by subscribing at www.kherut.org.