FACTS about HUMAN TRAFFICKING (including in Michigan!)

WHAT IS HUMAN TRAFFICKING?

• Human Trafficking is modern day slavery.
• Human Trafficking is the 2nd largest and fastest growing criminal industry IN THE WORLD!
• There are approximately 27,000,000 people enslaved in the world today.  More people are in slavery now than at ANY TIME IN HUMAN HISTORY!
• Human Trafficking generates $32 billion annually, more than the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB combined!
• Force, fraud, and coercion are methods used by traffickers to press victims into lives of servitude and abuse.
• Human Trafficking occurs in 161 out of 192 countries.

IS THERE TRAFFICKING IN THE U.S. ??

• As many as 2.8 million children run away each year in the U.S.  Within 48 hours of hitting the streets, one-third of these children are lured or recruited by traffickers.
• The average age of entry into commercial sex slavery in the United States is 13.
• Between 14,500 - 17,500 human beings are trafficked into the U.S. every year.  This includes children, women, and men for both labor and sexual exploitation.

WHAT ABOUT IN MICHIGAN ??

• Michigan is a source, transit, and destination state for trafficking, comparable in many ways to the demographics of the State of Florida.
• Michigan's proximity to the Canadian border and waterways increases the likelihood of trafficking in the state.
• Major gatherings of people, such as the Super Bowl and the North American International Auto Show, are prime targets for Human Trafficking. 

Specific, reliable data on the number of Human Trafficking cases in michigan is not available.  We know this crime is occurring, but we have not yet been able to precisely measure its scope.  In order to capture more reliable information, better systems, procedures, and protocols must be in place.  Challenges to reliable information gathering, detection, and prevention include the following:

• The crime of Human Trafficking was not listed as a separate crime in the national tracking system until January of 2013.  Therefore, registration of that crime prior to 2013 was identified under many different crimes. 
• The reporting system for victim identification is incomplete and inadequate. 
• Victims do not self report.
• Eighty percent of Michigan police officers ARE UNTRAINED as to the crime of human trafficking.  Speialized training for prosecutors and judges has been largely unavailable.
• Little research is being conducted at universities.  There is an absence of curriculum development in social scciences, criminal justice, law schools, justie programs, etc.
• While conditions and demographics indicate the potential of labor trafficking in many instances, these situations often go unreported unless there is a formal prosecution.
• Funding resources are almost non-existent which includes lack of housing, dedicated counseling, medical services, job training, etc., particularly for domestic victims.