‘A part of their story, not identity’: Local group provides resources to human trafficking survivors

CHARLOTTE — January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month.

According to the Department of Homeland Security, human trafficking involves the use of fraud, force, or coercion to get some type of labor or commercial sex.

The $150 billion industry impacts more than 27 million people across the globe.

A little closer to home in the U.S., North Carolina has made the Top 10 list of states with the most human trafficking, according to the North Carolina Department of Administration. Experts say major highway systems, increased gang activity, and large, rural areas contribute to the high number of cases.

Between 2022 and 2023, nearly 500 survivors sought help from state-funded agencies. One of those groups is Hope for Justice, and they’ve created a program to help survivors of human trafficking throughout our area rebuild their lives.

“Hope for Justice takes a holistic approach to addressing human trafficking,” Kayla Leonard, with Hope for Justice, said, “and the program we’re running in North Carolina is very specific to the restoring lives aspect of our programs because we’re providing a year of free therapy and case management to victims.”

Kayla Leonard is a community outreach and training specialist with Hope for Justice. She says that even though there are more resources for survivors, the social stigma around human trafficking causes many to keep their experiences a secret.

“It definitely has an impact on state and national numbers,” Leonard said. “If you look at the estimates of human trafficking globally and nationally, there are estimates that over a million people in the US have experienced human trafficking, and then you look at state numbers of actual reports, and it drops down to the hundreds.”

According to experts, one of the most important things is understanding the warning signs of human trafficking.

Look for things like:

• Disconnection from family
• A child is not returning to school.
• A person with bruises in different healing stages
• They say recognizing these signs can help save a life.

“So the thing I say the most is just to be a support for them, that you continue to build their confidence and their autonomy,” Leonard said, “allowing them to make decisions for themselves and allowing them to plan for their goals and their lives.”

If you or someone you know has been a victim of human trafficking, click here or call the free hotline at 1-888-373-7888 at the National Human Trafficking Resource Center.

For more information about Hope for Justice, click here.

(WATCH BELOW: US attorney spotlights rising number of human trafficking cases in Charlotte)

US attorney spotlights rising number of human trafficking cases in Charlotte

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