There are many myths about trafficking. At RAHAB serving survivors of human trafficking is always top of mind. However, we know that the general public doesn’t always understand what human trafficking truly is. There are a lot of myths and misconceptions that circulate about trafficking, so we want to use this space to talk about a few of them:
Myth #1: Trafficking usually begins with a violent crime, like kidnapping.
We’ve all seen the Facebook post warnings that go something like this: New human trafficking tactic! Traffickers are tying zip ties to your car! Traffickers will then jump out and grab you when you go to investigate!
The truth of the matter is that the majority of survivors we work with are not kidnapped, and very few are held captive. Most victims are trafficked by someone they know, including family members, peers, and significant others, not strangers.
Myth #2: Prostitution is unrelated to trafficking, those women chose to be in the sex industry and make a lot of money.
The women and children we serve made little to no money during their victimization. Many survivors do not self-identify as a victim of trafficking until later in their life and healing journey.
Myth #3: You can easily identify a victim, trafficker, and sex buyer.
There is no blueprint for what any of these people look like. They can be any gender, race, age, socio-economic status, or in any location.
Myth #4: There is nothing you can personally do about human trafficking.
You are a huge part of this mission! RAHAB could not exist without generous donors, volunteers, and advocates that fuel our mission. There are so many ways to get involved, including volunteering, learning about trafficking, and donating to our ministry.
We would not exist without you, and are so grateful that you’ve joined us on this mission to serve women and children affected by trafficking in our community! If you want to dive deeper with RAHAB, click the links above, subscribe to our blog, and follow us on Facebook and Instagram (@rahabministries).