January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month. During the month of January, governments, anti-trafficking organizations, law enforcement, survivor advocates, community leaders, and community members come together to raise awareness about human trafficking, to educate the public on how to identify and prevent human trafficking, and to protect and empower survivors of all forms of human trafficking.
Human trafficking impacts the health and well-being of individuals, families, and communities. Around the world, including the United States, it is estimated that 27.6 million people, adults and children, are subjected to human trafficking. Human trafficking involves compelling or coercing a person to provide labor or services, or to engage in commercial sex acts. The coercion can be subtle or overt, physical, or psychological. Individuals facing barriers to stable living, such as securing housing, accessing physical and mental health services, legal representation, building social connections within their community, and finding job training and employment opportunities, are at a higher risk of being trafficked.
While human trafficking is a global issue, it has a direct impact on our community. According to the Washington State Office of the Attorney General, human trafficking is the fastest-growing criminal industry in the world today. Human trafficking in Washington state [1] and King County has a significant impact on adults, particularly within immigrant and refugee communities. [2] While there is no comprehensive list of groups vulnerable to human trafficking, factors such as conflict-driven displacement, harsh immigration policies, inadequate access to safe migration options, forced labor, and increasing anti-immigrant sentiment can put migrant communities at a greater risk of exploitation.
Local funding makes investments in human trafficking prevention
In 2024, the renewed Veterans, Seniors, and Human Services Levy (VSHSL) invested in human trafficking prevention through the HL: 10 Countywide Gender-Based Violence and Trafficking Prevention strategy. This investment, detailed in the VSHSL Implementation Plan, awarded $5,136,685 to 12 partner organizations to develop and implement in-depth, multi-level, coordinated gender-based violence and trafficking prevention and community engagement strategies tailored to geographically and culturally diverse communities across King County.
VSHSL’s Countywide Gender-Based Violence and Trafficking Prevention partner organizations include:
- API Chaya: Gender-based violence prevention for immigrant and Black communities.
- Coalition Ending Gender-Based Violence: Gender-based violence prevention though community education and training.
- Domestic Abuse Women’s Network: Parenting classes to prevent domestic violence.
- Filipino Community of Seattle: Gender-based violence advocacy through trainings in de-escalation and conflict resolution.
- King County Sexual Assault Resource Center: Prevention education for the LGBTQ+ community.
- Lavender Rights Project: Gender-based violence prevention through media campaigns, cultural organizing, providing legal advocacy to survivors, and conducing ‘know your rights’ workshops for survivors.
- Lutheran Community Services Northwest: Gender-based violence wraparound services including training participants to recognize signs of trafficking to prevent trafficking and enhance personal and community safety.
- Mother Nation: Gender-based violence prevention through cultural prevention services, gathering of Women Sweats, Sisterhood Circles, and Round Dance and Drum teachings.
- Organization for Prostitution Survivors: Sexual exploitation prevention through a community-based network for prevention, accountability, and intervention that is guided by survivors of trafficking. Men’s program centered on accountability and raising awareness of the harm of trafficking.
- Sexual Violence Law Center: Gender-based violence prevention legal services including community education and training in legal services for survivors.
- Somali Family Safety Task Force: Gender-based violence prevention through training in intimate partner violence prevention.
- YWCA Seattle| King|Snohomish: Gender-based violence and commercial sexual exploitation prevention.
“Here at the Organization for Prostitution Survivors (OPS), we like to acknowledge why we stand out; we are survivor founded, led, and centered, with over half of our staff being survivors. Our staff integrate with the goals of our participants, as we value the role of survivors in helping others heal,” shared Helena Neeley, Director of Survivor Services at OPS.
Reach out directly to any of the VSHSL’s partner organizations to access services and supports, or contact the local and national supports below:
- Visit watraffickinghelp.org for a list of services that are available to human trafficking survivors in King County and Washington.
- The Washington Anti-Trafficking Response Network (WARN) is a coalition of non-governmental organizations that provide direct services to victims of human trafficking in Washington State.
- The National Human Trafficking Hotline has toll-free phone and SMS text lines and live online chat function are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Help is available in English, Spanish, and in more than 200 additional languages through an on-call interpreter.
[1] Washington is among the states with high numbers of human trafficking cases. Washington’s northern border with Canada makes it a significant entry point for human trafficking into the United States. Annually, an estimated 1500 to 2000 victims are trafficked through this route. Victims often enter Canada from other countries under the guise of visitors, refugees, temporary workers, or first-class immigrants, and are then transported into the U.S. via Washington and neighboring states using various means such as cars, boats, or on foot.
[2] The U.S. Dept. of Justice estimates that between 14,500 and 17,500 people are trafficked into the country each year.