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2010 Faith Summit on Domestic and Sexual Violence:
The Problem of Human Trafficking

Summit Introduction

Introduction - Lauren Armstrong, Polaris Project - Juli Bray-Morris Activist

Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery. Traffickers use force, fraud or coercion to exploit victims for commercial sex or labor purposes. More than 18,000 victims are trafficked into the U.S. annually and more than half of those victims are children. Human trafficking is the fastest growing criminal industry in the world and it is tied with the illegal arms industry as the second largest criminal industry in the world today.  

As a border state, New Mexico is a pathway for human trafficking.  Despite new laws to combat this form of modern slavery in our state, there is not enough public understanding of human trafficking to identify when and where it is happening in our community.

Victims of labor trafficking may be found in domestic situations as nannies or maids, construction sites, farm work or panhandling. Victims of sex trafficking may be found in massage parlors, brothels, strip clubs and escort services.

This year, the 4th Annual Faith Summit on Domestic and Sexual Violence will focus on Human Trafficking and the role faith communities can play in addressing it - literally freeing people from slavery.