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Overview of Types of Human Trafficking in the United States

human traffickingHuman trafficking appears in many guises in the United States. This is a list of the most common cases as compiled by www.polarisproject.org:

Labor Trafficking: This type of human trafficking several industries such as Domestic Servitude/Domestic Worker (i.e., nannies, maids and housekeepers, Small Businesses/”Mom and Pop” Operations (i.e., Landscaping, nail salons, restaurants, industrial cleaning construction and hospitality), as well as Peddling Rings/Sales Crews (i.e., Magazine/sales crews.)

Large-Scale Labor Cases: These types of human trafficking cases are usually seen in Agricultural and Factory settings (i.e., garments; food processing) as well as other large factory work environments (i.e., industrial welding)

Sex Trafficking: When people think of human trafficking, this is usually how many people imagine it. These cases may be classified as labor trafficking if commercial sex acts do not occur. However, these operations often involve some linkage with commercial sex acts. Other areas include Eastern European/Russian stripping or exotic dancing “Go-Go Clubs” Latino cantina bars, Asian room salons, hostess clubs, karaoke clubs and domestic strip clubs and gentleman’s clubs.

Then there are the Residential/Underground Brothels are based in homes, apartments, hotel/motel rooms, trailer parks, mobile trailers, and other outdoor locations. Residential brothels are diverse and can include both foreign born and US citizen populations.

There are also Escort Services (both in-call and out-call) and Pimp-Controlled ventures that are based in bars, hotels, the Internet, private parties (house, club, lap dance clubs), boat cruises, phone chat lines, street-based Truck stops and other miscellaneous locations. In addition to these there is an often-overlooked, but equally degrading form of human trafficking is conducted by International Marriage Brokers, servile marriages and personal sexual servitude.

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