SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – What comes to mind when you hear human trafficking?
Unmarked vehicles snatching unsuspecting victims at random? Or is it a sophisticated international crime syndicate buying, selling, or trading beautiful unsuspecting co-eds?
Maybe you think of migrant workers being smuggled into the United States in the dark of night by organized criminals or others who prey on the weak.
While those instances do exist, that is not the way that experts in the fight against human trafficking describe it; and they want the public to have a greater understanding of how, and why some men, women, and children find themselves trapped in the lifestyle of human trafficking.
Experts say that human trafficking usually starts as a relationship.
“You have probably seen the movie ‘Taken’ where you know, this sophisticated Eastern European syndicate that goes out and kidnaps these underaged girls and forced them into sex work,” Assistant United States Attorney Earl Campbell said. “I’m pretty sure it happens. But that’s not the typical case.”
Campbell said typical cases that are prosecuted by the Department of Justice consist of a person who is groomed and courted online and ends up entering a life of sex trafficking through coercion or force after the trafficker has won them over or instilled fear in them.
Laurie McGehee with the FREE Coalition To End Human Trafficking in NW Louisiana said 2022 data for Louisiana shows that Caddo Parish has the highest number of reported human trafficking cases in the state. Followed by Orleans, East Baton Rouge, and Rapides.
The FREE Coalition works with law enforcement, prosecutors, the Department of Justice, and social service providers to develop game plans to bring traffickers to justice and provide needed resources to survivors.
In Louisiana, 70 percent of human trafficking victims are 17 years and under; and sex trafficking accounts for 79 percent of all reported instances of trafficking in the state.
According to law enforcement, a major issue they face with successfully investigating or prosecuting human trafficking cases is maintaining the victims’ cooperation.
FBI Special Agent Zachary Crutchfield said these investigations can take months before they go to trial and the last thing they want to do is further damage an already fragile victim.
“The delays in court and the constantly having to interview the victim. They have to keep telling their story and we don’t want to revictimize the victim,” Crutchfield said.
Campbell agrees that the most critical portion of the prosecution effort lies within the victim’s willingness to testify; an action he believes provides catharsis for the victim.
“I’ve also found that it’s empowering because they get it out. And as part of their recovery process, to be able to get that out, you know, to be able to look that defendant in the eye and tell them what they did and how they did it,” Campbell said.
