What is Human Trafficking?
Human Trafficking is the use of force, fraud, or coercion to control victims for the purpose of engaging in commercial sex acts or labor services against their will.
Many people believe trafficking is something that only happens to foreign nationals and consists of people being brought into the country from abroad, however, the majority of trafficking happens inside the United States.
The Willow provides confidential advice, information, and advocacy for survivors of human trafficking and domestic violence in Franklin, Douglas, and Jefferson counties in Kansas.
Myth vs. Facts
Many people associate Human Trafficking with the idea of foregin nationals being abducted abroad and then forced into domestic service or trafficked sexually after being transported to the United States. While this does happen, far more often trafficking occurs nationally, among people who have some form of previous relationship with their trafficker. Survivors will often be groomed for an extended period of time y their traffickers before being seperated by any support network they may have and be forced into sexual acts through coercison, addiction, threats, or intimidation.
In 2020, The Willow launched the We're Here campaign to combat myths surrounding human trafficking. Here are a few examples of the posts which were used in this campaign.
Survivor Leaders
Survivor leaders are crucial to the fight to end human trafficking. They are the only ones that can truly shed light on the truth behind trafficking. Rebecca Bender is one of the survivor leaders at the forefront of this cause.
For more stories visit our YouTube playlist.
The Willow Human Trafficking Team
National Resources
Statistics, Resources, Training, and a hotline that can be reached nationally.
24-hour hotline: 888-373-7888 (Text 233733)
Founded in 2002, Polaris is named for the North Star, which people held in slavery in the United States used as a guide to navigate their way to freedom. Today we are filling in the roadmap for that journey and lighting the path ahead.
A listing of resources and informaiton available at a state level. DCF provides a number of service and resources for children, as well as information about Human Trafficking.
