Crossposted from Cultivating Connections

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. Read more.