Gap between Victimization and Prosecutions

As illustrated above, there is a huge gap in the number of human trafficking victims identified and the number of defendants charged. Providing law enforcement officers with the knowledge necessary to recognize victims will work to close this gap, bringing trafficking into the light and bringing justice to those affected.

Victims Rarely Self-Identify

Victims of human trafficking often end up in the legal system on charges for prostitution, as runaways, or for other seemingly unrelated offenses. Due to coercion by perpetrators and/or trauma, victims rarely feel safe disclosing that they are part of a larger trafficking scheme or that their actions are unwillfull. Law enforcement must be trained to recognize the signs of HT so that the true perpetrators can be held accountable. Emphasizing trauma informed investigation could prove key in facilitating cooperative conversations between LE and victims.

Cross-Jurisdictional Cooperation

Due to the flexible nature of the crime, traffickers are constantly changing jurisdictions to take advantage of the challenges that come with multi-jurisdictional law enforcement information-sharing. Further, many human trafficking cases begin with a misdemeanor arrest or status offense - a local crime - but once human trafficking is identified, State and Federal agencies are almost always involved.

Law Enforcement/

Service Provider Cooperation

As was stated by one US Attorney, “we don’t bring these cases to court unless we have a cooperative victim.” Victim cooperation is crucial to successful prosecutions. Non-profit relationships with victims often prove central to helping victims feel safe, stable, and secure enough to cooperate and testify.