Spotting Subtle Signs of Sex Trafficking
Recognizing silent evidence that speaks louder than words.
Posted January 3, 2025 | Reviewed by Tyler Woods
Responsible citizens within every industry are passionate about joining the fight against human trafficking. Yet, to be most effective, they have to know what to look for, where to look, and what to do with the information they see. I have previously written about how to notice and prevent sex trafficking of minors , [i] recognize coercive relational control , [ii] and even detect human trafficking through the use of artificial intelligence . [iii] Yet developing an enhanced ability to spot trafficking activity in public space provides even more opportunity for intervention. Research explains how.
Public Transportation Offers Opportunities for Intervention
One of the distinguishing features of sex trafficking activity is movement. In contrast to cases of domestic servitude or other forms of labor trafficking that involve concealment or confinement to a place of business, sex traffickers move their victims to meet the demand. This creates a variety of opportunities to spot this insidious activity.
Jodi Godfrey and Lisa Staes (2024) examined human trafficking awareness within the transportation industry. [iv] They acknowledge the unique position of transit operators to notice and report suspicious activity as “the frontline eyes on communities,” but note that training is imperative to empower transit agencies to partner in the fight against human trafficking. They recognize human trafficking as a “worldwide criminal industry” that victimizes approximately 25 million people around the world, targeting the most vulnerable populations and preying upon their weaknesses, insecurities, and needs to create a relationship of control through force, fraud, or coercion. Acknowledging the success of programs like Truckers Against Trafficking’s Busing on the Lookout, they note the need for more policies, procedures, and reporting guidelines within the transit industry.
Medical Evidence: Silent Evidence of Exploitation
Another avenue of detecting human trafficking exists within the medical industry, as victims suffer both emotional and physical harm from traffickers as well as buyers. When they seek medical care, either themselves or at the direction of their trafficker, the physical examination provides a unique opportunity for health care providers to have the victim alone. Someone who brings a patient in for treatment but refuses to allow a private meeting is itself a red flag, as is nervous, compulsive behavior in the waiting room.
Once a provider has private access to a victim, there are several things to notice that may indicate trafficking activity. In addition to the signs of physical abuse health care providers are already trained to notice with regard to suspected intimate partner violence or child abuse, trafficking victims exhibit some similarities in their medical and emotional presentation.
Murnan, Aaron W. et al. (2024) sought to identify sex trafficking child victims from electronic health records. [v] Because child sex trafficking survivors experience high levels of adverse health outcomes, they used an artificial intelligence -assisted keyword search to analyze clinical presentation and associated diagnoses. They found a sex trafficking-related keyword in .18 percent of patient records. Within this group, they found the associated diagnostic codes encountered most frequently were for sexual /physical assault, depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, trauma and stress -related disorders, and suicidal ideation—findings consistent with known adverse physical and psychological outcomes among child sex trafficking victims.
Situational Awareness Saves Lives
In many ways, within a variety of settings, citizens can join the fight against human trafficking through education and observation. Perception within both public and private space, depending on one’s vantage point, provides one of the best methods of recognizing, reporting, and ultimately rescuing victims of this insidious crime .
[i] https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/why-bad-looks-good/202501/how-to-recognize-and-prevent-child-sex-trafficking .
[ii] https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/why-bad-looks-good/202412/sex-trafficking-red-flags-of-romantic-relational-control .
[iii] https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/why-bad-looks-good/202412/using-artificial-intelligence-to-detect-human-trafficking .
[iv] Godfrey, Jodi, and Lisa Staes. “Human Trafficking Awareness Training and Response Procedure Template for Transit Agencies.” Transportation Research Record , 2024, https://doi.org/10.1177/03611981241262308 .
[v] Murnan, Aaron W., Jennifer J. Tscholl, Rajesh Ganta, Henry O. Duah, Islam Qasem, and Emre Sezgin. 2024. “Identification of Child Survivors of Sex Trafficking from Electronic Health Records: An Artificial Intelligence Guided Approach.” Child Maltreatment 29 (4): 601–11. doi:10.1177/10775595231194599.
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Wendy L. Patrick, J.D., Ph.D., is a career trial attorney, behavioral analyst, author of Why Bad Looks Good , Red Flags , and co-author of the revised New York Times bestseller Reading People .
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