Human Trafficking

Human trafficking also known as modern day slavery is the business of stealing freedom for profit. All these statistics are estimates because unfortunately, the human trafficking industry is constantly growing. Hidden in plain sight, these criminals know no boundaries and the numbers only seem to be rising. We do know more than 40 MILLION people are enslaved around the world today. This misconception is that human trafficking only happens in poor, underdeveloped countries. But the harsh truth is that people are trafficked around us every day. Human traffickers exploit victims through forced labor or commercial sex. Human trafficking can happen to anyone and victims of trafficking can be of any age and any gender. But some people are more vulnerable than others. Significant risk factors include recent migration or relocation, substance use, mental health concerns, involvement with the child welfare system and being a runaway or homeless youth. Often, traffickers identify and leverage their victims’ vulnerabilities in order to create dependency. The traffickers profit off their victims' suffering. Human trafficking is estimated to illegally profit over $150.2 BILLION dollars. That’s more than Intel, Microsoft, Nike, Google, and Starbucks… COMBINED. More than one-third is from forced labor while the remaining two-thirds is from sexual exploitation.  

The gruesome facts are bone chilling and it’s hard to believe we live in a world where humans are capable of doing such horrible things, but they are. 

But I do believe we can make a difference, which is why Unchained Threads was born. I believe we can work together to spread awareness and shed light on these harsh realities.