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How to stay safe from trafficking while traveling
Learn how to invest in your safety as much as adventure this travel season.
Travel can offer an escape from the responsibilities of everyday life — or a plunge into a new, dangerous reality. The unfamiliarity of foreign territory can make tourists more vulnerable to various crimes. These dangers include human trafficking. The illegal practice occurs at alarming rates around the world. According to the United States Department of Transportation, as “many as 27.6 million men, women, and children are held against their will and trafficked into forced labor and prostitution.”
Knowing how and where human trafficking occurs is key to fostering safety in any travel destination.
Cases of human trafficking span the globe
Human trafficking can happen anywhere. As the U.S. Department of State shows in the 2022 Trafficking in Persons Report, cases of human trafficking reported annually span international territories. They also reach all 50 states of the U.S.
The takeaway tourists should have: Taking steps to protect yourself is essential. The value applies regardless of whether you choose an international or domestic travel destination.
Why tourism can increase your risk
Relaxation during vacation can be well-earned, but it can also come with safety risks.
As the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network explains, tourists should beware of “Vacation Brain.” Choosing to “put your worries on pause … doesn’t mean you should let your guard down. Many vacation destinations can create a false sense of security. You may become fast friends with the people you meet … but [should] give them time to earn your trust.” Sights during vacation may be new. Yet the need for awareness of your surroundings remains the same. The caution you would practice with strangers at home should apply to those you meet while spending time away from home. Without these steps, you may find your security sacrificed.
Protecting yourself while traveling
How can you take action to protect yourself while traveling? Safety tips for travel to international or domestic places given by the National Human Trafficking Hotline include:
- Provide a trusted friend or relative with information about your travel arrangements.
- Arrange a time to contact a trusted friend or relative to let them know you arrived safely.
- Take a map of the city you travel to and ensure you can reach key sights. These sights include the route from your residence to the bank, Embassy or Consulate (for international travel), police department or hospital in the case of emergencies.
- Know how to access emergency services in that country. If there is an emergency number (equal to 911 in the U.S.), memorize this number or keep it in a safe place. Memorize the address and contact information for your Embassy or Consulate in that country and more.
The hotline further suggests using a smartphone safety app, such as BSafe or SafeTrek. These apps can provide digital footprints of your travels. Such a path could be helpful for trusted loved ones with access to them to follow in an emergency.
Extra steps tourists can take, as shared by RAINN:
- Research ground transportation options.
- Think about Plan B for any scenario you may encounter during your travels.
- Keep track of what you drink.
The network also offers guidance on alcohol safety and emergency numbers for use abroad.
Supporting others’ safety at traveler transportation hubs
As a traveler, you may experience potential safety threats yourself and witness them among others. Where this is most likely to happen: transportation hubs. The USDOT offers the Human Trafficking Response Guide for the Transportation Industry in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Blue Campaign. In the guide, the department explains that human “trafficking does not require an element of transportation to be considered a crime, but like any business, it can heavily depend on transportation systems to operate. Traffickers often use transportation hubs to recruit victims of sex trafficking and forced labor. Once recruited, traffickers may rely on transportation systems to transport victims to places where they will be abused and exploited.”
The guide covers human trafficking indicators by industry. The coverage includes signs for aviation, rail, maritime and trucking staff. All travelers can look for these indicators when using the transportation hubs themselves. Commonalities among the industries include that victims of human trafficking may:
- Appear to have no control over or possession of their travel identification, money and other documents.
- Have difficulty articulating reasonable, logical travel plans or answering basic questions.
- Be under the influence and unaware of their surroundings.
- Have their movement and social interaction restricted by a co-traveler.
- Appear deprived of food, water, sleep, basic hygiene, medical care or other necessities and other indicators.
With proper measures, you can foster safety for yourself and others during travel without sacrificing having fun. These measures can make the difference between a destination offering the sights of your best dreams or situations that mirror those of nightmares.