The Trafficking Victim Protection Act (TVPA) defines labor trafficking as the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage or slavery.
According to the International labor Organization (ILO), almost 21 million people are victims of labor trafficking around the world. Victims of labor trafficking are forced for work against their will. Their freedom is usually restricted and are under threat of violence or some form of punishment. Forms of forced labor can include domestic servitude, agricultural labor, sweatshop factory labor, janitorial, food service and other service industry labor, and begging.
Labor trafficking can happen to anyone, regardless of who you are. Below are some of the facts and myths about labor trafficking.
Myth: Only women and girls are labor trafficked.
Fact: Labor trafficking victims include women, men, boys, and girls.
Myth: Labor trafficked victims in the US are only foreigners.
Fact: US citizens can also be labor trafficked.
Myth: Labor Trafficked Victims do not suffer trauma like sex trafficked victims.
Fact: Labor trafficked victims suffer trauma such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder like sex trafficked victims.
Myth: Labor Trafficked victims are undocumented immigrants.
Fact: Labor trafficked victims include individuals with legitimate visas and undocumented immigrants.
Myth: Human trafficking is only sex trafficking.
Fact: Human trafficking can be labor or sex trafficking.
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