NHTSA Webinar Focuses on EMS` Role in Identifying Human Trafficking

EMS personnel might not know there are steps they can take to help identify and stop human trafficking.

This was the focus of a NHTSA Office of EMS webinar in the EMS Focus series, “The Blue Campaign to End Human Trafficking.” The webinar explored what EMS personnel can do to help identify human trafficking.

The webinar’s key learning objectives included defining human trafficking, showing what signs to look for, who to call, exploring available resources and giving examples of EMS personnel encountering human trafficking victims.

Ray Mollers, of the Medical First Responder Coordination branch, says human trafficking is more widespread than people believe. It occurs in every part of the world, including rural towns, suburbs and big cities, Mollers says.

“Each of you plays a vital role in combating human trafficking,” said Mollers. “EMS personnel are on the front lines. You are in a position to report human trafficking.”

Scott Santoro, Blue Campaign training advisor, says human trafficking doesn’t necessarily look the same as it does in the movies.

“These aren’t always people in shackles and chains,” says Santoro. “They appear to you and I to have free will.”

Human trafficking can take a few different forms, notes Santoro. The bottom line is that people are being forced, whether by threat of violence or other repercussions (such as deportation if they are brought into the country illegally), to perform sexual acts or labor.

Santoro says the hardest part of getting help to human trafficking victims is realizing they are victims. Victims will rarely identify themselves mainly out of “a culture of fear that has been instilled in them by their trafficker,” says Santoro.

Santoro did give some subtle signs and signals that someone may be being held for human trafficking:

• A controlling figure being on scene and wanting to speak on behalf of the group;
• The controlling figure being in charge of passports or other identifying documents;
• A person that speaks English and another language (if the victims do not speak English) refusing to translate.

Santoro says a plethora of other resources exist for responders at the Blue Campaign’s website including a new 9-minute training video that reviews what EMS providers should look for if they suspect someone is a victim of human trafficking.

Events that bring in large crowds, such as the Super Bowl, large political conventions and others are sometimes hotbeds of human trafficking. There is a large likelihood traffickers will try to make money by selling people for sex or labor at these events, says Santoro.

Mollers says one common fear in reporting human trafficking victims is, if they are foreign, they will automatically be deported, but he says this is not necessarily the case. There are resources and visas available for these victims.

“It’s always better to get these victims out of the situation and use our resources to help them,” Mollers says.

To watch this webinar, or to view previous EMS Focus webinars, visit EMS.gov.