HUMAN TRAFFICKING: Fast facts on statistics, resources

HUMAN TRAFFICKING

Statistics and resources

Human trafficking, often referred to as modern-day slavery, occurs when people use force, fraudulent means or coercion to exploit and control others for profit. Some facts about what some organizations say is one of the world’s fastest-growing criminal industries:

Trafficking generates about $9.5 billion annually in the U.S.

About 300,000 children are at risk, and an estimated 100,000 youngsters are victims each year.

The average age a person is forced into prostitution is 13 to 14.

A pimp can make $150,000 to $200,000 a year per child.

The top 10 human-trafficking jurisdictions are Houston, El Paso, Texas, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Chicago, Charlotte, N.C., Miami, Las Vegas, New York City and Long Island, N.Y.

1 in 3 teens on the street is lured into prostitution within two days of leaving home.

For more information or to seek help, call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at 888-373-7888 or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 800-THE LOST (843-5678).

Source: Polaris Project