SIDNEY — Urging people to become more aware of human trafficking and its $150 billion impact worldwide was the plea of the leader of a Lima-based organization formed to save as many people as possible from being victims.
More than 50 people gathered at Lehman Catholic High School, Thursday, to hear about state and local efforts to combat the problem. The event was hosted by the Holy Angels Catholic Church Outreach Committee.
Leading the presentation was Raven Loaiza, chairwoman of the Tri County Chapter of the Northwest Ohio Rescue and Restore Coalition and regional rape crisis coordinator of the Rape Crisis and Human Trafficking Division of Crime Victim Services.
Sidney Police Resource Officer Mike McRill spoke of his role as a police officer and a member of the organization’s committee.
The coalition is a human trafficking-prevention effort that covers 16 counties in northwest Ohio, including Auglaize, Shelby, Miami and Darke. In addition to raising awareness of the practice and creating public policies to prevent it, the coalition identifies victims, rescues survivors and provides emergency assistance.
Loaiza is a licensed social worker and a registered advocate in the state of Ohio and a court-appointed special advocate. She spoke of her personal involvement in cases and the barriers that officials face to right the wrong.
“Human trafficking is all about power and money. That’s what it’s all about,” Loaiza said, regarding both domestic and international victims. “It’s about controlling someone to commit an act that pays them (the trafficker) money.”
She explained that while a higher number of incidents occur in more highly populated, nonrural areas, people should not be fooled into thinking it doesn’t occur both in the sex trades and forced labor situations.
McRill admitted he is no expert in human trafficking, but is working to create a local awareness plan.
He spoke of facing possible trafficking issues during his time as a patrol officer. A domestic call to a local hotel has resulted in the alleged female victim’s refusing to speak or accuse the male. He believed there was more going on than appeared on the surface, which could have been a human trafficking situation, he said.
McRill also said victims have claimed not to be victims when it was clear they were. He spoke about an anonymous, local woman who was homeless, would sell herself sexually, then turn the money over to a boyfriend who directed the activities. The entire time, she told officers her boyfriend was a loving caregiver.
McRill said there are many common themes in cases that may involve human trafficking.
Loaiza told the audience that traffickers must exert an act, means and purpose to lure potential victims. Not all are considered by the victim to be harmful or traumatic tactics, at first. That breaks down the warning signs they should see.
The act may be a perceived as an “act of kindness.” Victims may be runaways who are befriended with a place to stay, told they are physically attractive or provided daily comfort. The means aspect takes various forms of force, fraud and coercion, such as threats of physical harm to the victim or their family or of turning them into immigration officials. The purpose is to use the individuals for sexual or labor exploitation.
Worldwide, nearly 21 million adults and children are in forced labor, Loaiza said. Another 3.9 million children are forced into the global commercial sex trade. Up to 98 percent of those in the sex trade are girls and women.
In Ohio, more than 1,000 foreign-born persons are victims of sex or labor trafficking, she added. Another 1,200 American-born youth are trafficked into the sex trade each year.
In 2014, some 37 cases of human trafficking were identified by the Crime Victim Services in its 16-county area. The victims were men, women and children in both foreign and domestic cases.
Loaiza said traffickers are intelligent, manipulative and persuasive. Emotionally, the victims will many times “bond” with their captors when fooled into believing the captors are caring for them.
In the U.S., Ohio ranks near the top in the number of strip clubs and activity in sex trafficking. Loaiza said that is because of the high number of professional sports teams and athletic events that draw large numbers of people.
The NFL’s Super Bowl ranks as the top weekend of sex trafficking activity due to the partying atmosphere.
Ohio also remains high on the list of the number of truck stops, a top pandering site for traffickers. Loaiza said Truckers Against Trafficking’s joining with law enforcement agencies to report any suspected activity has helped greatly.
McRill noted the Sidney Police Department has not handled a single human trafficking case specifically, but strongly reiterated the community is not immune.
Loaiza concluded by saying that the public can help by becoming aware of the warning signs and noticing any suspicious activity or red flags that may indicate a problem. The local hotline number to report such activity is 877-867-7273.
Her coalition website can be found at www.CrimeVictimServices.org.
McRill said, “Not one agency is going to be able to do this alone. It’s going to take all of us working together.”
McRill can be reached at 498-8722 or by email at [email protected].
