Around the Bend: New Web site give info on human trafficking

By DOROTHY COX
The Trucker Staff

5/4/2009

The young woman looks scared to death. She’s your granddaughter’s age and you notice there are some ugly bruises on her upper arms. You suspect the man she’s with not only is not a relative, but that he is heavily invested in doing her bodily harm and is financially profiting from her.

What do you do? You don’t want to get involved. She won’t make eye contact and maybe you’re mistaken, after all. Maybe she fell and hurt herself and that man is really her dad or uncle.

It might be a family thing. Shouldn’t you mind your own business?

In today’s world of identity fraud, fallen freight levels and high grocery prices, not to mention road rage and random acts of violence, it’s hard to know the right thing to do in such a situation.

But several organizations have stepped in to make that decision a little easier and perhaps save a life in the bargain.

Tenstreet LLC, a supplier of services and solutions to help truck fleets better manage their human resources and driver pools, along with Chapter 61 Ministries and Christian Truckers Network, have participated in the recent launch of a new Web site, truckersagainsttrafficking.com.

The site, designed by Dave Bowman, was set up to inform truckers and other travelers about the basic issues involved in human trafficking and offers some safe ways to help.

“There are 3.5 million truckers out there on the road. If we can just get these guys to do some reporting [of suspicious behavior]. … Already a driver saw some [suspicious] activity and the FBI was alerted,” said Craig Johnson, CEO of Tenstreet LLC, which is based in Tulsa, Okla.

The driver Johnson was referring to heard Lyn Thompson of Chapter 61 Ministries on the Lockridge Report on Sirius Radio, Road Dog Trucking channel 147, in mid April talking about the Web site and the human trafficking problem. Three days later he e-mailed Thompson and informed her of suspicious activity involving young girls at an Alabama truck stop. Thompson was able to get the proper authorities involved.

That e-mail was proof to Thompson of what she already knew: “I know there are truckers out there who want to get something done,” she said.

Thompson has created some 35,000 wallet-sized cards for truck drivers with basic information and a national hot line number truckers can call if they suspect a woman or child (either sex) is a victim of human trafficking for sex or as a forced laborer. The only problem is that she cannot afford to pay for their distribution out of her own pocket. So she’s looking for a carrier, a trucking-related group or someone to come forward and help.

The hot line number is (888) 373-7888. It’s multi lingual, toll free and is open 24/7. Or, e-mail: Report@PolarisProject.org.

One side of the cards reads: “Warning: Please do not approach traffickers. Call the hotline and they will call the FBI and local police to deal with them and rescue the victims. Approaching traffickers is not only dangerous for you and their victims but could lead to problems in the eventual prosecution of traffickers.”

It continues that: “Human trafficking is modern-day slavery. Traffickers use force, fraud and coercion to control their victims. Any minor engaged in commercial sex is a victim of human trafficking. U.S. citizens can be trafficked within the United States. Trafficking can occur in many locations, including truck stops, restaurants, rest areas, brothels, strip clubs and private homes.”

The card also lists indicators that a person may be a trafficking victim such as:

• Few or no personal possessions

• Lack of knowledge of their community or whereabouts

• Not in control of their own identification documents (ID, passport etc.)

• Restricted or controlled communication (not allowed to speak for self with another party insisting on interpreting)

• Signs of malnourishment

• Person’s demeanor shows signs of fear, anxiety, depression, submissiveness, tension, nervousness, and

• Not in control of their own money.

If all this sounds too much like a made-for-TV movie, consider that modern-day slavery or human trafficking is a $32-billion industry with an estimated 27 million victims.

The new Web site has this kind of information and more, such as how the trucking industry can help; information resources such as FBI intelligence reports; videos of real-life slavery victims; news and updates; and how to contact Truckers Against Human Trafficking to lend support.

Thompson said the idea behind the Web site was that truckers are some of the motorists most likely to run across trafficking victims.

She said trafficked individuals are likely being watched or followed and could be part of a group of young girls, women or even boys hanging out at truck stops, gas stations or rest areas and are likely to be dressed provocatively and engaging in prostitution.

Some questions to ask a suspected victim might include but are not limited t asking if they were recruited by someone; if they’re being watched or followed; if they’re being physically and/or sexually abused; if their family members have been threatened; if they owe their boss money; and what their living conditions are like.

It might be hard to imagine how a young person could become involved in something like this.

In Theresa Flores’ case, what started innocently with her crush on an older classmate turned to date rape caught on film by some of the rapist's friends. They then used the film to blackmail the girl into sexual slavery that lasted two years and involved hundreds of men.

Now 43 and a mother of three living in central Ohio, Flores described her ordeal at a human-trafficking conference that attracted more than 500 people to the Vineyard Church of Columbus, Ohio.

Flores and other speakers emphasized that the problem is not confined to foreign countries or America's biggest cities. Nor is it just about young girls sold in Thailand or foreigners smuggled across U.S. borders to feed the sex trade.

"Yes, it is happening in central Ohio," said one conference participant, Dr. Jeff Barrows.

Theresa’s and others’ stories are on the new Web site, and Thompson and Tenstreet’s Johnson hope truckers will avail themselves of that and other information. At the very least, they will be better informed about the national and global problem of human trafficking.

And they could help save a life.

Dorothy Cox of The Trucker staff can be reached for comment at dlcox@thetrucker.com.