Traffickers’ Profile

Traffickers may accompany the victim to medical and dental appointments. They view the victim as property and they tend to “oversee” any care that the victim may receive.^30,36,37 Essentially, the victim is viewed as potential income for the trafficker. The trafficker may fall into a wide range of social and economic realms. Other cues to identifying a trafficker include the insistence of directing all care for the patient as well as being part of all conversations. They may state they need to be present in order to translate for the person or even that the person may need assistance in understanding the issues being presented. They appear to be the person’s representative and are there to speak for them.^1,13,30 There are specific characteristics that denote a trafficker such as:

• Traffickers span all social and economic status

• The clients of a trafficker include:

  • Business owners and professionals.

  • Elected officials, those serving in government agencies and those employed in a government capacity.

  • Individuals of poor economic status also participate in trafficking but may not pay as much as individuals at higher income levels.

• May be relative of victim, boyfriend, employer or parent

• Owner of businesses such as farms, casinos, truck stops, and these individuals may use the services of the victims but make a business of the trafficking victims.

• May be involved in modeling, acting or dancing (used to recruit victims).

  ^11,12,15