What is labor trafficking?
Labor trafficking has been defined by the National Human Trafficking Hotline as a form of modern-day slavery where individuals are forced to provide labor or services by force, fraud or coercion. Labor trafficking thrives in secrecy and is often a hidden crime affecting people across various industries including agriculture, hospitality, construction, domestic work, and restaurants. Victims are often forced to work under unsafe conditions, have wages withheld, or are threatened if they attempt to leave their employment. Victims of labor trafficking often live in fear of being reported for immigration issues, may lack access to their identification documents, and may have limited freedoms.
Similar to sex trafficking, there is a very high percentage of survivors who state that they knew their perpetrator, whether it was a family member/loved one, professional connection or a “friend of a friend”.
Labor trafficking also disproportionately affects immigrants, particularly those who work in agricultural, domestic services, hospitality, food and beverage, manufacturing, sales crews, and construction. Particularly, the farming industry makes up nearly 60% of the labor trafficking cases in Colorado.
To learn more about labor trafficking from individuals who have lived experience, visit This Is Human Trafficking page.