We often assume that trafficking only impacts certain types of individuals, such as those living in abject poverty with little to no access to education. While certain factors do make some populations exceptionally vulnerable to human trafficking, there is no “typical” profile. Anyone can become a victim regardless of sex, age, race, citizenship status, socioeconomic level or educational attainment. For example, individuals may be highly educated, speak multiple languages and hold university degrees, while others may have little to no schooling or academic achievement. Understanding that no one is immune to victimization allows us to improve prevention and victim identification strategies. This blog covers common misconceptions.
