KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Community Coalition Against Human Trafficking works with survivors across 33 counties, including East Tennessee. So far this year, they said they have helped more than 279 people and around 65% of them were children or teenagers.
According to the advocacy group, around half of those survivors said the offender was a family member. The CCAHT most cases involve family members as offenders.
"People who live in East Tennessee don't even realize that there are children in their own backyards who are experiencing trafficking, or being trafficked by a family member," said Lisa Bolton, Director of Youth Services at CCAHT. "I learned about trafficking, actually, when I was 13 — and it was overwhelming. Even as a 13-year-old, I knew this was something that I could not let happen in my community."
She trains people on how they can recognize the signs of human trafficking. According to a federal campaign, those signs include a person appearing disconnected from social connections or a child no longer attending school. Often appearing in the company of someone they defer to could also indicate human trafficking, they said.
If they live in unsuitable conditions, lack personal possessions, don't appear to have freedom of movement or need to follow unreasonable "security measures," they could also be victims of human trafficking, according to the Blue Campaign.
Bolton works one-on-one with kids of labor and sexual abuse. She said children between 11 years old and 15 years old are most likely to be trafficked by a family member. During those ages, they are in a phase when they are looking for a sense of belonging while also establishing a sense of identity.
"The struggles and hurts are more than what most children will never even imagine could happen," she said.
She also said in East Tennessee, rural communities and low-income areas are hotspots for human trafficking. She said familial trafficking usually involves a child being exploited in exchange for resources, like food or shelter. Mothers are sometimes involved, she said.
"Someone on the outside comes in and offers mom, 'Hey, I will give you free rent if you let your child come down the street and hang out with me for a couple of weeks,'" said Bolton. "If you think about a rural community, there's a lot of isolation. There are not very many resources. You might be miles and miles from your neighbor."
People who suspect human trafficking could be involved in a situation can report it to federal law enforcement by calling 1-866-347-2423. Anyone who needs help in a situation involving human trafficking can also call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888. They can also text "HELP" or "INFO" to BeFree, at 233733.