Lawmakers, business leaders, activists, and Texas First Lady Celia Abbott on Thursday launched a statewide anti-trafficking campaign that will feature billboards in 70 cities across Texas.
The campaign billboards say “Can You See Me?” and “Puedes Verme” and feature images of the most common forms of modern-day slavery.
Organizers say that the effort will help the public to recognize indicators of human trafficking and learn how to report suspicious behavior to the National Human Trafficking Hotline and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
In remarks at a launch event in Houston, First Lady Cecilia Abbott said, “I ask that all Texans join us in the fight. I have no doubt that by joining together, we can help end this inhumanity.”
The campaign is a partnership between the anti-trafficking nonprofit A21, the Outdoor Advertising Association of Texas, and the Child Sex Trafficking Team within the Office of the Governor.
State Senator Carol Alvarado and U.S. Senator Ted Criz were among those in attendance at the launch event. Cruz noted in a statement afterwards that there are estimated to be as many 300,000 trafficking victims in Texas. “Together we will stand up to this evil,” he said.
Cruz also wrote that he was honored to have met Kathy McGibbon, “a victim of sex trafficking who has dedicated her life to helping fellow survivors and ending domestic sex trafficking of minors.” McGibbon is the head of the Houston branch of Street Grace, an Atlanta-based nonprofit.
Human trafficking is a serious problem in Texas. The state is ranked second in the nation in most reported human trafficking cases. Victims include both foreign nationals and U.S. citizens. Houston is a particular hotspot for the problem, but trafficking also occurs in rural areas and other cities.
Last year that Attorney General’s Office reported to the Legislature that its anti-trafficking team was overstretched and having difficulty keeping up with prosecutions and numerous training requests from local partners. “We have only touched the very tip of the iceberg in handling human trafficking cases,” First Assistant Attorney General Jeff Mateer said at a budget hearing a year ago. “We need to dedicate more resources to combat this problem.”
How can you spot a trafficking victim? According to the Attorney General’s Office, red flags for labor trafficking include:
- Working excessively long or unusual hours
- Living where the individual works
- Living in an area that is not zoned for residential
- Transported to and from work by the employer
- Housing, food, and hygiene products all being supplied by the employer
- Not being paid on a regular schedule
- Inability to speak English
- Identification documents or money are being held by a third-party.
Red flags for sex trafficking include:
- High-end clothing recently purchased
- Hotel keys
- Rolls of money
- Prepaid credit cards
- Tattooing/branding
- Lack of eye contact
- Third-party control of the person’s schedule, identifying documents, money, and/or travel.
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