HARRISBURG, Pa. — Human trafficking in central Pennsylvania is invisible yet present across nearly all walks of life, and advocates say only through knowing its warning signs can it be stopped.
Some of those advocates attempted to shine a light on those warning signs through a talk hosted by the Harrisburg Center for Peace and Justice to an audience both in person and on Zoom.
Rhonda Hendrickson, the chief operating officer at the YWCA of Greater Harrisburg, spoke at the event, hoping to highlight some of those warning signs.
"Most people just don't recognize what human trafficking is, and it often can masquerade as something much different," Hendrickson said. "It can look like many things. Commercial sexual exploitation can look like what most people are going to say is prostitution, but we know those are really victims of sex trafficking. It can look like forced labor in warehouses, fish markets, orchards, farms or even in hotels in the hospitality industry."
It’s been a significant problem in Central Pennsylvania, with Dauphin, York and Lancaster counties accounting for more than a third of cases statewide, and even more cases go unreported.
"There's a stigma around it," said Rachel Beatty, the Director of Economic Development for Peace Promise. "It can be hard to verbalize what has happened to you. It's also a hard case to fight. Oftentimes, traffickers [and] sex buyers just get a slap on the wrist, and that can be difficult and re-traumatizing for a survivor to go through."
The hope for the event is to teach people what to look for, and to shine a light on the scope of the issue.
"I hope that they come away with a greater awareness for trafficking in this area," Beatty said. "I hope they come away with compassion for the survivors and that they know what resources are available [and] who to reach out to, should they see signs of trafficking."
If you or someone you know may be the victim of human trafficking, call The National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.