January is Human Trafficking Prevention Month, and at Our Voice, we’re reminded that prevention is both awareness and community action. This month, we’ve been inviting community members to take our Human Trafficking 101 training series, creating spaces where people can look beyond stereotypes and understand what trafficking actually looks like in our own region.
The Reality in Our Community
In 2024, the National Human Trafficking Hotline reported nearly 12,000 trafficking situations nationwide, involving over 21,000 likely survivors. Here in North Carolina, 301 cases were reported to the hotline, identifying 580 people and ranking our state 9th in the nation.
We also know that human trafficking is a crime that hides in the shadows. The true scope in North Carolina is likely much higher, with each number representing our neighbors: people living in our communities who are being exploited through force, fraud, or coercion.
Understanding What We’re Up Against
So, what is human trafficking? Human trafficking happens when someone is used for labor or sex in exchange for anything of monetary value. Traffickers use three primary tactics to control:
Force means physical violence or confinement. It’s the most recognizable form of control, but far from the only one.
Fraud involves deception and broken promises. This might look like someone being promised legitimate work only to have their wages withheld, or being lured with opportunities that never materialize.
Coercion includes threats, blackmail, and psychological manipulation. Traffickers might threaten harm to survivors or their loved ones, create crushing debt bondage, or use a survivor’s immigration status against them.
For anyone under 18, these elements of force, fraud, or coercion don’t even need to be present for commercial sexual exploitation to be considered trafficking. Children are especially vulnerable.
Why Community Support Matters
As our Program Director Jenn H. reminds us: “Human trafficking doesn’t end in isolation; it ends when communities pay attention and act. We can’t truly support survivors if we don’t understand the realities they face, especially when those survivors are our neighbors. Community action, whether volunteering on a crisis line, attending trainings, or donating funds to meet our neighbors’ needs, is how change becomes possible.”
Our recent Human Trafficking 101 training invited community members to do exactly this. Together, we looked beyond common misconceptions and recognized how trafficking happens in everyday life. Through real-world examples and local context, participants explored how people are targeted and controlled, why trafficking often goes unnoticed, and, most importantly, how each of us can play a role in recognizing warning signs, responding with care, and supporting survivors.
How You Can Make a Difference
Ending human trafficking requires all of us. You don’t need specialized training or a background in social services to make an impact. Here’s how you can support this critical work:
Join us at an upcoming training. We’re hosting additional Human Trafficking 101 events this month. Visit our events page to register and learn how you can better recognize and respond to trafficking in our community.
Support survivors with your resources. Every dollar donated to Our Voice goes directly toward meeting the immediate and long-term needs of survivors in our community through our 24/7 crisis line, individual and group counseling, accompanying survivors to course proceedings and medical appointments, and the practical support needed to rebuild lives. Make a donation today.
Stay informed and engaged. Follow Our Voice to learn about volunteer opportunities on our crisis line, upcoming trainings, and other ways to get involved throughout the year.
Human trafficking ends when communities like ours choose to pay attention, educate ourselves, and take action. This Human Trafficking Prevention Month, we invite you to be part of the solution. Together, we can create a community where exploitation has no place to hide and where every survivor finds the support they deserve.
Our Voice is committed to supporting survivors of sexual violence and human trafficking in our community. For more information about our programs and services, or to get help, please visit ourvoicenc.org or call our 24/7 crisis line at 828-255-7576.