Guest column: Sex trafficking in south-central Wisconsin

By Sarah Yanke   January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month, and Hope House would like to take the opportunity to discuss sex trafficking and the fact that occurs not only in all five counties we serve, but throughout Wisconsin. What is sex trafficking and what does it look like in Wisconsin? Sex trafficking is different from sex work. Sex workers enter the industry willingly. However, sex trafficking involves force, coercion, or deceit – it affects the victim’s human rights. Sex work is criminalized in all but one state so both sex workers and trafficking victims can be arrested and prosecuted, even when participating in an act against their will. Some states have laws to try and prevent that from happening, but the truth is that the stigma around sex trafficking can often make the situation seem like more “gray area” than it is. This isn’t just a big-city problem. Hope House’s service area covers a heavily utilized sex trafficking corridor: The I90/I94 interstate that connects Chicago-Milwaukee-Madison-Minneapolis. This area is ripe for trafficking involvement, with its proximity to the corridor, the seasonal workers, J1 students, and the large hospitality and tourism industry. While you may hear about major busts on the news, trafficking is an everyday occurrence, and to be “successful” it is often small. The perpetrator is likely someone the victim trusted: A friend, a partner or a family member. They can also be a person who gained control over the victim by using their citizenship status, their finances, a physical dependency or an addiction. The signs someone is being trafficked are not always obvious. While occasionally people are physically abused or branded, more often the victims won’t have ID, personal items, money or access to money. Victims are often with someone who is controlling the situation, including where they go or who they talk to; they might appear to be homeless or not have a permanent residence. Not all these signs are present in every trafficking situation, and the presence or absence of any of these signs is not necessarily proof of trafficking, which is one of the many reasons it is so difficult to prosecute. Please remember to never attempt to confront a suspected trafficker directly or alert a victim to your suspicions. Safety is most important. If you suspect trafficking is taking place, call your local law enforcement. What is Hope House doing to help? Anyone who is a victim of trafficking is welcome to call Hope House to receive free and confidential services. Though services look a little different during the pandemic, they can range from supportive counseling to legal advocacy to connection to community resources or emergency housing, and more. Not every county, much less every city, has a trafficking taskforce but Hope House has a dedicated Human Trafficking Advocate. In our area, Hope House is able to work with local law enforcement to help them identify trafficking victims, so that these victims can be helped rather than arrested and prosecuted when law enforcement encounters them. If you need help please contact Hope House toll-free: 800-584-6790, or call the National Human TraffickingHotline: 888-373-7888. If it is safer for you to text, that number is 233733.  Additional information and facts on this topic can be found on the Wisconsin Department of Justice website: doj.state.wi.us/ocvs/human-trafficking, and the Human Trafficking Hotline website: humantraffickinghotline.org. Sarah Yanke is a Human Trafficking Advocate for Hope House of South Central Wisconsin.