Holiday Alert: Surge in Human Trafficking Risks Sparks Urgent Warnings from Experts and Law Enforcement

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CENTRAL ILLINOIS (WCIA) — With a staggering $236 billion in profits, human trafficking remains a pervasive issue globally, and experts warn that its prevalence tends to rise during the holiday season.

Authorities report that approximately 50 million individuals are victims of trafficking around the world. To combat this, police are dedicated to gathering extensive information to preemptively address these situations. They emphasize that the first line of defense is public education, empowering individuals with the knowledge to safeguard themselves.

Specialists and law enforcement officials stress that no demographic is immune, as people across all ages and races can become targets of trafficking.

“My goal is to educate everyone about the risks, the warning signs, and the current situation,” stated a spokesperson.

In related news, a former Moultrie County Board member faces accusations of sexual assault dating back to 2009.

“It struck a chord with me,” Cochran said. “There was no one in our area that really teaches human trafficking awareness in the schools.”

So, Cochran is filling that void, sharing tips and things to watch out for.

“There’s a lot of phone apps, there’s deceptive apps, there’s tracking apps,” he said.

He said a typical scam can involve someone pretending to be a child’s age, asking for a suggestive picture, and then using that to blackmail them.

“‘If you don’t give me more, I will pass that photo along to your teacher, your folks, your peers.’” Cochran paraphrased. “So it gets them into that cycle, and then they can’t get out.”

The officer said it’s not limited to teens. He’s seen people in their 40’s trafficked.

Cochran is not the only one fighting these crimes in central Illinois. Laura Dean is the Director of the Human Trafficking Lab at Millikin University, which was established in 2018.

“I kind of identified that there was a need for research on human trafficking, especially in our region,” Dean said.

She said a majority of the research is done on a federal level, with most of the state’s work around Chicago.

“We’ve seen an increase in forced labor and, I want to say in the past couple of years, we’ve been one of the highest Department of Justice districts in the country for labor trafficking,” Dean said.

Dean said their research shows some of the top industries are agriculture, meat packing and hospitality.

“When you go to a hotel, you don’t necessarily think that the person cleaning your room might be a victim of human trafficking, right?” Dean asked. “But we’ve seen that increasingly, hotels are places of exploitation.”

It’s valuable data for law enforcement.

“Hopefully we can save lives, whether it be in Edgar County or across the across the state,” Cochran said.

He added that if you are a victim of trafficking, or if you think you see someone who is, call local law enforcement. Cochran said he’d much rather have someone contact them than shy away because they don’t want to get involved.