Ky.gov

Myths and Facts

Myth: Human trafficking doesn’t happen in my city or community.

Fact: Human trafficking happens in every city and community across the Commonwealth.


Myth: Trafficking victims are under the age of 18.

Fact: Kentuckians over the age of 18 are victims of human trafficking if force, fraud, or coercion are used.


Myth: Human trafficking only happens to girls and women.

Fact: Kentuckians of all races, genders, ages, occupations, and backgrounds are trafficked in our state.


Myth: Human trafficking only happens at major events.

Fact: While traffickers do use large-scale events to their advantage, sex or labor trafficking can occur in many different types of environments.


Myth: Law enforcement doesn’t need my help to handle human trafficking.

Fact: Human traffickers go to great lengths to hide their activities and victims from authorities. Every Kentuckian has a vital role to play in ending human trafficking by watching and reporting suspected human trafficking to authorities.


Myth: Human traffickers physically restrain those they traffic.

Fact: Human traffickers use fraud, coercion, or manipulation more than physical restraints to control those they traffic.

Human Trafficking Realities 

        • Traffickers use fraud, coercion, and psychological manipulation to control their victims.
        • Both U.S. citizens and foreign nationals are oppressed by sex and labor trafficking.
        • Trafficking happens in every community, including tribal, rural, suburban, and urban areas.
        • Trafficking affects individuals of every age, race, gender, occupation, and background.
        • Traffickers exploit the most vulnerable individuals in our communities.
        • Trafficking is about exploitation, not transportation.
        • Every Kentuckian can combat human trafficking by understanding the facts and realities of human trafficking or by calling the police and/or hotline when appropriate.


SEE THE SIGNS, MAKE THE CALL

National Human Trafficking Hotline

1-888-373-7888

In an emergency, call 911

To learn more about Attorney General Cameron’s efforts to end human trafficking in the Commonwealth or to schedule a human trafficking community training event, contact Heather Wagers, Executive Director of the Attorney General’s Office of Trafficking and Abuse Prevention and Prosecution (TAPP).

1024 Capital Center Drive, Suite 200
Frankfort, Kentucky 40601

Phone: (502) 696-5436
YourEyesSaveLives@ky.gov

This project was supported, in whole or in part, by grant number 2020-CK-WX-0026 awarded to the Kentucky Office of the Attorney General by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.