What Is Human Trafficking? Understanding the Realities in Our Communities

What is human trafficking?

When people hear the words human trafficking, many imagine something sudden and dramatic—a stranger, a van, a border crossed against someone’s will. But for many survivors, trafficking doesn’t begin with a moment like that. It begins much earlier, in quieter ways, when basic needs go unmet and support feels out of reach.

At its core, human trafficking is the act of recruiting, harboring, transporting, providing, or obtaining a person for compelled labor or commercial sex acts through the use of force, fraud, or coercion.

In simpler terms, human trafficking happens when someone is tricked, manipulated, or forced to work or engage in commercial sex or labor so others can profit. 

Popular media has shaped much of what we think we know about sex trafficking specifically. Movies like Taken have reinforced the stereotypical idea that sex trafficking happens dramatically in the night, to young girls who are kidnapped while walking alone. In reality, trafficking is far more complex, and far more common, than many people realize. Most surprising to many, it is happening right here in San Francisco.

What circumstances lead to trafficking?

Trafficking does not exist in isolated incidents. It is rooted in conditions created by systems and societies that leave people without what they need to survive. Lack of stable housing, food insecurity, isolation, and poverty all create gaps that traffickers exploit. Many survivors are unaware that their experiences would even be considered trafficking at all.

For a woman living without stable housing, the margin for choice is narrow. Here is a common example: A woman, Fiona, leaves her apartment after escalating domestic violence made it unsafe to stay. With limited savings, a past eviction tied to the abuse, and no immediate access to safe shelter, she begins sleeping outside and moving between encampments. While trying to stay warm one evening, she meets a man who offers her a place to shower, rest, and sleep indoors for a few nights.

Once inside, the expectations become clear. The man tells her she can stay as long as she has sex with him and is “available” when he wants. He controls when she can come and go and reminds her that shelters are full and the streets are dangerous. Without safe housing, income, or a support system, she feels trapped, but doesn’t recognize that she is experiencing exploitation.

This is the quiet reality of human trafficking. 

Living in poverty and experiencing housing instability are two of the most significant risk factors for being trafficked, which is why San Francisco SafeHouse was founded to support women experiencing both.

Toni Eby, MSW, Chief Executive Officer of SafeHouse, and a graduate of SafeHouse programs herself, speaks about her experiences living unhoused, and about how women often experience homelessness much differently than their male counterparts. Her story reflects what many survivors describe: not just material loss, but a lack of community.

She shares: “When I was out on the street, there were a lot of times where I felt really alone and really hopeless, and I didn’t know how I was going to get out of that situation. And I know that there were a lot of times where I would sit there and think to myself, ‘How did I get to this point in my life?’”

Toni continues:  “There is a feeling that many women have in this situation, a feeling like there is nobody who loves them. When they are at that vulnerable point of homelessness, they become extremely vulnerable to human trafficking.” 

How can we prevent human trafficking?

The risk of trafficking and exploitation decreases when communities invest in organizations that provide safe housing, meet basic needs, and offer care and support to people experiencing homelessness.

Nonprofit organizations like SafeHouse, alongside a wide network of partner organizations, make it possible for survivors like Fiona to exit trafficking situations safely. 

While accessing SafeHouse’s drop-in Hope Center for meals, Fiona connects with a case manager who recognizes her situation as exploitation. With support, she enters into Transitional Housing - safe, communal housing with onsite services where she can receive support to help her heal. During her time there, she completes her high school diploma, enrolls in college to become a counselor, and most importantly finds a community of support for women who have experienced the same trauma she has. Over time, she secures stable housing and begins her journey to independent living. 

“Today, I am 8 years clean, have a career in addiction counseling, am pursuing a degree in Public Health, and have repaired many close relationships, including with my daughter. SafeHouse truly gave me the foundation to reclaim my life.” -Words from a SafeHouse Graduate

Survivors remind us that trafficking is often about survival in a world that has failed to provide safety, stability, and care. When communities invest in systems and organizations that meet people’s basic needs, those needs are far less likely to be leveraged for harm. Human trafficking is preventable, and together we can all be a part of the solution.

Want to learn more?

This information has been adapted from training from our Chief Program Officer, Kristen Moore, MFT.

If you are interested in learning more, please contact development@sfsafehouse.org to inquire about Human Trafficking Trainings for your organization, congregation, or networks. These trainings help build understanding, challenge misconceptions, and strengthen community based responses to trafficking.