The lifelong impact of human trafficking is very real. Angelea Valenti said she was trafficked at the age of 17. She shared the following in a recent Sarasota Herald-Tribune editorial:

Like many victims, I was vulnerable and isolated, making me an easy target for predators. One of the most painful aspects of being trafficked was the feeling of invisibility. I remember walking through the streets with tears streaming down my face, which was sometimes beaten and bruised. People saw me, but no one ever asked if I needed help.

She said the trauma took everything from her - her childhood, her ability to trust, and her sense of self-worth. The impact of trafficking can create devastating, long-lasting trauma that permeates every aspect of a survivor's life. 

In addition to the impact of physical violence and abuse, survivors carry deep psychological wounds that can persist indefinitely. Trauma can manifest as severe anxiety disorders, PTSD, depression, and substance abuse issues. Trafficking victims face brutal exploitation, being sold 15-40 times daily, with shortened life expectancies due to violence, disease, overdose, and untreated medical conditions.

Sex trafficking can happen in any community, and to anyone. It occurs when someone uses force, fraud or coercion to cause a commercial sex act with an adult or causes a minor to commit a commercial sex act. The average age a child becomes involved in sex trafficking is 12 years old, and more than half of sex trafficking victims are lured into their situation online, making the internet the most common place where victims are recruited.

Education and awareness can lead to prevention. Some of the physical and behavior indications that someone is being trafficked include the following:

• Unexplained absences from school
• Changes in usual attire, behavior or relationships
• Suddenly has more expensive material possessions
• Shows signs of injuries and abuse
• Chronically runs away from home
• Fearful, anxious, depressed, submissive, tense, or nervous and paranoid