Now that Hurricane Michael has struck, a mass influx of people will start pouring into Florida to step into the vacuum of needs created by the storm. But the dark reality is that not all are there to help.
Some will likely be human traffickers ready to swoop in and exploit the vulnerable.
The significant damage, mass displacement of survivors, and influx of outsiders following disasters often fuels the demand for sex trafficking and labor trafficking. Traffickers often hide under the cover of rescue work and even law enforcement, obscuring their true intentions until it’s too late for victims to protect themselves.
Despite the countless challenges to anti-trafficking efforts, Christians are uniquely poised to help in the wake of disaster because of our churches’ community ties and relationships with the vulnerable.
Further, as Christians, we are called to help those in need, and where there is a major disaster—the threat of trafficking looms—clearly the need is great. Here’s how to spot vulnerable survivors more at risk for trafficking and steps to take to help stop it from occurring.