How widespread is the problem of trafficking?
It has been said that trafficking is “hidden in plain sight.” This is one of the challenges of helping victims and prosecuting offenders. Traffickers instill in their victims a fear and distrust of law enforcement and many victims remain unidentified. The U.S. Department of State estimates that approximately 14,500-17,500 people are trafficked into the United States annually. The number of U.S. citizens trafficked within the country are estimated even higher, with an estimated more than 200,000 American children at high risk for trafficking into the sex industry each year (source: Polaris Project). There is controversy surrounding how trafficked victims are counted for such studies and efforts are underway to improve data collection at the national level.
